Moonpig owner Photobox bought by Exponent Private Equity & Electra Partners

It comes over a year after Photobox abandoned plans to float on the London Stock Exchange for £500m, citing the volatile stock market performance of other companies which had taken the plunge.

The offer is still subject to certain conditions, such as a consultation with employee representatives and anti-trust clearance.

“PhotoBox is the market leader in Europe and is uniquely placed due to its scale to capture further growth as the macro trend for personalised gifts continues,” Bill Priestley, partner at Electra Partners, the manager of Electra, said.

Photobox’s chief executive, Stan Laurent, added: “We’re excited that Exponent and Electra Partners, both with impressive track records of building great businesses, share our vision about continuing to develop the most “personal” e-commerce business in Europe, celebrating millions of customers’ memories, birthdays and other happy moments. Their welcome cards are in the post!.”