FirstCity Financial Corporation (FirstCity) is a financial services company. The Company engages in two business segments: Portfolio Asset Acquisition and Resolution, and Special Situations Platform. In the Portfolio Asset Acquisition and Resolution business, the Company acquires portfolios of performing and non-performing loans and other assets (Portfolio Assets), at a discount to their legal principal balances or appraised values, and services and resolves such Portfolio Assets. Through its Special Situations Platform, the Company provides investment capital to privately-held middle-market companies through flexible capital structuring arrangements to generate a risk-adjusted return. These capital investments primarily take the form of senior and junior financing arrangements, but also include direct equity investments, common equity warrants, distressed debt transactions, and leveraged buyouts.

EQT is a group of leading private equity funds with investments in Northern and Eastern Europe, Asia and the US. Activities focus on buyouts, growth financing and infrastructure. In our view, the funds have a unique industrial approach. EQT has raised approximately EUR 13 billion since its establishment and invested some EUR 8.5 billion in more than 75 companies.EQT’s strategic vision is to provide the most successful investment organization and network of industrialists in those markets in which the funds operate by combining entrepreneurship, industrial thinking and financial discipline. The funds invest in companies in which EQT can act as a catalyst for change and growth and to transform companies into global or regional leaders by making genuine and sustainable improvements.The approach of the Equity, Expansion Capital and Infrastructure funds is to acquire or finance high-quality, market-leading, medium-sized companies in growth industries with a potential for top-line growth and to contribute to their industrial acceleration.All EQT funds are advised by EQT Partners. EQT Partners has more than 200 employees in 11 countries, of which approximately 100 are investment professionals with a broad industrial and financial background. EQT Partners has offices in Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Helsinki, Hong Kong, London, Munich, New York, Oslo, Shanghai, Singapore, Stockholm, Warsaw and Zurich.

Founded in 1965, A-Mark has grown into a full service precious metals trading company offering a wide array of products and services. A-Mark products include gold, silver, platinum and palladium for storage and delivery in the form of coins, bars, wafers and grain. A-Mark services include financing, leasing, consignment, hedging and a variety of customized financial programs. A-Mark are an official distributor for many Government Mints throughout the world including The Royal Canadian Mint, The South African Mint, The Australian (Perth) Mint and an Authorized Purchaser for the US Mint. A-Mark makes an active two way market from our trading center in Santa Monica, California, Monday through Friday from 5:20 am to 5:00 pm, Pacific Time, even while many major world commodity markets are closed. A-Mark Precious Metals a leader in precious metals with the largest precious metals dealer network in North America, serving customers on six continents. A-Mark clients include coin and metal dealers, investors, collectors, mines, manufacturers, refiners, jewelers, investment advisors, merchants, commodity brokerage houses and central banks.

Nicholas Financial, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a specialized consumer finance company. Nicholas Financial, Inc. engages in acquiring and servicing contracts for purchases of new and used automobiles and light trucks. Nicholas Financial, Inc. also makes direct loans and sells consumer-finance related products. In addition, Nicholas Financial, Inc. engages in developing, marketing, supporting, and updating industry-specific computer application software for small businesses located primarily in the Southeast United States. Nicholas Financial, Inc. operates 54 branch locations in the Southeast and the Mid-Western states. Nicholas Financial, Inc. was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Clearwater, Florida.

FX Solutions, LLC was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Saddle River, New Jersey. As of February 5, 2008, FX Solutions, LLC operates as a subsidiary of City Index Holdings, Ltd. FX Solutions, LLC operates as an online foreign exchange brokerage company. It offers Global Trading System (GTS), a mobile Forex trading platform that provides trading and risk management services. FX Solutions company offers institutional services, including white label, introducing broker, institutional trading, and API solutions. It serves retail clients, white label partners, and institutional trading partners.

Private Equity is the common term used to refer to a specific type of long-term investment activity. Typically private equity firms take a controlling stake in companies with a view to transforming their performance over a number of years such that they can be sold at a premium to the acquisition price. The private equity investor will generally be represented on the board of the company so that they can actively support management in determining the strategic direction of the business.Private equity investments can be sub-divided according to the size of the company acquired, its development stage and the type of financing provided by the private equity firm. The Permira funds are primarily involved in medium to large buy-outs. This means that they tend to acquire sizeable businesses with a long-standing trading history and a strong market position. In addition, private equity firms traditionally finance their acquisitions with a mix of equity, provided by their institutional investors, and debt.Private Equity ownership is recognised to offer a number of benefits, which stem from its long-term investment horizon and a governance structure which fully aligns management’s and shareholders’ interests for the long-term benefit of a company and its employees. For more details on the industry, please visit our 3rd Party Research section.

iD Ventures America, LLC (formerly known as Acer Technology Ventures America, LLC) is a venture capital business unit of iD SoftCapital Group, a group established by Acer founder Stan Shih and former Acer senior management to offer consulting services, and asset and venture fund management. Our mission at iD Ventures America is to facilitate the Intellectual Development of the New Economy through venture investing.iD Ventures America has been active in the venture community since 1998. Currently we have a total of $385 million under management with $85 million in active investments through our latest funds: iD6 Fund established in 2005; iD8 Fund established in 2008; and our most recent fund, iD5 Annex Fund. These funds are invested by Acer and other private investors. Our former funds, comprised of $300 million, have been fully invested into North America and Asia based companies: The Acer Technology Venture Fund and IP Fund One. ATVF and IPF One are invested by Acer affiliated companies and executives, as well as external institutional limited partners.

Institutional Venture Partners was founded in 1980 and is based in Menlo Park, California with an additional office in San Francisco, California. Institutional Venture Partners is a private equity and venture capital firm specializing in investments in later stage companies, small-cap public companies, and growth equity. The firm seeks to invest in industry rollups, founder liquidity, and select public market transactions. It generally invests in information technology and media companies with a focus on internet and digital media, enterprise information technology, travel, communications, wireless, software, infrastructure, and technology-enabled services. The firm invests in companies based in the United States. It invests in private companies having revenues greater than $10 million.

Lombard Odier Darier Hentsch & Cie was founded in 1796 and is based in Geneva, Switzerland with additional offices in Fribourg, Lausanne, Lugano, Vevey, Zurich, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Brussels, Gibraltar, Istanbul, Jersey, London, Madrid, Paris, Prague, Montreal, Bermuda, Nassau, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Dubai. Lombard Odier Darier Hentsch & Cie, a private banker, offers advisory services in wealth management, financial products, and specialized areas to private and institutional clients. Its services include investment decisions assistance, assets management, portfolio management advice, estate planning, legal and tax advice, occupational pensions advise, actuarial, bancassurance, equity management, and equity research. The company also engages in creating, managing, and administering mutual funds. In addition, it offers online financial services. Further, the company offers Asset Management & Investment Research software, an asset management software.

Thoma Bravo LLC is a private equity firm specializing in buy-outs, recapitalizations, roll-overs of a portion of existing equity, management buy-outs, growth equity, industry consolidation, acquisitions, buy and build, and take-private transactions. It does not invest in start-ups and distressed businesses. The firm prefers to invest in the companies based in United States, but can consider opportunities globally as well. It seeks to invest in business services, enterprise and infrastructure software, education, distribution, financial services, and consumer goods and services. In the business services sector, the firm invests in financial services, information services, and transaction processing. In education, it prefers to invest in postsecondary education; early childhood learning, K-12 schools; educational products manufacturing and distribution; behavioral schools; and corporate training. Within consumer products and services, the firm invests in food and beverages; health, wellness and beauty aids, and services; automotive aftermarket; sports, leisure, entertainment and hobby products, and services; catalog and internet retailing; house wares, home repair and home furnishings; gardening and crafts; and pet care.

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