Key Takeaways
- • Bain Capital has agreed to acquire a majority stake in FDH Aero from Audax Private Equity in a transaction signed June 3, 2026, with close expected in the second half of 2026, pending customary regulatory approvals.
- • FDH Aero is a 60+ year-old global aerospace and defense supply chain solutions provider headquartered in Commerce, California, with operations across North America, Europe, and Asia, serving OEM and aftermarket customers in commercial, defense, and space sectors.
- • Audax Private Equity, which owned FDH Aero as a portfolio company, engaged William Blair as its financial advisor; Bain Capital retained Jefferies as advisor on the transaction.
- • Bain Capital, founded in 1984 with approximately $225 billion in assets under management across five investment focus areas, operates 24 offices globally with 1,850+ employees and is positioned to drive FDH Aero's next institutional growth phase.
- • The transaction represents a continuation of Audax's portfolio management strategy; Audax has deployed roughly $19.5 billion in assets under management across over 180 platform investments and 1,500 add-on acquisitions since 1999.
Summary
Bain Capital has reached a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in FDH Aero from current owner Audax Private Equity. The transaction was signed on June 3, 2026, and is anticipated to close in the second half of 2026, subject to customary regulatory approvals. William Blair served as financial advisor to FDH Aero on the transaction, while Jefferies advised Bain Capital.
FDH Aero operates as a trusted global supply chain solutions provider serving the aerospace and defense industry. With more than 60 years of operational history, the company specializes in hardware, electrical and electronic products, and consumable products and services for both original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and aftermarket customers across the commercial, defense, and space sectors. The company is headquartered in Commerce, California, and maintains operations spanning North America, Europe, and Asia, positioning it as a geographically diversified player in critical aerospace and defense supply chains.
Audax Private Equity, which has owned FDH Aero as a portfolio company, maintains approximately $19.5 billion in assets under management and has completed over 180 platform acquisitions plus 1,500 add-on investments since its 1999 founding in Boston. The sale represents an exit for Audax while maintaining the company's strategic growth trajectory under new institutional ownership.
Bain Capital, one of the world's leading private investment firms founded in 1984, brings significant scale and sector expertise to the transaction. The firm manages roughly $225 billion in assets across five focus areas—Private Equity, Growth & Venture, Capital Solutions, Credit & Capital Markets, and Real Assets—and operates a global platform spanning 24 offices across four continents with more than 1,850 employees. The majority investment structure signals Bain's commitment to underwriting FDH Aero's next institutional growth phase, leveraging both capital and operational resources to accelerate the aerospace and defense supply chain provider's expansion.
FDH Aero operates as a trusted global supply chain solutions provider serving the aerospace and defense industry. With more than 60 years of operational history, the company specializes in hardware, electrical and electronic products, and consumable products and services for both original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and aftermarket customers across the commercial, defense, and space sectors. The company is headquartered in Commerce, California, and maintains operations spanning North America, Europe, and Asia, positioning it as a geographically diversified player in critical aerospace and defense supply chains.
Audax Private Equity, which has owned FDH Aero as a portfolio company, maintains approximately $19.5 billion in assets under management and has completed over 180 platform acquisitions plus 1,500 add-on investments since its 1999 founding in Boston. The sale represents an exit for Audax while maintaining the company's strategic growth trajectory under new institutional ownership.
Bain Capital, one of the world's leading private investment firms founded in 1984, brings significant scale and sector expertise to the transaction. The firm manages roughly $225 billion in assets across five focus areas—Private Equity, Growth & Venture, Capital Solutions, Credit & Capital Markets, and Real Assets—and operates a global platform spanning 24 offices across four continents with more than 1,850 employees. The majority investment structure signals Bain's commitment to underwriting FDH Aero's next institutional growth phase, leveraging both capital and operational resources to accelerate the aerospace and defense supply chain provider's expansion.
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