Blackstone(US:BX) Xin Lang Cai Jing·2026-02-17 14:16Group 1 - Blackstone Group is in advanced talks to acquire Champions Group for approximately $2.5 billion [1] - The acquisition is expected to be announced as early as Tuesday, pending any last-minute obstacles [1] - Champions Group, based in Orange County, California, focuses on essential home services such as heating, air conditioning, plumbing, and electrical services [1] Group 2 - The deal reflects private equity firms seeking safe havens in industries less susceptible to disruption from artificial intelligence [1] - Companies like Champions are expected to generate resilient cash flows even during economic downturns, as consumers rely on them for essential repairs and maintenance [1] - Recent investor sentiment has been volatile, with concerns that AI tools like Anthropic and ChatGPT may threaten the software-related businesses of alternative asset management firms [2]