Private equity deals

Heart to Heart Hospice, a Plano, Texas-based provider of hospice care, has secured a minority equity investment from Summit Partners. www.hearttohearthospice.com

Hostess Brands formally announced that it would sell its snack cake business, including Twinkies, to Apollo Global Management and C. Dean Metropoulos. The two firms had previously been named "stalking horse" bidders, and Hostess says it did not receive any subsequent offers. www.hostess.com

TripWire, a Portland, Ore.-based provider of IT security and compliance automation software, has acquired nCircle, a San Francisco-based provider of information risk and security performance management solutions. No financial terms were disclosed. TripWire is owned by Thoma Bravo, while nCircle raised VC funding from such firms as Alta Partners, JK&B Capital, Guide Ventures and Menlo Ventures. www.tripwire.com

W.H. Smith Co., a Parkersburg, W.V.–based maker of hose assemblies and other products for the U.S. Department of Defense and commercial clients, has acquired the IP and select assets of LaBarge Products Inc., a St. Louis-based maker of critical systems and components for expeditionary military operations. No financial terms were disclosed. W.H. Smith is a portfolio company of JWI Capital. www.whsmithco.com

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