The Globe and Mail reports in its Saturday edition that Canadian investment fads come and go -- think income trusts, cannabis and junior mining -- but one trend never goes out of fashion: the roll-up. The Globe's Sean Silcoff writes that there have been many successful sector consolidators, but also several flameouts (Valeant and Loewen Group being the most spectacular). The latest serial acquirer to rise to prominence is Valsoft Corp. The nine-year-old Montreal company, led by Sam Youssef and Steph Manos, is trying to emulate Constellation Software's successful playbook. Valsoft has bought up dozens of small, slow-growing but stable software vendors around the world that dominate a range of modest industry subsectors. Valsoft owns nearly 100 companies, generates nearly $450-million (U.S.) in revenue and earns about 25- to 30-per-cent operating profits, the company says. On Friday, Valsoft said it had raised $170-million (U.S.) in debt to fuel further acquisitions in a deal led by U.S. investment giants Viking Global Investors and Coatue Management LLC. The company also has a $200-million line of credit with a syndicate of Toronto-Dominion Bank, Bank of Montreal, National Bank and Business Development Bank of Canada.