PE alpha isn’t what it used to be Download PitchBook’s Report here. We tend to think of PE’s halcyon days as 2005-07, the dealmaking and fundraising bonanza years right before the music stopped. Industry players who have been around long enough probably remember better times and slightly better numbers. The industry is certainly much bigger and…

Public firms have always been busier Download PitchBook’s Report here. We mentioned last week that the flagship funds of public PE firms are now bigger than they were pre-crisis, while the same (mostly) can’t be said for private firms. The cynic might point out the obvious, that public firms are incentivized to raise more money because…

Public versus private The private equity industry has matured quite a bit over the years. The most visible marker is the handful of firms that have gone public, despite the public market’s difficulty in valuing the complex, variable cash flows that are inseparable from the PE model…. Login to Read More...

Why are add-ons getting so much bigger? Download PitchBook’s Report here. The median add-on size almost doubled in the span of two years. The $41 million median seen in 2016 ballooned to $76 million last year, an 86% difference. At first glance, it looks like platform deal sizes have gone up much more rapidly, but charts…

A closer look at foreign investment There’s a tradeoff between welcoming foreign investment and protecting national security. That’s becoming a more common tradeoff to consider in the private equity world, where foreign investors are keen to get involved in direct investments…. Login to Read More...

MM exits off to a slow start Download PitchBook’s Report here. It’s early still, but middle market exits are off to a historically slow start in 2019. Just $27 billion worth of sales were inked in the first quarter off of 137 exits. On a quarterly basis, both were low marks going back to 2010, when…

Core MM had a big 2018 Download PitchBook’s Report here. The US middle market went gangbusters last year, setting records in both volume and dollars. Two of the three segments of the middle market, however, inched down YoY…. Login to Read More...

Buyout multiples: Steady as they go Coming soon Download PitchBook’s Report here. Despite nine interest rate hikes since December 2015, buyout multiples have remained remarkably steady. The four-quarter rolling median, which helps smooth out that trend over time, has increased by a single turn since early 2016… Login to Read More...

SBOs are growing in size Download PitchBook’s Report here. Private equity has three major exit ramps—strategic sales, secondary buyouts and IPOs. They tend to trend independently of one another, which is to say that market dynamics usually favor one or two options over another…. Login to Read More...

Private equity heads west New York is the epicenter of private equity, as it has been since its beginning. Wall Street was already around when PE got its start, and the important supporting actors—namely lenders and bankers—were all a taxi ride away.The same is true for Silicon Valley and the venture industry,… Login to Read