Top story
Nordic tech's transatlantic ambition
Nordic startups are increasingly looking to find backers with ties to the US market to support their growth strategies
Deals accelerate in German online marketplaces
Three transactions in the space within the first two months of 2018 saw PE firms invest a combined €500m and cash out more than €700m
Large-cap deals drive strong start to 2018 for European PE
GPs deploy an extra €7bn in aggregate value across European buyouts in the first two months of the year compared to 2017
Casual dining: overbooked and undercooked
British PE owners are facing challenges as the sector shows signs of strain due to oversupply and macroeconomic headwinds
Abraaj suspends private equity funds as founder steps down
CEO and founder Arif Naqvi passed the fund management reins to two co-chief executives
Italian private debt issuance jumps 35% in 2017
Southern Europe's two biggest markets differ greatly in their uptake of private debt, with Spanish players facing strong competition from banks
Private debt funds expand market share in Germany
Growing use of use of first-out, second-out unitranche leads to private debt funds more than doubling their share of German mid-market deals
European PE in 2017: Scaling new heights
Buyout activity and fundraising reached a new peak in 2017, with mega-buyouts and small-cap deals fueling dealflow and French funds popular among LPs
Q4 Barometer: Deal volume and aggregate value slide
Despite a boom in both dealflow and aggregate value across 2017 as a whole, the final quarter of the year saw a slowdown in activity
CEE mid-market players welcome renewed attention from larger GPs
Focusing on the mid-market pays off, as renewed interest from international sponsors affords interesting SBO opportunities
GP Profile: Investcorp
Deal-by-deal investor raises $1bn a year, with 70% of its funds coming from institutional investors outside of the Gulf
Less specialisation in southern Europe as generalists flourish
Trend of fund specialisation has been observed in European PE but LPs are still supporting less differentiated strategies in Southern Europe
DACH auto-parts deals motor on as sector transforms
Private equity players remain keen on auto-parts, as the sub-sector responds to rapid changes brought about by the electrical vehicle market
European PE in 2018: beware the bullet
unquote” brings together a group of leading practitioners to analyse industry developments during 2017 and discuss emerging trends heading into 2018
European PE in 2017: fundraising tailwinds and growing leverage
Industry professionals look back on a resilient year for private equity during a period of turbulent geopolitics
Fundraising record rounds off active year for Nordic region
Region saw strong fundraising and high deal volume off the back of low interest rates in 2017
Tech gains traction in French private equity
Expansion deals and small-cap buyouts fuelled a strong 2017, with tech proving increasingly popular among buyout houses
Unquote's 2017 digest
unquote" looks back on an impressive 2017, which saw increases in the volume and aggregate value of buyouts and a buoyant fundraising environment
UK buyout activity reaches post-crisis peak in 2017
Small-cap and lower-mid-market invested strongly during the course of the year, while fundraising activity continued apace
Benelux funds specialise to compete with strategic buyers
Record level of commitments were secured by Benelux funds during 2017, with GPs increasingly turning to sector specialisation
Rise of the UK's private markets
Average values of British PE buyouts have soared over the last 20 years, as increasingly fewer businesses are trading on the London stock exchange
CEE closes out 2017 with strong investor confidence
Fundraising and deal activity both increased in the region during 2017
Shielding PE from political risk
Once a niche advisory sub-sector, political due diligence has now become an integral part of deal-making in Europe
DACH family businesses open up to private equity
Despite continuing low dealflow in the region, signs are emerging that family-owned businesses are warming to the idea of PE backing