UK Watch: Q2 shows signs of recovery

The latest results from unquote's quarterly industry survey found that improved deal values coupled with a positive mood among private equity practitioners suggest continued robust activity over the coming months.

Over the second quarter of this year, improvements were seen for deal volumes in the smaller buyout segment. The number of transactions with enterprise values of less than £150m rose to 28 from the miserly 20 recorded in Q1.

For larger buyouts, activity in the second quarter held steady. There were seven deals with enterprise values above £150m, up slightly from last quarter's five. However, the real improvement was in overall value, which shot up to £3.9bn from just £1.5bn in the first quarter.

Following weak deal volumes in Q1, UK private equity has turned a corner in recent weeks

The early-stage and expansion market saw mixed activity over the second quarter. The volume of deals fell to 57 from last quarter's 73. However, the overall value of deals jumped to £636m from £542m in Q1.

The percentage of respondents expecting activity to increase or stay the same over the coming months was slightly lower than last quarter's survey but overall, the large majority are optimistic with only a very small percentage forecasting activity to decrease.

Read the full report in the unquote" UK Watch, in association with Corbett Keeling.

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