Deal activity down but buyouts surge ahead

The barometer shows that between Q2 2010 and Q4 2010, the number of private equity deals has fallen by 23% to 230 deals. Furthermore, this is the lowest quarterly amount seen in the entire 18-month sample.

However, deal value has made a startling comeback, with Q4 investments totally €10.3bn, up 50% compared with the same quarter in 2009. Bolstered by the ongoing comeback of mega deals, 2010 as a whole saw private equity deals with a whopping €71.5bn, up 143% on the previous year.

In contrast to the market as a whole, buyout volume was up, the third consecutive quarter of growth. The fourth quarter saw 101 buyouts, the most seen in the 18-month sample and a 31% increase on the same period of 2009.

Growth capital saw a second consecutive quarter of contraction, with volume down 23% from Q3 to just 84 transactions. Furthermore, value almost halved, down from €2.3bn to just €1.3bn, a 43% fall.

Venture capital activity picked up slightly, with 45 deals in Q4 compared to the previous quarter's 40. The value of early-stage investments saw a more significant increase, rising 31% to €278m.

You can download the full unquote" Private Equity Barometer, produced in association with Candover, from our research centre.

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• Topics
• UK / Ireland
• Southern Europe
• Nordics
• DACH
• Benelux
• France
• Buyouts
• Expansion
• Early-stage