Weekly round-up: Corporates bullish on pricing

During the first three months of the year, trade buyers paid a median entry multiple of 8.3x EBITDA in lower mid-market buyouts, according to the latest Argos Mid-Market Index, marking the highest entry multiple since H2 2007. This increase was to a large extent driven by listed companies' readiness to buy targets at multiples in line with their own, alongside increased appetite from international buyers. And with US corporates making up half of non-European buyers in the last six months, transatlantic corporate interest remains piqued.

Change is essential if the Nordic region is to remain attractive, according to private equity professionals speaking at the unquote" private equity forum held last week in Stockholm. Keynote speaker Mirja Lehmler-Brown, principal at Scottish Widow Investment Partnership, highlighted changes currently underway, from the increased size of GPs' coffers to more structural shifts in the industry. But perhaps the most pressing issue faced by the market is the changing attitude towards the asset class, which has come under fire recently and faces political headwinds. An enhanced focus on environment, social and governance platforms could become essential if the region is to continue delivering strong returns.

That's all from me this week but if you have any comments on this week's analysis, please send your thoughts to amy.king@incisivemedia.com.

You can continue to follow me and the rest of the unquote" team via @unquotenews for all the latest private equity and venture capital updates, and of course on unquote.com.

Amy King
News Editor, unquote"

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