Q4 2009 unquote" Private Equity Barometer

Ashley Wassall
25 January 2010

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The unquote" Private Equity Barometer, published in association with Candover, shows deal activity (buyout, early stage and growth capital) in the previous quarter by volume and Euro value. Figures are also recorded on a quarterly basis going back to Q3 2008, allowing comparison of deal activity. Figures are based on preliminary quarterly data from Incisive Media's unquote.

Click to download the [asset_library_tag 642,Q4 2009 unquote" Private Equity Barometer]

Highlights:

European Private Equity

In the final quarter of 2009, there were 231 private equity-backed deals recorded, a decline of 10% against Q3 2009 (258 transactions). In value terms, transactions for the quarter were €10bn, down 8% compared with €11bn in Q3 2009.

The full-year figures remained significantly below 2008 with a 34% fall in the volumes of deals to 937, and a fall of 66% fall in value to €29bn.

Buyouts

The volume and value of European buyouts in Q4 2009 remained broadly similar to the previous quarter. In total, there were 77 buyouts in Q4 2009, compared to 71 in Q3 2009, totalling around €9bn in each case.

For the full year, the value of European buyouts totalled €23bn, down 68% from €72bn in 2008 and 88% down on the record €187bn recorded in 2007. Year on year volumes fell by 57% from 586 to 253 deals.

Two transactions exceeded €1bn during the quarter: EQT's €2.3bn buyout of Springer Science & Business Media from Candover and Cinven and Apax's €1.1bn acquisition of ICG-backed clinical trial logistics business Marken.

The UK remained the most active market in Europe in volume terms with 25 deals. In value terms the DACH region was the largest at €3.7bn, with two thirds of this accounted for by the Springer buyout.