News & Analysis
driven by the PitchBook PlatformPrivate Equity
Walgreens deal, market unease drive jump in Q1 take-private value
With public companies pressured by tariffs and market uncertainty, private equity may be seizing the moment to take publicly traded assets private.
Trump targets Harvard’s tax privileges, threatening donations to endowment
The Trump administration has reportedly asked the IRS to revoke the university’s tax-exempt status. If successful, the move would tamp donations to its $53.2 billion endowment.
How Cliffwater interval funds led a private wealth fundraising bonanza
PE firms are bulking up on ‘semi-liquid’ interval funds tailored to enable smaller investors to diversify their portfolios with private market alternatives.
Elite university endowments confront a ‘parade of horribles’
Endowments look to liquidate hedge fund commitments amid Trump administration’s funding pullback and the threat of a tax rate hike.
EQT expects slow exits amid tariff uncertainty
Geopolitical risks, a slowdown of global economic activity and inflationary pressure are the firm’s main concerns as the US applies a new tariff regime.
BC Partners credit chief eager to ‘play offense’ amid tariff wrangling
The firm looks at non-sponsor lending, aviation leases and fund finance for potential opportunities.
Tariff uproar to further slow distributions to LPs
Buyout funds have notoriously extended their fund lives amid a slowdown in dealmaking. Trump’s tariff showdown isn’t going to provide any relief.
The Benchmark
2016 Vintage Global PE Funds
Median IRR
18.29
Top Quartile IRR
23.74%
0.98x
Median DPI
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Data & Tools
PitchBook Private Capital Return Barometers
The Private Equity Barometer incorporates information from 14 macroeconomic, credit, and equity indicators to estimate standardized quarterly PE returns. Click to see the full data.
Lending league tables: Q3 2024
Which lenders took part in the most deals for US PE-backed companies? Click to see the interactive rankings.
PitchBook Indexes
PE-backed IPO indexes are outpacing their deSPAC and unicorn counterparts in 2024. Click to see the full interactive index.
More PE news
Intel sells Altera to Silver Lake in PE’s largest carveout in 5 years
Silver Lake takes majority control of Intel’s FPGA unit amid market volatility and Intel’s strategic revamp.
Bain Capital cashes out of Esure in €1.5B sale to Ageas
Bain Capital is exiting investment in British insurance firm Esure through a €1.5 billion sale to Ageas
KKR to buy post-trade service provider OSTTRA in $3.1B deal
KKR has landed a $3.1 billion deal for OSTTRA as demand for resilient post-trade infrastructure may grow under a global trade war.
PE sponsors consider alternatives to China-plus-one supply chain strategy
President Trump’s 90-day pause on most tariffs, China’s retaliatory measures and evolving supply chain risks force a strategic rethink in private equity.
Economic uncertainties shake up European PE dealmaking
After a strong 2024, European PE faced a stark slowdown in Q1 2025 as geopolitical tensions and macro uncertainty reshaped investor behavior.
LPs flooded the secondary market during tariff upheaval. Buyers paused.
Secondary buyers wait for pricing certainty after tariff delay.
‘Hard to close': PE stalls amid tariff turmoil
Dealmakers say PE firms are stepping back from acquiring targets with tariff exposure.
Carlyle eyes tech disruptors as US defense spending priorities shift
Ian Fujiyama, the firm’s head of aerospace, defense and government, said a shift in military spending is creating opportunities for tech-driven innovators to take on legacy defense contractors.
LPs focus on performance as PE AUM growth slows
Lower mid-market funds can stand out with value strategies as LPs cherry-pick based on best-in-class performance.
