Today's Private Equity Pulse
Blackstone closes $13.1B Asia fund, its biggest ever
Blackstone announced the closing of its third Asia private‑equity vehicle, Blackstone Capital Partners Asia III, at $13.1 billion, surpassing its $10 billion target and more than doubling the capital of its predecessor. The fund is the firm’s largest Asia‑focused raise and Blackstone has deployed over $7 billion across 12 deals in the region in the past two years.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Metatron Private Equity acquires Green Circuits Inc.
Why You Should Focus Less on Cost Synergies During PMI
In a recent podcast, Anirvan Sen of Fifth Chrome argues that post‑merger integration should prioritize growth capabilities and revenue synergies over traditional cost‑cutting targets. He advocates a blueprint‑style integration plan that starts at the strategy stage, mapping key customer journeys and aligning leadership before the deal closes. By focusing on operational excellence and hidden efficiency opportunities, firms can unlock greater value than through headcount reductions alone. The approach contrasts with many private‑equity playbooks, emphasizing long‑term capability building rather than short‑term expense savings.
Fiber Network Provider Fidium's Latest Master Trust Issuance Raises $664.6 Million
Fiber provider Fidium launched a $664.6 million asset‑backed securities program, issuing three tranches (A‑2, B, C) slated to close on March 31. The trust holds conduits, cables, equipment and contracts covering about 351,000 subscribers across eight states, with Maine, New Hampshire and Texas...
Charlotte-Based SouthCraft Home Builders Rebrands as SouthCraft by Empire Homes
SouthCraft Home Builders announced it will operate as SouthCraft by Empire Homes, reflecting its 2025 acquisition by Empire Homes. Matt Roesch, a veteran homebuilder, was named division president to steer the rebranded unit. The new brand leverages Empire’s scale and...
BNP Paribas: ‘Alternative” Evergreen Structures Attract Institutional Investors
BNP Paribas highlights the growing appeal of alternative evergreen structures, such as run‑off evergreens and rolling‑vintage umbrella funds, among institutional investors. These vehicles differ from traditional closed‑end drawdown funds by allowing continuous capital commitments and periodic vintage refreshes. The bank...
New SPACs: RMG ML Sports Holdings (SHOTU), Mercator Acquisition Corp. (MRCOU) File for IPOs
RMG ML Sports Holdings and Mercator Acquisition Corp have each filed S‑1 registration statements to launch new special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs). RMG ML Sports will trade under the ticker SHOTU and focuses on sports‑media and technology investments, while Mercator...
HGGC Leverages Strong Distributions for Oversubscribed Fund V
HGGC announced that its fifth fund, Fund V, was oversubscribed, driven by a strong track record of returning capital to investors. The firm highlighted that over the past two to three years it has distributed significant cash back to limited...
Finding Value in Numbers With Ehsan Ehsani – The Special Situations Report Episode 56
Episode 56 of the Special Situations Report features Ehsan Ehsani, executive director at Crescendo Partners and Columbia Business School adjunct, promoting his new book "Finding Value in Numbers." The interview delves into quantitative investing tools, the Kelly Criterion for portfolio...
CCMP at Early-Stage Sale Process for Facilities Manager BGIS, Sources Say
Canadian facilities‑management firm BGIS has entered an early‑stage sale process led by private‑equity sponsor CCMP. Sources indicate the transaction could be priced at roughly 12 times EBITDA, valuing the business near $2.2 billion. The move reflects heightened interest in stable, cash‑generating...
BC Partners: Tariffs Are Number One Risk Factor for PE Industry
BC Partners' Europe chairman Nikos Stathopoulos says tariffs are the top risk for private equity. He adds that despite regulatory complexities, Europe currently serves as a safe‑haven for investors. The firm highlights that tariff volatility threatens deal pricing and exit...
Amadeus Emerges as Suitor for Idemia PS, Deal Would Create Airport Biometrics Behemoth
Amadeus IT SA is in advanced talks to acquire Idemia Public Security for an estimated €2‑3 billion, a move that would combine the airline‑tech group’s travel‑focused biometric suite with Idemia’s law‑enforcement and border‑control capabilities. Idemia PS brings core biometric algorithm IP...
Side Letter: Gulf Disruption
The Private Equity International (PEI) Awards 2025 honored firms that excelled in emerging markets, underscoring a shift toward Middle East opportunities. Global general partners (GPs) are now scrutinizing the Gulf’s evolving regulatory and economic landscape. Limited partners (LPs) report difficulty...
February 2026 Corporate Actions Analysis
February 2026 saw a surge in SPAC‑related corporate actions, with 45 vehicles filing deadline extensions and redemption requests climbing 30% year‑over‑year to $1.2 billion. Twelve de‑SPAC mergers closed, delivering a median post‑merger share price uplift of roughly 15%. The activity reflects...
Alexa Boghosian
Alexa Boghosian has joined Lightspeed Venture Partners as a Partner in its Growth Private Equity group, focusing on majority stakes in software and tech‑enabled services platforms. She brings a particular interest in healthcare technology and AI‑enabled services, aiming to build...
MBAs Spot Digital Gap in 27‑Year HVAC Business
How MBAs look at a 27 year old HVAC business in Omaha with no website:
Littlejohn Taps Shant Mardirossian as Managing Director and COO
Littlejohn & Co. announced Shant Mardirossian as its first managing director and chief operating officer. The newly created position will report directly to the firm’s managing partners and coordinate finance, legal, compliance, operations, and investor‑relations functions. Mardirossian’s mandate includes driving...
The Pipeline: Europe Drags on OMERS, Quinbrook’s New Australia MD, Norway SWF’s Supersized Renewable Returns
Europe’s infrastructure market underperformed this quarter, dragging down OMERS’ overall portfolio returns. The Canadian pension fund reported weaker earnings as its European assets lagged behind more resilient regions. Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners announced the appointment of a new Managing Director for...
Bain Capital Invests in Tingstad
Private equity firm Bain Capital announced it will acquire a majority stake in Tingstad, the Gothenburg‑based Swedish distributor of non‑food consumables. The deal, advised by Jefferies and others, keeps founder Paul Jigberg and the management team on board with a...
Global Eggs Gets Investment From PE Firm Warburg Pincus
Global Eggs announced a private‑equity investment of up to $1 bn from Warburg Pincus. The deal values the multinational egg producer at roughly $8 bn. The company, founded in 2018, now runs more than 50 farms across the United States, South America and...
Elite Leaders Prove Focus, Long Hours Drive Success
Spent a long weekend with a group of folks in the mountains of Switzerland. All top people in their fields: a senior position in investment banking, CFO of a bank, serial acquirers, PE investors, etc. Some of the obvious observations: 1. Everyone’s busy,...
Lease Used Equipment to Cut Costs and Risk
"Another great way to do smaller deals and reduce risk is to do leases on used equipment. Just like cars, most of the depreciation on equipment happens in the first few years." –Invest Local (2014) https://t.co/l2EObkfURN https://t.co/X97c95CkJd
Loan Note: Read Our Annual Review and Discover Award Outcomes; Moody’s Reflects on Blue Owl Liquidity Issues
The firm’s Annual Review has been published, showcasing the winners of its 2025 award program. In a separate commentary, Moody’s analysts highlighted liquidity issues rather than performance when evaluating Blue Owl’s credit profile. Bridgepoint announced an expansion of its investment...
Massive M&A Spree: Premium Deals Across Sectors
Today's M&A notes - $WBD to be acquired by $PSKY for $31.00, 147.2% premium, $110bn - $AES to be acquired by GIP / EQT / CalPERS / QIA for $15.00, 35.5% premium, $33.4bn - $ASCU.to to be acquired by $HBM.to for 0.242x shares,...
Grupo Alacant to Snap up Irish Ice-Cream Peer Silver Pail
Spanish ice‑cream group Grupo Alacant, backed by private‑equity firm InvestIndustrial, announced it will acquire Ireland’s Silver Dairy Ventures (Silver Pail). The deal, terms undisclosed, is projected to generate roughly €300 million in annual revenue for the combined entity. Silver Pail, based in Fermoy...
Henry Costa Strengthens Team with Two Partners
Henry Costa Partners, a specialist merchant bank serving European financial institutions, announced two senior appointments. Jeanie Kim joins as partner and head of Advice & Principal Investments, while Katherine Rainwood becomes partner and group Chief Operating Officer. The hires broaden...
Sweden’s Skandia on What It Looks for in a Replacement GP
Sweden’s Skandia, through head of private equity Stefan Fällgren, outlined its criteria for selecting a replacement general partner (GP) in a brief video. The insurer emphasized that a GP must demonstrate a strategy capable of delivering outperformance over an extended...
UK Private Capital Calls for Scaleup Reinvestment Relief
UK Private Capital, representing private‑equity and venture‑capital firms, is urging the British government to introduce a Scaleup Reinvestment Relief (SRR). The proposal would create a capital‑gains‑tax reinvestment relief for gains that are ploughed back into qualifying UK‑headquartered scaleups, growth‑equity funds...
Metrics Credit Partners on Australia’s Real Estate Debt Pipeline
Metrics Credit Partners' Andrew Lockhart highlighted the robustness of Australia’s real estate debt market, noting that the pipeline remains strong despite recent macroeconomic pressures. He cited a pipeline of roughly AUD 15 billion in senior and mezzanine loans slated for issuance...
Park Square Capital: Credit Is No Longer About Exposure – It’s About Selection
Park Square Capital’s Robin Doumar warns that private‑debt markets have shifted from a focus on broad exposure to rigorous selection. As more capital chases a limited pool of borrowers, pricing pressure and credit quality concerns intensify. Doumar stresses that investors...
Brinley Partners on Discipline and Decision-Making in Private Credit
Credit managers who apply disciplined, thoughtful deployment strategies are poised to capture gains as private credit allocations continue to expand, according to Brinley Partners’ Kerry Dolan and Rex Chung. The firm highlights that rising institutional interest in private credit underscores...
Latham & Watkins: Private Credit Moves From Depth to Breadth
Private credit managers are widening their product menus and deal structures as borrowers demand more flexibility and creative financing, according to Latham & Watkins partners. The industry is moving from deep, niche lending toward a broader suite of solutions, including...
Oak Hill Advisors: 2026 Is a Strong Year for Distressed Opportunities
Oak Hill Advisors predicts 2026 will be a robust year for distressed‑credit investments, citing a surge in corporate debt maturities and lingering macro‑economic headwinds. Partners Joseph Goldschmid and Christopher Kenny say the firm is actively sourcing high‑yield, non‑investment‑grade opportunities as...
Kartesia Asset Finance on Why Private Credit Has only Scratched the Surface of ABF
Kartesia Asset Finance’s Fabrice Fraikin argues that private‑credit‑backed asset‑backed finance (ABF) is entering a rapid expansion phase in 2026. He highlights that while capital inflows are surging, the sector’s success hinges on meticulous underwriting and granular data analysis. Fraikin warns...
Polus Capital Management Invests in Arqiva
Polus Capital Management has purchased a 26.54 percent stake in Arqiva from Macquarie, becoming the company’s largest external shareholder. Polus, which manages roughly $14 billion in assets, highlighted Arqiva’s role in the UK’s national communications backbone and its stable, sustainable growth trajectory....
Download the March 2026 Issue of Buyouts
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Cleary Gottlieb Discusses Delaware Chancery’s Refusal to Dismiss Aiding, Abetting in De-SPAC Transaction
The Delaware Court of Chancery refused to dismiss a claim that Jefferies, the financial advisor to Forum III, aided and abetted fiduciary breaches in a de‑SPAC merger. The court applied the Dole factors, inferring that Jefferies knowingly participated by preparing...
InfraVia Capital Partners: All Hands on Deck for Maritime Services
InfraVia Capital Partners and LD Armateurs argue that specialised maritime services are increasingly attractive to investors. The sector’s capital intensity, long‑term contracted revenues, and built‑in inflation linkage provide stable cash flows. Downside protection mechanisms further improve risk‑adjusted returns. Executives Aymar...
Fengate: Moving Transport Into the Fast Lane
Fengate’s transport team, led by Darcy Wilson, argues that despite fierce competition for infrastructure assets, North America remains a fertile ground for long‑term investments. The firm points to a robust pipeline of highways, railways, and ports backed by supportive policy...
Pantheon on the Charm of Smaller CVs
Pantheon’s Amyn Hassanally and Charlotte Morris argue that continuation vehicles are increasingly appealing to sponsors targeting small and mid‑cap companies. As more investors explore this structure, the pool of opportunities in the lower‑mid market deepens. The firm highlights that smaller...
QIC: Taking a No-Compromise Approach to CV Underwriting
QIC partner Zach Jackson stresses that secondary buyers must fully underwrite both the sponsor and the underlying asset when assessing continuation vehicle (CV) opportunities. The firm adopts a no‑compromise stance, insisting on comprehensive due diligence rather than relying on surface...
StepStone on Why CVs Will Stay on the Menu
StepStone Group executives Adam Johnston and Ted Black argue that continuation vehicles (CVs) continue to be a preferred exit option for private equity firms. They cite CVs’ ability to consistently outperform the broader buyout market as the primary driver. Even...
UBS: Secondaries Deal Growth Points to Depth of Demand
UBS reports a surge in secondary market activity, with general partners and limited partners bringing larger trophy assets and full portfolios to market. Deal sizes and transaction volumes have expanded markedly, reflecting deepening investor appetite for secondary exposure. Thomas Roche...
Kirkland & Ellis on the Art of Continuation Vehicle Negotiation
Kirkland & Ellis partners observe that GP‑led continuation vehicles have become increasingly standardized within the secondary market. Yet negotiations still reveal tension as secondary buyers apply M&A‑style rigor while sellers favor more flexible terms. The firm highlights the growing importance...
TPG on the Rise of Sector Specialism in CVs
TPG GP Solutions co‑managing partners Matt Jones and Michael Woolhouse say firms with deep sector expertise and direct underwriting are reshaping the single‑asset continuation vehicle (CV) market. They argue that specialist managers can price assets more accurately and execute faster...
Bernhard Capital: Regulated Utilities Provide Rich Font for Mid-Market Carve-Outs
Bernhard Capital Partners’ Jeff Jenkins highlights that regulated utilities are becoming a fertile source for mid‑market carve‑outs as the sector seeks capital for grid upgrades. Stable, predictable cash flows and strong credit profiles make these assets attractive to private‑equity firms...
Permira on Why It Is Prioritising Specialisation and Performance
Permira’s co‑CEO Dipan Patel says the firm will double‑down on specialization and performance in the next private‑equity cycle. The firm plans to simplify its mission, focusing on a narrower set of sectors where it can add deep expertise. By tightening...
Wilmington Trust on What’s Powering the Future of the Energy Transition
Will Marder of Wilmington Trust examines how the past year reshaped capital flows toward the energy transition. He notes a marked acceleration in renewable and grid‑modernization investments, driven by policy support and heightened ESG focus. The firm anticipates continued diversification...
Churchill Asset Management on Secondaries’ Evolving Use Case
Churchill Asset Management’s head of secondaries, Nick Lawler, said secondaries technology is evolving into a multi‑faceted tool for both general partners and limited partners. The latest platforms combine real‑time data, automated pricing models and machine‑learning analytics to improve liquidity and...