European buyouts soar
Article Date: Aug 01 2005
European private equity activity rose sharply in the second quarter of 2005, with total transaction values topping €33.5 million, up from €24.2 million in Q2 2004, spurred on by the completion of Europe’s second largest buyout transaction ever.
Latest figures from the Private Equity Barometer survey illustrated the continued strength of the buyout market. Of the total €33.5 billion of private equity invested during the three months to June, a staggering €32.6 billion was buyout related. Moreover, eight deals were individually worth at least €1 billion, with one transaction – the purchase of Spanish firm Amadeus by BC Partners and Cinven – worth a staggering €4.3 billion.
By way of contrast, however, there was a decline in the number of early-stage deals completed. Overall, these transaction had a combined value of just €163 million during the second quarter, down 36 per cent on the figure recorded in the same period last year.
To those within the private equity community the figures came as little surprise. ‘There’s no doubt the focus this year has been on the higher end of the market,’ James Stewart of mid-market private equity group ECI Partner’s concedes, ‘but the first six months of 2005 were very encouraging… and the mid-market has been more stable. 2005 has seen a massive increase in fundraisings completed and the implication is that this money needs to be invested.’
‘We’re seeing far more buyout opportunities than expansion capital deals at the moment,’ adds Mark Owen of NBGI Private Equity, ‘and I think that the banks have something to do with that. If they’re more relaxed in providing debt packages for buyout deals, they’re probably going to be more relaxed in providing cash directly to companies [to fund their own expansion plans] too.’