Private Equity 24 Hours

Last updated: March 28, 2026, 8:30 AM ET

Deal Activity & Sector Focus

Private equity is shifting focus toward substance following a decade dominated by low-cost debt, suggesting investment cycles are moving from a typical five-year horizon to closer to twelve years as firms emphasize operational improvements over financial engineering. This sector-wide recalibration is evident in recent exits, where Advent is preparing to sell its stake in hair care brand Olaplex to Henkel for $1.4 billion, marking a full exit from the Nasdaq-listed asset. Conversely, Advent has committed to acquiring engineering and consulting firm Atwell, with the transaction slated for closing in the second quarter of 2026, while SAP agreed to purchase New View Capital-backed Reltio, expected to finalize in the first half of 2026.

Credit Markets & Firm Restructuring

In capital markets, the tightening environment continues to pressure some investment firms, as Speedinvest announced layoffs of 10% following a period marked by internal churn. Meanwhile, service providers are expanding capabilities to meet evolving needs in less liquid parts of the market, with Evercore building out its European credit secondaries team by hiring four professionals, including two defectors from PJT. This activity occurs as large-scale dealmaking sees a modest uptick, evidenced by the week’s top financings, which included OpenAI raising an additional $10 billion alongside other significant growth-stage investments in AI and defense technologies.

Thematic Investment Trends

Dealmakers are increasingly targeting specific demographic and technological niches, with women’s health identified as a sector presenting a potential $1 trillion gap for private capital to fill, according to Kearney analysis. Simultaneously, firms like Astorg and Cinven are targeting pathology assets, benefiting from tailwinds in diagnostic services. Separately, the broader deployment of artificial intelligence is moving past initial hype, with portfolio companies scaling operations using AI to drive tangible business impact. Finally, in Latin America, HIG Capital agreed to divest its Brazilian internet service provider to Claro in a transaction valued at approximately $750 million.