Private Equity 3d Briefing
×Deal Activity
Thoma Bravo pehub.com is set to acquire logistics firm WWEX Group in a deal that will see sellers including CVC Capital Partners, Providence Equity Partners, Ridgemont Equity Partners and PSG exit their positions. Meanwhile, Blackstone pe-insights.com has proposed a $2.5 billion investment in a potential $4 billion New World transaction, while Ares pe-insights.com deployed $850 million in a continuation strategy amid a record $240 billion secondaries wave. Waterland pehub.com scooped up pallet delivery business Palletways to accelerate its expansion across Europe, and KCP pehub.com agreed to buy luxury motor yachts brand Sunseeker, subject to customary regulatory approvals.
Fundraising & Investment
Carlyle secondariesinvestor.com is seeking to raise $60 billion through its Alp Invest platform as part of a broader fundraising supercycle targeting $200 billion-plus by 2028. Charterhouse pe-insights.com secured a $1.1 billion first close for its new European mid-market fund, while GCM Grosvenor pehub.com backed the launch of new PE firm Torch Key focused on food and beverage and industrial products. JC Flowers pehub.com committed up to $200 million to back Accelerated Wealth Partners in its mission to acquire and scale registered investment advisors, and Hamilton Lane pe-insights.com alongside Ardian backed Latour's first continuation fund for Gutor.
Portfolio Company Moves
TPG pehub.com invested $250 million in social care tech platform Findhelp, building on its Rise Funds' mission to improve healthcare access for vulnerable populations. Peak Rock pehub.com is selling Spatial Business Systems to Blackstone-backed Enverus, an energy data analytics platform. CCMP Growth pehub.com backed Decks & Docks in its acquisition of Pro Deck Supply, a specialty distributor of composite decking products. Bain Capital pe-insights.com acquired a majority stake in Swedish distributor Tingstad, while American Securities pehub.com is selling manufacturers CPM Holdings and MW Components to Rosebank Industries.
Sector Trends & Strategy
Private equity firms are adapting their tech playbook as AI disrupts the traditional buy-and-build model, according to Lincoln's Chris Brooks. BC Partners' pehub.com Nikos Stathopoulos identified tariffs as the number one risk factor in investment theses, while Alvarez & Marsal pehub.com noted that tariff uncertainty is complicating valuations. New Mountain's secondariesinvestor.com Costello said the acceptance of continuation vehicles means the time is right for PE entrants. Moelis' secondariesinvestor.com Hammer highlighted that CVs are now established as an exit route alongside M&A and IPO.
Exit Activity
Lone Star pehub.com completed the sale of SPX Flow to ITT for over $4.7 billion, having originally acquired the company in a take-private transaction in April 2022. Boyne Capital pehub.com sold McKee Utility Contractors to Mastec Inc, having partnered with management to recapitalize the company in December 2022. Arlington Capital pehub.com sold aerospace parts maker FSG to JF Lehman, while CCMP pehub.com is in an early-stage sale process for facilities manager BGIS that could value the deal at about $2.2 billion.
Industry Events & Recognition
PEI Group's NEXUS conference featured insights from industry leaders including Clearlake's José E. Feliciano on AI disruption, Hellman & Friedman's Patrick Healy on long hold periods, and Arctos' Ian Charles on "alpha imposters." The Secondaries Awards 2025 recognized winners across regions, with Goldman Sachs Asset Management taking Secondaries Firm of the Year in the Americas, Ardian winning in EMEA, and various firms honored in the Asia-Pacific region. The Secondaries Investor's Annual Dinner 2026 celebrated award winners at the conference.
Macro & Market Updates
Private equity fundraising reached record levels in February, with global venture investment totaling $189 billion - the largest startup funding month on record. However, 83% of capital raised went to just three companies, highlighting concentration in the AI sector. The intersection of biosecurity and AI saw a seed-stage spike, while infrastructure investment is changing agentic payments in what's described as "a quiet but fundamental shift." Meanwhile, European founders are being urged to consider moving to the US, with industry veterans noting "you have to experience it to understand it."