Private Equity 3 Days

Last updated: May 26, 2026, 11:30 AM ET

Deal Activity

Healthcare engagement platform Swoop, backed by New Mountain, snapped up prescription manager Nimble to expand its pharmacy benefits footprint, while Wise Equity took a stake in snowboarding brand Capita-Union Group, with CEO Martino Fumagalli retaining leadership. In industrial sectors, Arsenal acquired specialty hook provider Velco, with the Cripps Foundation maintaining a significant minority position, and Bregal Sagemount backed health tech LSPedia to fuel its product innovation and global expansion. Vista Equity’s Poppulo acquired employee comms platform Sociabble from Ardian’s portfolio, strengthening its digital workplace suite, as Greenbriar Equity’s Applied Aerospace & Defense filed for a NYSE IPO targeting a $3.59 billion valuation. Bow River invested in advisor SBI, with founders Matt Sharrers and Scott Gruher continuing to lead the firm.

Fundraisings & Exits

PGIM committed $4 billion to U.S. land-bank financing through a partnership with Domain Real Estate Partners, deploying capital into residential development plots. Seine Capital closed its debut fund above a €200 million target, a 20% oversubscribed vehicle led by former Mantra Investment Partners secondaries head Fabrice Moyne. Eurazeo’s Elevate mid-market team landed over €1 billion at the first close of its fifth buyout fund, PME V, matching its predecessor’s final size in a single tranche. Permira agreed to a A$3.4 billion exit from I-MED Radiology, while Bridgepoint and Bowmark sold political intelligence firm Helio to ECI. Separately, JPMorgan is seeking to offload risk on a $4 billion book of private equity fund NAV loans, according to the Financial Times.

Market Trends & Strategy

Limited partners are prioritizing resiliency, repeatability, and transparency in GP value creation as macro shocks persist, noted panelists from Nest Pensions and Cambridge Associates. Wealth management remains robust despite uncertainties, with Houlihan Lokey’s James Anderson highlighting sticky clients and stable pricing. The IPO window shows strain, with the threshold for listing steadily rising, leaving mid-sized firms without clear exit paths. Apollo tabled a $2.02 billion take-private for Bodycote, while Oakley acquired an XTEL stake from Bain and Silver Tree. In secondaries, CPP’s returns slumped due to software and currency headwinds, and ICG paused its mid-market continuation fund.

Sector & Regulatory Notes

AI is redefining management beyond admin work, while regulatory constraints are holding back AI-powered financial advice. The wealth management sector continues to attract PE, with Carlyle, JC Flowers, and HGGC among investors in advice firms, per Anderson. In venture, seed rounds keep getting bigger as the odds of reaching Series A fall dramatically, with some startups raising $8-10 million in early stages. Tech Crunch Disrupt 2026 Early Bird rates end May 29, offering up to $410 savings for the San Francisco event.