Private Equity 3 Days

Last updated: July 27, 2026, 2:30 PM ET

Major Acquisitions and Divestitures Shape the Landscape

Private equity firms continued to be active across a range of sectors, with significant acquisition and divestiture activity. THL Partners divested its stake in firmware provider AMI to Lattice Semiconductor, while retaining an equity interest in the latter. In a substantial deal, Arlington Capital Partners exited its medical equipment company Riverpoint to Novanta for $1.45 billion. Separately, Wynnchurch Capital has agreed to take industrial company Luxfer private for $17.37 per share. Cinven and La Caisse are jointly acquiring MGA Optio, a specialty risk underwriter operating across 15 countries. ECP and KKR have agreed to a $7.7 billion deal to acquire DCC Energy, a multi-energy sales and distribution business. Trans Digm is set to acquire Prince & Izant, a manufacturer of brazing alloys, for over $1 billion. In the automotive sector, Ridgeview has made a £545 million take-private offer for automotive software company Pinewood.

Strategic Investments and Sector Focus Emerge

Carlyle has backed cybersecurity firm Secturion through its middle-market aerospace, defense & government and industrials platform. Capitol Meridian plans to invest in aviation services firm RH Aero Systems, with the founding Moeller family remaining significant investors. Bridgepoint is poised to acquire Lansweeper, a technology asset intelligence platform that utilizes AI to map IT networks. Mid Europa intends to acquire a construction software platform in the Czech Republic, formed by the unification of ÚRS, First information systems, and Callida. Bluestone Equity Partners led a $55 million growth round for cue sports platform Poolhouse, the tenth deal from its inaugural $350 million fund. Longshore has invested in health tech firm Prochant to support its next phase of growth. GTCR-backed Dentalcorp has acquired Northstar Dental Partners, a dental support organization.

Secondaries Market and Capital Raising Trends

Secondaries investors favored high-conviction deals in the first half of the year, with AI disruption impacting both LP-led and GP-led markets. Campbell Lutyens' Gerald Cooper noted this trend. In capital raising, UK pension providers are reportedly in talks for a £1 billion Scale-Up Fund. Blackstone has reached $14 billion for its latest secondaries fund. Morgan Stanley Investment Management has appointed a new Asia insurance solutions lead, Mark Wang, as private equity firms increasingly seek capital from the insurance segment. Perpetual has rejected EQT's raised A$2.5 billion approach, citing a persistent price gap. Shore Capital has realized its first real estate fund with the $268 million sale of a veterinary portfolio to Four Corners Property Trust.

Venture Capital and Emerging Technologies

Bessemer and Atomico are reportedly in talks to lead a funding round for The Exploration Company at a $2 billion valuation. Schneider Electric's venture capital arm, SE Ventures, is actively backing startups building foundational AI technologies, according to managing partner Amit Chaturvedy. The current AI buildout is seen as creating a new industrial investment cycle. Multiverse Computing is reportedly targeting a €500 million funding round at a unicorn valuation. Elon Musk’s Boring Company is said to be in discussions for a significant funding round at a $20 billion valuation. Notably, physical AI startup Atoms was among the largest deals this past week, with investors pouring capital into sectors including physical AI, biotech, cybersecurity, AI infrastructure, and fintech.

Other Notable Developments

Blackstone Infrastructure has extended the merger deadline for TXNM Energy to May 2027 to allow for outstanding regulatory approvals in New Mexico. In the sports sector, Blue Owl has bought into the Cavaliers, reflecting the growing trend of sports becoming a new alternative investment class. Nothing, the consumer electronics company, is reportedly cutting around 100 jobs as part of a cost-cutting initiative.