SEATTLE, July 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- PitchBook, the
premier data provider for the private and public equity markets,
today released its Q2 2020 European Private Equity
Breakdown, which found European private equity (PE) deals and
fundraising sharply declined through the first half of the year. As
the COVID-19 crisis unfolded, lenders concentrated on existing
loans, sellers tabled exit plans amid the volatility and most GPs
either paused or outright cancelled transactions as portfolio
triage took precedent. Deal count and value plunged to the lowest
quarterly figures since Q3 2013 and Q4 2016, with the UK &
Ireland recording the largest
year-over-year decline in deal volume. Exit value in Q2 saw an
uptick from Q2 2019, propelled by the largest European IPO in
nearly a decade, but is still on track to set a six-year low for
annual exit value. On the whole, we expect exit activity to remain
tepid through the second half of 2020. Capital raised in Q2 was
subdued, with a new annual low expected for fund counts. LPs
evaluating the denominator effect, liquidity schedules and
allocation targets substantially contributed to the lackluster
fundraising amounts, while less experienced GPs paused on launching
new funds amid the volatility. That being said, LPs recognize 2020
vintages have the potential to produce top-tier metrics in this
no-interest-rate environment, due to lower multiples, less
competition and an expanded opportunity set. As a result,
brand-name European managers will grow their LP wallet share during
the downturn.
"With the virus more contained in Europe compared to other regions and the
continent reopening, we believe deal activity will gradually pick
up in the coming quarters as managers seek to deploy their record
€237.2 billion in dry powder aggressively but wisely," said
Dominick Mondesir, EMEA Private
Capital Analyst at PitchBook. "We anticipate more established
managers will find opportunities to invest in discounted assets
that are cyclically but not secularly under pressure."
To download the report and underlying data, click here.
Investment Activity
- European PE deal activity slowed considerably in Q2 2020 to
€79.8 billion across 650 deals, a year-over-year decline of 18.7%
and 31.5%, respectively.
- Median deal size fell to €25.0 million in the first half of the
year after record highs in 2019, driven by a lack of activity in
the upper end of the market. Only two transactions sized between €1
billion and €2.5 billion closed in Q2, collectively worth €3.3
billion.
- Bolt-ons as a percentage of buyout volume stand at 61.2%
through H1 2020 and are apace for a record year. The largest
bolt-on in Q2 2020 was Italy-based
Dedalus' €975.0 million acquisition of Afga-Gevaert healthcare
information technology business.
- Although PE deal volume declined across every European region,
the UK & Ireland attributed
the largest drop at 62.3%. Both the severity and length of the
region's COVID-19 outbreak and a no-deal Brexit contributed to
sponsors' hesitancy to invest.
Exits
- Exit value in the first half of the year puts 2020 on pace for
its lowest annual total in six years. However, the €55.2 billion
worth of liquidity events in Q2 2020 – largely propelled by JDE
Peets' outsized IPO – represented a 4.9% increase over the same
quarter last year.
- In Europe's largest IPO
listing since 2011, JDE Peets' raised €2.3 billion at a pre-money
valuation of €14.9 billion. This offering in part pushed the year's
median IPO size to €722.6 million, up from €186 million in
2019.
- The number of exits closed in Q2 declined 44.6% from 2019. Of
the 122 exits, only five were over €1.0 billion compared to 10 this
time last year.
- The lower end of the market (exits sized between €25
million-€100 million) was disproportionately affected by the
pandemic, with exit volume falling nearly 90% year-over-year.
Fundraising
- European PE fundraising has been extremely subdued through the
first half of the year, with only €19.6 billion raised across 38
vehicles – on pace to hit a new annual fund count low.
- No funds closed above €2.5 billion in H1 2020, which
significantly contributed to the lackluster fundraising total, as
LPs reviewed portfolios and evaluated the denominator effect,
liquidity schedules, and allocation targets. COVID-19 has
disproportionately affected the fundraising trail for first-time
GPs, spinout GPs, and those without a solid track record.
- With a number of European brand-name mega-funds in the market,
we anticipate capital raised will increase considerably in the
coming quarters. While not included in our Q2 datasets, CVC Capital
Partners recently closed on €21.3 billion in Europe's largest-ever buyout fund.
- At the halfway point in 2020, buyout funds have dominated the
fundraising market, accounting for an 81.2% share with €15.9
billion in capital raised. Growth equity funds have also been
gaining considerable traction, contributing around 20% of the
year's total commitments.
Additional coverage in this report includes:
- Introduction
- Overview
- Deals by size and sector
- Spotlight: France &
Benelux
- Exits
- Fundraising
Download the full report here.
About PitchBook
PitchBook is a financial data and
software company that provides transparency into the capital
markets to help professionals discover and execute opportunities
with confidence and efficiency. PitchBook collects and analyzes
detailed data on the entire venture capital, private equity and
M&A landscape—including public and private companies,
investors, funds, investments, exits and people. The company's data
and analysis are available through the PitchBook Platform, industry
news and in-depth reports. Founded in 2007, PitchBook has offices
in Seattle, San Francisco, New
York and London and serves more than 45,000
professionals around the world. In 2016, Morningstar acquired
PitchBook, which now operates as an independent subsidiary.
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SOURCE PitchBook