Global private equity entries plunge YOY in April

Global private equity deal value and volume dropped year over year in April, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data.

Deal value in April was down 66.8% year over year, with overall private equity entries for the month valued at $27.05 billion, compared to $81.57 billion a year ago.

The number of announced deals during the month declined 40.5% year over year to 843 from 1,416.

Total transaction value through April 30 was $148.13 billion, down 53.9% year over year from $321.08 billion, according to Market Intelligence data.

The total number of deals announced was also lower, with 3,842 entries recorded between Jan. 1 and April 30, compared to 6,468 deals in the same period a year ago.

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The US and Canada led in entries, with deal value totaling $11.44 billion across 258 transactions announced in April. Europe followed with 224 deals totaling $7.32 billion, then Asia-Pacific, where there was an aggregate deal value of $5 billion from 326 deals.

The technology, media and telecommunications sector attracted the most private equity capital at $10.90 billion. This was down 72.6% compared with April 2022.

The healthcare sector secured $4.12 billion in April, down from $9.09 billion collected a year ago. The financials sector pulled in $3.81 billion. The materials sector saw the biggest decline in investment, falling 69.8% year over year to $16 million.

The largest deal in April was CVC Capital Partners Ltd. and Francisco Partners Management LP's preliminary and conditional proposal to acquire Network International Holdings PLC, a digital commerce enabler in the Middle East and Africa, for £2.1 billion.

The second-largest announced deal was an offer by Silver Lake Technology Management LLC to acquire Software AG for about €2.2 billion.