PE Fundraising Reaches $122 Bln at Q2 ’13, Highest Since Financial Crisis

Preqin, a provider of data on the alternative assets industry, said on Monday that private equity fundraising reached a cumulative $122 billion at the close of the second quarter of 2013. This is this area’s highest amount since $171 billion was raised by funds at the close of the fourth quarter of 2008. Also, according to Preqin, the aggregate $122 billion is expected to increase by 10-20% as more information becomes known.

PRESS RELEASE

Private equity funds closed in Q2 2013 secured an aggregate $122bn, the highest value since
$171bn was raised by funds closed in Q4 2008.Preqin’s data shows an aggregate $122bn was secured by private equity funds reaching a final close in Q2 2013, which is expected to increase by 10-20% as more information becomes available. However, only 154 funds held a final close, the lowest quarterly number in the last 10 years. A further 155 private equity funds held an interim close in Q2 2013 securing an additional $24bn towards their final targets.
The average size of private equity funds closed in Q2 2013 was $800mn, the highest figure in the last 10 years. This was a result of several large fund closings and a lower number of private equity funds reaching a final close during Q2 2013.
Other Key Facts:
· The top 10 private equity funds closed in Q2 2013 secured $67bn, 55% of the total capital raised by the 154 funds closed in the quarter.
· Warburg Pincus’s balanced fund, Warburg Pincus Private Equity XI, was the largest fund to close in the quarter, securing $11.2bn.
· 27 buyout funds held a final close in Q2 2013 securing an aggregate $49bn, more than double the $23bn raised by buyout funds closed in Q1 2013, and the highest figure since $73bn was secured in Q4 2008.
· Silver Lake Partners IV was the largest buyout fund to close in the quarter having secured $10.3bn, followed by Apax VIII which raised €5.8bn.
· 101 North America-focused funds closed in Q2 2013, securing an aggregate $67bn, while 25 Europe-focused funds secured $32bn.
· 13 Asia-focused vehicles closed in the quarter, raising an aggregate $9bn, while 15 vehicles focused outside
of North America, Europe and Asia secured $5bn.
· Private equity funds closed in Q2 2013 took an average of 19.2 months to reach a final close, the longest amount of time in the period since 2006.
· 26 first-time funds closed in Q2 2013 securing an aggregate $5bn, down from 39 first-time funds closing in Q1 2013 which secured a collective $7.5bn.
For more information and analysis, please see the factsheet that follows.
Comment:
“Private equity fundraising was very strong in Q2 2013, with the highest quarterly value raised since the onset of the financial crisis in late 2008. The fact that the average size of private equity funds closed in Q2 2013 was $800mn and experienced managers dominated the fundraising environment, shows that investors are increasingly looking to back fund managers with a demonstrable track record. With 1,958 private equity funds on the road, coupled with the
average time to reach a final close at its highest level in the period since 2006, fundraising for the second half of 2013 will remain challenging, especially for less experienced or first-time fund managers.”
Ignatius Fogarty – Head of Private Equity Products, Preqin
About Preqin:
Preqin is the leading source of information for the alternative assets industry, providing data and analysis via online databases, publications and bespoke data requests.
Preqin has built a reputation in the alternative assets industry for providing the most comprehensive and extensive information possible. Leading alternative assets professionals from around the world rely on Preqin’s services daily, and its data and statistics
are regularly quoted by the financial press. For more information, please visit: www.preqin.com