Everyone agrees that the private equity deals market has slowed down. This began early in 2001 and many believe that the fourth quarter of 2001 was the slowest in years.
There are signs of recovery and cautious optimism, but the waves caused by the bursting of the technology bubble continue to affect the private equity industry. There are fewer opportunities for private equity firms to invest in good deals at acceptable (by 2002′s standards) valuations. We see strong competition to win those deals. This means investment firms must work harder to get deals done and maintain their returns.
