economy
February 3, 2026
Private equity exits rise as returns fall
The number of global private equity exits rose 5.4% last year to 3,149, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence.

TL;DR
- The number of global private equity exits rose 5.4% last year to 3,149.
- The total value of these deals declined 21.2% year over year to $412.1 billion.
- This dynamic reflects an industry pressured to monetize aging assets and recalibrate expectations after years of stalled exits.
- Fundraising declined 11% in 2025 to $490.81 billion, the second consecutive annual slowdown.
- Private equity firms are becoming more hesitant to deploy capital in new deals.
- Blackstone reported significant realizations from its private equity portfolio in the fourth quarter.
- The Medline IPO, the largest private equity-backed IPO in the U.S., raised over $7 billion and saw strong post-debut stock performance.
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