EQT is targeting deals in the public markets as volatility and dislocation create new opportunities for take-private transactions and corporate carve-outs, according to a report by Bloomberg citing the firm’s newly appointed private capital co-heads.
Speaking following their appointment earlier this month, Bert Janssens and Eric Liu said the current environment is producing a growing number of mispriced listed businesses, particularly companies that went public during the 2021–2022 IPO boom and are now facing weak liquidity and shareholder pressure.
Janssens said some majority shareholders in these businesses may be more willing to transact as a result of difficult ownership structures and limited market support. He also pointed to companies burdened by highly leveraged and complex capital structures following the low interest rate era.
EQT has already been active in the take-private market over the past year. The firm completed the acquisition of Keywords Studios in a £2.1bn deal in October, following its earlier acquisition of Dechra Pharmaceuticals. The firm also launched an offer for OEM International in 2024.
Janssens and Liu, who previously worked together at Warburg Pincus, now oversee EQT’s private capital operations across Europe and North America, representing approximately €113bn of assets under management.
