Private Equity: SPACs and Other Trends

Outlooks and Trending Topics for the PE Industry

Bain & Company kicks off this list with an exemplary annual report on the global private equity industry and trends that are evident across the private equity landscape. It covers everything from sourcing talent for portfolio companies to the search for alpha generation amidst a sea of differentiated funds.

Several other papers discuss special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) and how these vehicles are increasingly being used to take companies public. Additionally, readers may notice a tilt towards both the fintech sector and the APAC region, for those seeking a deeper dive into these areas.

Global Private Equity Report 2021 (Bain & Company)

Bain & Company's global private equity report provides a wealth of detail about the global PE industry. It not only describes how GPs managed to escape the abyss of 2020, but also examines trends that will define the industry in 2021 and beyond.

Predictions for Private Markets (Nuveen, Mar 2021)

Nuveen's outlook for private markets focuses on private credit, describing the present landscape for broadly syndicated loans and collateralised loan obligations. To some extent, the private credit market will be influenced by the remaining dry powder throughout the industry.

The Coming M&A Wave: 5 key questions answered (Capital Group, 2021)

For compliance reasons, this paper is only accessible in the UK & Europe

Global M&A activity spiked in Q1 2021. But what is driving this trend? Capital Group examines 5 key questions that should shine some light on the current environment, and the outlook for the rest of 2021.

Tokenisation of Alternative Investments (BNP Paribas, 2021)

BNP Paribas Asset Management explains the benefits of tokenisation for the alternatives industry, including sections on private equity, venture capital, private debt, and other alternative asset classes.

Special Purpose Acquisition Companies – Part II (S&P Dow Jones Indices, 2021)

Jason Ye of S&P Dow Jones Indices discusses the lifecycle of special purpose acquisition vehicles (SPACs) as well as the risks entailed in SPAC investments.

Is 2021 the Year of SPACs in Asia? (Morrison & Foerster)

Morrison Foerster reports on special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) and their growing use in the IPO process. The report also provides details of the timing of the SPAC transaction process and other SPAC characteristics.

UK Mid-Market Private Equity Review (KPMG, 2021)

KPMG reviews middle market private equity activity in the UK over the course of 2020. In aggregate, both PE deal volume and the value of deals were down versus the year before, but this is to be expected given the circumstances.

Private Equity Co-Investments: Post-crisis performance (Capital Dynamics, 2021)

Capital Dynamics provides this unique study on private equity co-investments. The paper investigates the performance of PE co-investments across several economic cycles.

The Pulse of Fintech (KPMG, 2021)

This report from KPMG covers a number of different themes: the top 10 fintech deals during H2 2020, trends within the fintech industry, details about PE, VC, and M&A fintech activity, and more.

The Next Chapter for FinTech in China (WEF, 2021)

The World Economic Forum presents 28 pages of insight into the fintech industry in China, including regulatory updates and details about the dynamics of innovation in APAC financial services.

New Exit Strategies for Private Capital in Latin America (EMPEA, 2021)

The current exit environment for Latin American PE funds is challenging for a variety of reasons. This report examines some of the more innovative liquidity-generating techniques used by PE investors in the region.

Asia Pacific Private Equity Trends for 2021 (KPMG)

KPMG examines several of the predominant trends affecting the private equity industry in the APAC region in 2021, including dry powder, record numbers of expected exits, and asset flows.

2020/2021 Private Equity Year-End Review and Outlook (Debevoise & Plimpton)

As a legal advisor to some of the world's largest private equity firms, Debevoise & Plimpton provides this update on 2020 private equity activity and global PE industry regulatory issues.