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Private Equity in the UK - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Joseph Maher Joseph Maher London, United Kingdom Last Updated: October 2024 SIC K64.303

Revenue

£4.6bn

2024-25

£4.6bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

£X.Xbn

Employees

9,759

Businesses

1,021

Wages

£X.Xbn

Private Equity in the UK industry analysis

The UK is the largest European centre for the management of private equity (PE) investments and funds, second only to the US in terms of global importance. PE firms pool investment funds or use leverage to purchase other companies. Their goal is to improve a company's performance by introducing managerial and operational changes, before selling the company for a profit. More CEOs are wanting to retain control of their companies, increasing the number of minority stake buyouts. PE firms profit from management fees, calculated as a percentage of AUM, and performance fees on the total return from the invested company's IPO or sale to another company.

Trends and Insights

  • An optimistic outlook ramps up investment activity. Normalising inflation and interest rate cuts are set to support deal activity in 2024-25, driving revenue growth.
  • Pension funds are the most important investor market. Pension funds seek ways to maximise their returns and diversify their portfolios across various investments.
  • London is a major global financial hub, attracting PE firms to the region. According to BVCA, London accounted for 47% of all UK deals in 2023.
  • Firms compete on the basis of reputation rather than size. PE companies with proven deal execution skills and sound financial management attract funding from institutional and retail investors.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 6.6 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated £4.6bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Deal activity falters amid economic uncertainty

  • Low interest rates mean easier access to funds, lifting fundraising activity. PE firms can lock in these lower rates, reducing interest payments and ramping up returns. IPO activity also surges, supporting PE firms wanting to exit the market.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Private Equity in the UK
Revenue (2014-2029)
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Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Fintech is an attractive investment venture for PE firms

  • The UK's fast-growing Fintech and biotechnology industries are well-placed for future growth. According to KMPG, British fintechs are attracting more funding than those in France, Germany, China, India, Brazil and Canada combined, offering ample investment opportunities for PE firms in the coming years.

Biggest companies in the Private Equity in the UK

Company
Market Share (%)
2025
Revenue (£m)
2025
The Blackstone Group LP
541.4
Apollo Management International LLP
429.1
Advent International Ltd
223.4

To view the market share and analysis for all 7 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Private Equity in the UK
Products & Services
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Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Buyouts: MBO, MBI, LBO, Expansion capital and Replacement capital. Buyouts: MBO, MBI, LBO is the largest segment of the Private Equity in the UK.

Trends and Insights

Leveraged buyout (LBO) levels set to pick up as economic uncertainty subsides

  • LBOs refer to when a PE firm acquires another company with the combined use of equity and debt.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Companies in this industry manage private equity funds – a type of collective investment fund that targets investment in private companies – on behalf of investors such as pension funds, insurance companies and individual investors. They generate revenue by charging management fees for their services.

What's included in this industry?

Buyouts: MBO, MBI, LBOReplacement capitalExpansion capitalVenture capital

Companies

The Blackstone Group LPApollo Management International LLPAdvent International Ltd

Purchase this report to view all 7 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

ASSETS UNDER MANAGEMENT (AUM)PRIVATE EQUITY (PE)LEVERAGED BUYOUT (LBO)PRIVATE EQUITY FUNDCOLLECTIVE INVESTMENT SCHEMEPORTFOLIO COMPANYMEZZANINE FINANCINGBASE COST SHIFT SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUNDSVENTURE CAPITAL FUNDS

Industry Code

SIC 2007

SIC 64.30/3 - Private Equity in the UK

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

An optimistic outlook ramps up investment activity. Normalising inflation and interest rate cuts are set to support deal activity in 2024-25, driving revenue growth.

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Pension funds are the most important investor market. Pension funds seek ways to maximise their returns and diversify their portfolios across various investments.

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

London is a major global financial hub, attracting PE firms to the region. According to BVCA, London accounted for 47% of all UK deals in 2023.

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Firms compete on the basis of reputation rather than size. PE companies with proven deal execution skills and sound financial management attract funding from institutional an...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Larger PE firms outperform the industry in 2023. Thanks to their size, larger PE firms have greater investment capacity and diversification than smaller players, meaning they...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of The Blackstone Group LP's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Apollo Management International LLP's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Advent International Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 4 additional companies

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for The Blackstone Group LP, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Apollo Management International LLP, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Advent International Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for 4 additional companies

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

When the stock market performs well, demand from investors picks up. The FTSE 100 index provides an indicator of UK stock market movements. When the stock market performs wel...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Profit on the up in 2024-25. Improving investor sentiment as inflation falls and interest rates drop will lift fundraising activity, support management fees and drive profit.

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Liquidity Ratios (2018-2022)
  • Coverage Ratios (2018-2022)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2018-2022)
  • Operating Ratios (2018-2022)
  • Assets (2018-2022)
  • Liabilities (2018-2022)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Private Equity in the UK industry in United Kingdom in 2024?

The market size of the Private Equity in the UK industry in United Kingdom is £4.6bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Private Equity in the UK industry in 2024?

There are 1,021 businesses in the Private Equity in the UK industry in United Kingdom, which has grown at a CAGR of 3.1 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Private Equity in the UK industry in United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Private Equity in the UK industry in United Kingdom has been growing at a CAGR of 6.6 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Private Equity in the UK industry in United Kingdom over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Private Equity in the UK industry in United Kingdom is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Private Equity in the UK market in United Kingdom?

The biggest companies operating in the Private Equity market in United Kingdom are The Blackstone Group LP, Apollo Management International LLP and Advent International Ltd

What does the Private Equity in the UK in United Kingdom include?

Buyouts: MBO, MBI, LBO and Replacement capital are part of the Private Equity in the UK industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Private Equity in the UK in United Kingdom?

The company holding the most market share in United Kingdom is The Blackstone Group LP.

How competitive is the Private Equity in the UK industry in United Kingdom?

The level of competition is high and increasing in the Private Equity in the UK industry in United Kingdom.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • There are no industries to display.

Complementors

  • Investment Trusts in the UK
  • Property Unit Trusts in the UK
  • Security & Commodity Contracts Brokerage in the UK
  • Fund Management Activities in the UK

International industries

  • Venture Capital & Principal Trading in the US
  • Private Equity, Hedge Funds & Investment Vehicles in the US
  • Hedge Funds in the US
  • Financial Asset Investing in Australia
  • Financial Asset Investing in New Zealand

View all industries in United Kingdom

Methodology

How are Alfabank-Adres reports created?

Alfabank-Adres has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for Alfabank-Adres readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of Alfabank-Adres’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

Alfabank-Adres relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do Alfabank-Adres analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in the UK include:

  • Office for National Statistics
  • Office for Budget Responsibility
  • Bank of England

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, Alfabank-Adres’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does Alfabank-Adres forecast its data?

Alfabank-Adres’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

Alfabank-Adres prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.