5 Key Deals

February was an active month for private equity in Europe, despite the uncertainty and market disruption stemming from the global escalation of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Private equity investment was driven by a large number of deals, not least the buyout of Thyssenkrupp’s elevators business, the largest ever European LBO. However, there were signs of caution as volatility increased, placing pressure on company valuations, while the impact of Brexit continued to curtail some elements of UK-focused investment.