As Execution Costs Rise, Faster, Better Due Diligence Is Key to PE Deals: SS&C Intralinks Report
“Market dynamics have transformed rapidly in 2026,” said
Key findings from the report include:
-
PE dealmakers’ appetite for larger deals is growing. The global PE median deal size has grown to
USD 43.5 million YTD fromUSD 40.5 million in 2025. The size is more than double the median a decade ago (USD 21.7 million ). - The largest deals are dominating the PE landscape. Megadeals accounted for more than 76% of PE capital invested in 2026, the highest percentage in a decade.
- Higher interest rates are reshaping deal structures, with sponsors favoring equity over debt. The median equity/EBITDA multiple has ticked up to a decade high of 7.5x YTD, while the median debt/EBITDA multiple has fallen to 4.1x over the same period. Even smaller and less leveraged add-on deals are shifting toward more equity-heavy deal structures. Median equity/EBITDA multiples climbed to 9.1x YTD, up from 2.6x a decade ago.
- Exits are low, but select deals pay off. Exit volumes are projected to be the lowest in a decade, with strategic acquisitions and sponsor-to-sponsor buyouts dominating the deal exit landscape. However, successful exits achieved positive outcomes: the median and average PE buyout exit multiple on invested capital (MOIC) reached a five-year peak of 2.7x and 6.4x, respectively, in 2025.
- Sponsors are prioritizing smaller, lower-risk acquisitions. Add-on and growth-oriented investments now represent over 77% of global PE transaction counts.
Click here to read the full report.
SS&C Intralinks is a pioneer of the virtual data room, delivering software-enabled services across the entire deal life cycle, including deal marketing, deal prep, due diligence, insights and post-merger integration. Intralinks technology enables and secures the flow of information by facilitating M&A, capital raising and investor reporting. SS&C Intralinks has executed more than
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About SS&C Technologies
SS&C is a leading provider of mission-critical, AI-powered technology and services empowering financial services and healthcare organizations to work smarter, faster, and securely. Founded in 1986, SS&C is headquartered in Windsor, Connecticut, and has offices worldwide. More than 23,000 financial services and healthcare organizations, from the world's largest companies to small and mid-market firms, rely on SS&C for expertise, scale and technology.
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Brian Schell
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SS&C Technologies
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E-mail: InvestorRelations@sscinc.com
Justine Stone
Investor Relations
SS&C Technologies
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E-mail: InvestorRelations@sscinc.com
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Source: SS&C
