M&A Research: Global

Preqin's latest research shows that in Q4 2012, 1,216 venture capital financings were announced, with an aggregate value of USD 8.9bn – a 6 per cent drop in the number and a 5 per cent decline in the value of deals in comparison to Q3 2012, and a 13 per cent and 23 per cent decline in number and value from Q2 2012.

Preqin’s latest data shows that the funds which closed in the final quarter of the year raised a similar amount to those closed in the previous quarter (USD 74.6bn in Q4 2012 compared to USD 75.0bn in Q3 2012). However, it expects the Q4 figure to increase by around 10-20% and exceed the Q3 total as further information becomes available.

A significant USD 11.9bn was raised by the eight unlisted infrastructure funds that held a final close in Q4 2012, the largest quarterly amount raised by closed funds since the USD 17.4bn secured by infrastructure funds that closed in Q4 2008. New York-based Global Infrastructure Partners held an USD 8.25bn final close for its second vehicle during the quarter, the largest unlisted infrastructure fund ever raised.

Twenty-eight closed-end real estate funds held final closes in Q4 2012, raising an aggregate USD 22.6bn; this is a significant increase on the USD 10.7bn raised in Q3 2012. Much of this increase can be attributed to the final close of the USD 13.3bn Blackstone Real Estate Partners VII during the quarter.

In this edition of the PE digest, DealMarket looks at five trends in successful PE fundraising in 2012, the drop in Latin American investment and 2013's tech IPO pipeline.