PE sum invested in Q1 dips 39% to $3.6 bn; internet firms remain favourites

The first quarter of 2020 saw a decline in number of private equity deals but an increase in sum equity invested over the previous quarter. Sum invested stood at $3.6 billion, a 26 per cent increase from the previous quarter but a 39 per cent drop over the same period last year, data from Refinitiv showed. 

Internet companies continued to attract the maximum PE interest while financial services saw a decline by almost 50 per cent. 

Investments in the internet space shot up by 60 per cent to $2.03 billion year on year but the total number of deals remained the same at 62. Computer software (up 50 per cent yoy), medical/health (22 per cent) and biotechnology (up 14 per cent) were among the sectors that witnessed an increase in sum invested as compared to last year.

The amount raised by PE firms in Q1 dipped 76 per cent to $495 million compared to the same period a year ago.