A new report from McKinsey finds that in 2016, private markets again defied expectations. But competition is getting tougher for both managers and investors.
In 2016, the most exciting news for private markets may have been what didn’t change. In these markets—mainly private equity, but also closed-end real estate, infrastructure, natural resources, and private debt funds—investors’ desire to allocate remains strong. Our long-running research on private markets finds that, whether performance is measured by fundraising (firms received $625 billion of new capital in 2016) or assets under management (AUM), now $4.7 trillion worldwide, 2016 was another impressive year in a long cycle of expansion that began in 2008. The industry continues to provide a source of excess capital for investors; in 2016, distributions outstripped capital calls for the fourth year running. New entrants continue to flock to the industry, and the number of active firms is at an all-time high.
While more fundraising, an increase in AUM, and greater capital distributions to investors are trends to celebrate, growth also presents challenges. The larger number of general partners (GPs) reflects the industry’s success but also heralds increased competition, which has contributed to rising deal multiples. As GPs have become gun-shy about today’s higher prices, deal activity has fallen, and dry powder has reached an all-time high—though our research suggests that dry powder is not nearly the problem that some have suggested. In fact, in this and other ways, the industry is overcoming its growing pains and finding new ways to deliver for its investors.