Insights
Statistical analysis and insight into activity and trends in M&A and capital markets.
Recent Investment Banking Insights
Leverage Loan Volume in Q1 Eclipses 2023
Q1 institutional loan volume hit its highest total since 2021, revitalizing leveraged finance markets after a humdrum 2023. With higher deal volume, anticipated rate cuts, and a more encouraging economic outlook, lenders are optimistic about the remainder of 2024.
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Buy-Side Tactics—and Mistakes to Avoid
Whether a founder-owned business is considering its first acquisition or executing a defined consolidation strategy, there are effective tactics to gain a competitive edge. There are also some common mistakes.
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CMMC 2.0 Set to Materially Expand Cyber and Regulatory Compliance Market
The 220,000+ companies that contract with the Department of Defense will soon face a significantly expanded regulatory framework—known as CMMC 2.0—designed to thwart increased cyber threats and secure the defense industrial base.
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AviationPros Podcast: Addressing Trends and Concerns in the FBO Industry
Josh Ollek, managing director of William Blair’s Aerospace, Defense, and Government Services team, recently joined the AviationPros Podcast. Ollek discussed how high demand for private aviation—spurred by persistent delays and cancellations on commercial flights—has created a hangar shortage across the country. He also outlined electrification trends in private travel and among fixed-base operators.
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Understanding Increasingly Popular Holdco NAV Structures
NAV financing—loans to funds supported by the net asset value of their portfolios—has become increasingly popular with financial sponsors over the past year. This article, written in partnership with global law firm Proskauer Rose, outlines how the Holdco Structure helps navigate key considerations in NAV financings.
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The Quarterly Rx: Q1 2024 U.S. Biopharma Recap
Biopharma’s rebound came into full effect in Q1 2024. In this report, William Blair's biopharma team shares its perspectives on the biopharma environment in Q1 2024 and what to expect for the remainder of the year.
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Making Sure America Gets Bang for Its Infrastructure Buck
The country’s electrical, water, telecom, and transit systems are facing years of catch-up repair and maintenance needs—and not even a massive infusion of federal dollars can address all of them.
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William Blair Private Capital Advisory: 2024 Secondary Market Report
The secondary market showed resilience in 2023, with overall volume increasing by 5% year-over-year despite macroeconomic challenges, and market insiders are bullish about prospects for 2024.
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Aviation Services Industry Update
A strong fourth quarter offered encouraging signs for business jet and general aviation’s continued recovery.
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4 Truths and 4 Myths About Partnering With Private Equity
Misconceptions about private equity are so common that some investors try to avoid using the term itself.
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Lender Competition Burns Through Winter Chill
The U.S. institutional leveraged loan market cooled in Q4 to close out a year characterized by lackluster deal flow, a persistent shift from syndicated markets to private capital, and high interest rates that took a toll on borrowers.
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