Thought Leadership
A collection of our longer-form, in-depth, perspectives from across the William Blair enterprise.
Equity Research
Provider Burnout—Addressing the Latest Healthcare Crisis With Emerging Technology Solutions
William Blair’s equity research group head of healthcare technology and services analyzes provider burnout across the U.S. healthcare market, how it’s creating capacity issues in the industry, and the potential for technology and other workforce investments to help reduce burnout and increase access to care.
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Investment Banking
Secondaries in 2024: Optimism, New Buyers, and Improving Deal Activity
Predictions that last year’s strong second half for secondaries portended good things have proved accurate so far in 2024, with new buyers emerging, bid-ask spreads shrinking, and deal activity improving. William Blair’s Private Capital Advisory team outlines the improving state of the secondary market in its latest report.
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Investment Banking
Aviation Services Industry Update
Year-over-year activity for general aviation and business jet activity was largely flat in the first quarter of 2024. But gains made since 2019 held steady—and other positive signs were clear across aviation services in this year’s first three months.
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Investment Banking
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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Investment Banking
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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Investment Banking
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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Equity Research
The Economics Behind the GLP-1 Phenomenon
Equity research analyst Ryan Daniels examines the growing impact of GLP-1 drugs on healthcare spending and care delivery, along with the needs for health providers, employers, and consumers to effectively manage the emerging wave of GLP-1 drugs.
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Equity Research
How Material Science Companies are Changing the Industrials Landscape
Material science tech companies are positively disrupting traditional products by melding innovation with sustainability. Equity analyst Ryan Merkel, CFA, explores why two markets—construction and packaging—are ripe for change.
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Equity Research
The Battle of Silicon vs. Lithium Metal
The battery industry has been in search of a revolution. While new architectures like Lithium-metal anodes and solid-state designs have received the lion’s share of development, funding, and investor attention, Jed Dorsheimer outlines his contrary thesis of why high-content silicon may deliver the evolution that the battery industry actually needs.
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