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Deal commentary, sector analysis, and advisory perspectives from our senior team.

Succession AdvisoryMay 22, 2026

Germany's Mittelstand Succession Wave: The Ownership Transfer Reshaping European M&A

More German SME owners now plan to close their businesses than to hand them on. With over half of Mittelstand owners aged 55 or older, we examine the KfW, IfM Bonn and DIHK data behind Europe's largest ownership-transfer wave — and what it means for buyers and sellers.

Tim Guntermann

Founder & Managing Partner

8 min read

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LBO AdvisoryMay 18, 2026

Operational Alpha: Why Private Equity Returns Now Depend on Operations, Not Leverage

With cheap debt and easy multiple expansion gone, buyout returns now hinge on operational improvement — Bain calculates the EBITDA growth needed to hit target returns has roughly doubled. We examine what actually drives private equity value creation in 2026.

Tim Guntermann

7 min read

Corporate FinanceMay 14, 2026

Cost of Capital in 2026: How WACC Shapes European Company Valuations

The ECB has cut rates by 200 basis points, yet the average German WACC has risen, not fallen. We unpack the 2026 cost-of-capital picture — ECB rates, Bund yields, equity risk premia and KPMG's WACC data — and why lower base rates don't automatically lift valuations.

Tim Guntermann

8 min read

M&A InsightsMay 12, 2026

Global M&A's Great Rebound: What the 2026 Outlook Means for European Dealmakers

Global M&A staged its strongest year since 2021, with deal value rebounding to between USD 4.7 and 5.1 trillion in 2025. We read the JPMorgan, McKinsey and Bain outlooks and translate them for European mandates.

Tim Guntermann

8 min read

LBO AdvisoryApr 28, 2026

European Private Equity in 2026: Leverage, Dry Powder, and the Exit Backlog

Buyout activity rebounded hard in 2025, yet distributions to LPs remain near post-crisis lows. We examine what McKinsey, Bain and PitchBook data reveal about leverage, dry powder and the unsold-asset overhang facing European sponsors.

Tim Guntermann

8 min read

Debt AdvisoryApr 9, 2026

Private Credit Comes of Age: Direct Lending and the New Architecture of LBO Financing

Direct lenders deployed a record EUR 115 billion across European deals in 2025 and now finance the majority of mid-market buyouts. We weigh the Preqin, Moody's and IMF data on a market approaching USD 2 trillion — and the risks regulators are flagging.

Tim Guntermann

8 min read

Venture AdvisoryMar 24, 2026

European Venture in the Age of AI: Capital Concentration and the Exit Gap

Artificial intelligence absorbed roughly half of all global venture funding in 2025, reshaping how capital flows to European founders. We examine the Atomico, PitchBook and Crunchbase data behind the bifurcation — and the exit problem holding Europe back.

Tim Guntermann

7 min read

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Market Intelligence

Germany's Mittelstand Succession Wave: The Ownership Transfer Reshaping European M&A

More Insights

Operational Alpha: Why Private Equity Returns Now Depend on Operations, Not Leverage

Cost of Capital in 2026: How WACC Shapes European Company Valuations

Global M&A's Great Rebound: What the 2026 Outlook Means for European Dealmakers

European Private Equity in 2026: Leverage, Dry Powder, and the Exit Backlog

Private Credit Comes of Age: Direct Lending and the New Architecture of LBO Financing

European Venture in the Age of AI: Capital Concentration and the Exit Gap

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