Private equity (PE) typically refers to investment funds, generally organized as limited partnerships, that buy and restructure companies that are not publicly traded. Private equity is a type of equity and one of the asset classes consisting of equity securities and debt in operating companies that are not publicly traded on a stock exchange. A private-equity investment will generally be made by a private-equity firm, a venture capital firm or an angel investor. Each of these categories of investors has its own set of goals, preferences and investment strategies; however, all provide working capital to a target company to nurture expansion, new-product development, or restructuring of the company’s operations, management, or ownership.
There continues to be vast amounts of private equity looking to invest in SaaS companies, which, if the public markets remain at their current levels. This overflow of availability may eventually pull private valuation multiples up into the double digits, tending to over-valuation.
