Signals from the Marketplace

Confidence is returning—but creativity is essential.

Across all three events, investors, lenders, and operators shared one refrain: deal activity is picking up, but getting to transaction close requires more structure, patience, and partnership than ever before. Uncertainty may be the “new normal,” but increasing restructuring activity and disciplined optimism for M&A are driving the market forward. 

ACG M&A East: Value Creation in Focus 

At ACG, conversations centered on value creation amid tighter pricing for quality assets and plateauing roll-ups. 

• Investors are looking for ways to grow the “middle of the portfolio.” 

• Add-on arbitrage is shrinking as roll-up strategies have underperformed expectations. 

• Firms are feeling some pain in portfolios, and yet there’s a growing sense of stability and confidence as quality assets maintain traction in appetite. 

TMA Annual: Credit Market Resilience 

Conversations in New Orleans pointed to an economic market with pockets of distress that have further boosted restructuring activity. 

• Financing deal flow is accelerating and expected to remain strong into 2026. 

• Private credit continues to step in where traditional bank cash flow lenders remain conservative. 

• Diligence is deeper, patience thinner, but appetite remains high. 

• Looming maturity walls and operational headwinds are expected to drive a rise in restructuring activity and special situations investment banking opportunities.  

Kayo Women’s Summit: Emerging Deal Themes 

Discussions in Boston reflected a market adjusting to sustained uncertainty and shifting deal dynamics. 

• Use of AI in the deal process is expanding, though approaches widely vary. 

• Structure remains key to bridging valuation gaps. Equity roll, contingent value, and preferred securities are most common. 

• Investors are focusing on early risk mitigation and are placing increased emphasis on trusted relationships. 

• Many private equity sellers feel a need to roll equity in a sale to provide assurance to buyers who are looking for confidence from the seller. 

G2’s Takeaway: Opportunity is everywhere—if you know where to look. 

From rethinking value creation to navigating credit headwinds and adopting new technologies, the market is evolving quickly. Our teams across sectors are energized by what we heard—and confident that G2’s hands-on, relationship-driven model is built for this moment. Learn how G2 partners with clients to create value through every market cycle.