In private equity transactions under $250 million, EBITDA enterprise valuation multiples fell to 6.7x from 7.4x EBITDA (-9.5%) last quarter. Total Debt to EBITDA multiples moved up to 3.7x (12%) compared to the previous quarter at 3.3x EBITDA, why and how this happened is worth discussing. Even though debt multiples increased quarter over quarter, senior debt multiples decreased slightly in the quarter by 0.1x while subordinated and mezzanine debt doubled from 0.5x to 1.0x EBITDA (GF Data).

In transactions under $250 million, EBITDA valuation multiples remain unchanged at 7.4x EBITDA, as the average Total Debt to EBITDA ratio decreased from 3.9x to 3.3x in the quarter. With valuation multiples not changing, private equity buyers increased their equity participation to complete deals from 3.5x to 4.1x EBITDA, resulting in equity investment increasing over 56% of the transaction value (GF Data).

In the first two months of Q1, 2020, deal activity was comparable to the previous quarter with TEV/EBITDA multiples maintaining values above the long-term historical average bolstered by higher than average Debt to EBITDA multiples. In March, when the COVID-19 pandemic began to impact the North American Market, all deal activity came to a screeching halt. Deals that were near being closed mayhave been completed, most other deals have hit the pause button waiting for more certainty.