The Deals Database - FAQ

What data is included and what deal types are covered?

Our research captures data on private equity-backed European growth-stage and buyout transactions valued at €1m or more; bolt-on transactions are included within our remit. We exclude pure venture capital (start-up, Series A and Series B) from our coverage, except in cases where the investee has been trading for five years or more and is generating clear revenues.

M&A deals that do not involve a PE investor are not recorded. Deals involving a PE investor only on the sell-side (trade sales, management buy-backs, IPOs, etc) are not recorded.

Please refer to our data methodology for a complete breakdown of all deal types covered.

What currencies are available?

For the purpose of aggregating Europe-wide PE market statistics and to ensure a consistent experience, all deal values are converted to euros at the prevailing rate as of the deal date, and all relevant filters are based on euro values. However, the original value and currency are also captured as data points for each transaction.

How far back does the data go?

The data currently goes back to January 2023. The dashboards default to deals announced this year to date - however, feel free to explore across different timeframes from January 2023 onwards. The date-range selector, along with all other filters, will dynamically update the charts and tables.

How often is the data updated?

The data is updated daily.

How do you estimate deal values?

Valuation methodologies include balance sheet analysis and the assumption of typical entry multiples in a given sector, ‘sweet spot’ investment sizes by the funds involved and other comparables. In these deals, the internal estimate is not released on the Real Deals Database, but the size range is indicated. This is also true of confidential deal values that we might have been given by sources off the record.

How do your value ranges work?

In our indicative value ranges, the lower value is inclusive, and the upper value is exclusive. For example, “<25” means all deals valued up to EUR 24.99m; “25-50” means all deals valued between EUR 25m and EUR 49.99m; “50-150” means all deals valued between EUR 50m and EUR 149.99m; and “>1,000” means all deals valued at EUR 1bn and up.

Where can I see deals sold by PE to trade, or exited in IPOs?

At the moment, the Real Deals Database only includes deals with incoming PE investment.

Where can I see the advisers that worked on the deals?

All available advisory information is included in the standard table views on the “Deals” section of the database (you may need to scroll horizontally on the tables to see these columns, depending on your screen size). If you have set a custom view not including these columns, they can be added back at any time using the “Show/hide columns” feature. In addition, all available advisory information is included in the “Deal overview” popups when clicking on the target name in the main deal tables, and the “Advisers” section of the database offers filterable tables of active advisers.

Where can I see more data and intelligence on specific deals?

In the “Deals” section of the database, the “Show/hide columns” feature lets you view all the data points that can be added to the tables. In addition, all these data points are included in the “Deal overview” popups when clicking on the target name in these tables. And finally, you can click on the “Read more” link on select deals to access the full Real Deals article for that transaction to gain additional context and other proprietary intelligence.

Can I customise what I see in each dashboard, and can I save some preset searches?

Of course. Each database section (“Deals”, “Sponsors”, “Advisers”) lets you apply a number of filters, located at the top of each section. In addition, you can filter the information in each table column in the “Deals” section by simply clicking on the filter icon in the column headers.

Each database view includes “Save view” and “Filter library” tools. By using “Save view”, your combination of filters and your bespoke table view (columns, sort) can be saved for easy access, and even set as your default view each time you access the database. You can then use the “Filter library” tool to apply filter presets, edit their names or set a new default view.

How do I reset my filters?

Simply click the “Reset filters” button at the upper right of each database screen.

Can I download the data?

Absolutely - this feature is included by default in our premium subscription package. If you need to upgrade your access please get in touch with us and unlock the full functionality of the Real Deals Database.

You have missed a deal we invested in / advised on - how can we fix that?

While we aim to cover the market as extensively as possible, we may have missed the odd transaction. Please contact us to flag missing or incorrect information. Likewise, the best way to make sure all your deals are accounted for is to submit all the relevant information on a quarterly basis to the above email address, and we will make sure these are included ASAP if they meet our inclusion criteria.

Can you supply more bespoke data?

Yes - get in touch with us to discuss requirements for your project.