<15%
Distributions / NAV
Bain reports the ratio remained below 15% for four consecutive years through the 2025 context of its 2026 report.
RESEARCH / EVIDENCE FIRST
Read beyond
the headline.
A curated starting point, with original sources and the limitations that belong alongside them.
PUBLISHED MARKET CONTEXT / NOT LIVE DATA
Liquidity behind the headlines.
32k
Unsold companies
Approximate count of unsold buyout portfolio companies reported by Bain. This is a report estimate, not a current inventory.
$3.8tn
Reported unsold value
Value attached to that unsold-company estimate. This is not cash proceeds or a forecast of realisable value.
Source: Bain, Private Equity Outlook 2026: Gaining Traction, published 22 February 2026. Definitions and underlying periods differ by figure; see original exhibit notes. Rounded estimates, historical coverage, subject to the source methodology.
EDITORIAL PERSPECTIVE
Separate activity, value and cash.
A transaction announcement measures activity. A fund’s residual value is an estimate at a particular date. A distribution is cash or other value returned. Treating these as interchangeable can obscure the investor’s actual position.
Our interpretation: diligence should connect the operating thesis with valuation evidence, financing assumptions and the route to liquidity. This is an analytical framework, not a forecast.
Explore the metrics →Bain & Company
2026 edition; 2025 market context
Global Private Equity Report 2026
The report describes an uneven recovery. Deal activity, realisations and cash distributions answer different questions. Its conclusions depend on the report’s data definitions and historical cut-offs.
Read original source →BlackRock Aladdin
5 February 2026
Preqin and eFront integration
BlackRock announced integration of Preqin data into eFront. This illustrates the convergence of research and portfolio workflows; it is a company announcement, not an independent comparison.
Read original source →MSCI
2 March 2026 announcement
Acquisition of Vantager
MSCI announced the acquisition of a platform supporting pre-investment diligence. The announcement shows investment in document-driven workflows; it does not establish comparative product performance.
Read original source →PitchBook
Undated product page; checked 12 November 2026
Funds data and research
Fund profiles and benchmarking tools illustrate how strategy, vintage and geography can organise research. Vendor coverage claims can change and are not reproduced here.
Read original source →ILPA
2025 template generation; checked 12 November 2026
Reporting and Performance Templates
ILPA describes standardised reporting and performance methodologies. Template adoption and metric comparability must be checked fund by fund.
Read original source →How we use evidence.
Facts
Attributed statements checked against the linked source. Company announcements describe the company’s own account.
Interpretation
Our explanation of why a development may matter. It should not be read as a source’s endorsement.
Illustration
Tool examples use invented inputs to explain arithmetic. They contain no live fund data or forecasts.
Research checked 12 November 2026. This is a curated collection, not a live feed, complete market database or investment recommendation. No proprietary datasets are redistributed.