The companies in discussion are largely small- to mid-sized, making them achievable targets, as opposed to firms listed on the FTSE 100. 'DRY POWDER'One of the contributing factors for PE firms' abundance of cash, or "dry powder", is the continued buildup of uninvested capital during the pandemic, according to fund managers. During the first five months of 2023, nine listed firms on the London Stock Exchange were approached by PE firms, exceeding the number of targets in the same time period last year, according to Refinitiv data. Among those out shopping for firms, many seem attracted to these lower valuations of small- and mid-cap firms. Though firms listed on the smaller UK indexes are more domestically focused than their larger counterparts, analysts point out that nearly half of their revenue is from their international presence, making them an even more attractive purchase for PE firms.

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Persons: Richard Bullas, Martin, Franklin Templeton, John Wood, Bullas, Moodley, Johann M Cherian, Shounak Dasgupta Organizations: Bank of, Network International Holdings, Hyve, Medica Group, Pharmaceuticals, PE, Martin Currie UK Equity, London Stock Exchange, Apollo, John, John Wood Group, BNP, FTSE, U.S, Thomson Locations: Bank of England, Britain, United States, 10.2x, Europe, U.S, Bengaluru