Marquette Associates
Menu ☰
Close ✕
  • Login
    • Reporting Login
    • Research Login
    • Manager Login
    • Private Client Login
  • People
  • Expertise
    • Corporate
    • Endowments & Foundations
    • Healthcare
    • Private Clients
    • Public Funds
    • Religious
    • Sustainable Investing
    • Taft-Hartley
  • Services
    • Investment Consulting
    • Defined Contribution Consulting
    • Outsourced CIO
    • Private Client Consulting
  • Research
  • About
    • Careers
  • Contact
  • Search
Close

What Is the Most Attractive Segment of the Private Equity Market

Column chart showing Net IRR Performance by Fund Size within private equity. Chart subtitle: Smaller buyout funds carry attractive return potential while also having the greatest performance variability in the private equity ecosystem Chart description: Y-axis shows Net IRR Performance, ranging from -15 to 45%. X-axis shows Fund Size by categories: Small ($6B). Each category has the full first through fourth quartile range in dark gray, then the 25th-75th percentile range overlaid in a lighter transparent gray, then a circle point marking the Median fund's net IRR performance. The Small Buyout category shows the greatest performance dispersion (median Net IRR of 13%, a 1st quartile range of 21–37%, and a 4th quartile range of -10–6%) but also the highest net IRR performance shown. Each consecutive category has slightly smaller bars for the full quartile range. Chart sources: Burgiss as of March 31, 2020, Pitchbook, Private iQ, and Morningstar. Performance shown reflects North American buyout funds with vintages between 2002–2016; funds with more recent vintages are not included as their performance is not yet meaningful.
Posted on February 24, 2021February 24, 2021 Full size 688 × 372

Post navigation

Published inWhat Is the Most Attractive Segment of the Private Equity Market?

Subscribe to Research Email Alerts

Subscribe

Research Email Alert Subscription

Research alerts keep you updated on our latest research publications. Simply enter your contact information, choose the research alerts you would like to receive and click Subscribe. Alerts will be sent as research is published.

We respect your privacy. We will never share or sell your information.

Thank You

We appreciate your interest in Marquette Associates.

If you have questions or need further information, please contact us directly and we will respond to your inquiry within 24 hours.

Contact Us >

© 2025 Marquette Associates. All Rights Reserved.

  • Terms of Use
  • Form CRS, ADV, Privacy Policy & Disclosures
  • Environmental Policy

Chicago
180 North LaSalle Street
Suite 3500
Chicago, Illinois 60601
Tel: 312.527.5500
Fax: 312.527.9064

Baltimore
225 Schilling Circle
Suite 260
Hunt Valley, MD 21031
Tel: 410.825.0444
Fax: 410.825.1777

Milwaukee
731 N. Water Street
Suite 790
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Tel: 414.209.3290

Philadelphia
600 Willowbrook Lane
Suite 610
West Chester, PA 19382
Tel: 610.719.0300
Fax: 610.719.8345

St. Louis
12444 Powerscourt Drive
Suite 190
St. Louis, MO 63131
Tel: 314.822.4444
Fax: 314.822.4401