Due to the ongoing financial crisis, no major increases in private equity capital through financial investors have been reported. Financial institutions like Deutsche Bank are anticipating a decline in investment by private equity firms of up to 17 percent. However, experts believe that even in difficult times some niche markets will continue to offer lucrative opportunities.
Commentary: The past has demonstrated that the health care system is also able to provide especially these type of opportunities for the SME sector. Successful transactions, e.g. those involving Völker Betten or GHD, show that a thorough analysis and investigation of markets and their growth potential will turn up interested companies. Uncertainties feared by investors regarding business development are possible in the health care sector as well. However, there are also clear (early) indicators which, in connection with market knowledge, can point to such companies who might benefit in the future from strong growth because of certain medical conditions or political influences. The decisive parameters in classifying a company’s attractiveness are know-how of markets and their framework conditions, coupled with an understanding of the company’s management. A look at the financial position of any object can only be interpreted comprehensively after these questions are answered. This raises the question of how such companies might be found and how appropriate benchmarks for their growth prospects might be determined?