PE Holds $3.8T in 32,000 Unsold Companies, Average Exit Time 7 Years
Bain’s 2026 Global Private Equity Report shows the industry now sits on about $3.8 trillion in unsold assets—roughly 32,000 companies—up from prior years. Hold periods have lengthened to an average of seven years, pushing distributions below 15% of net asset value for four straight years. The backlog threatens fund returns and forces firms to rethink exit strategies.