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The Value Creation Edge
Secrets of Private Equity's Top Performers — from a global survey of 550+ senior PE leaders
2026 private equity value creation index
Private equity is at an inflection point. Firms can no longer buy cheap and lever up — they must build value from the inside out. For the first time, the annual survey of 550+ senior PE leaders isolates the “high performers” consistently exceeding their business case. These firms have moved beyond financial engineering to accelerate value through commercial intensity, AI-amplified execution and M&A discipline.
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Key Findings
High Perfomers Drive Growth
Deploying commercial levers at nearly 2x the rate of their peers.
Pricing optimization Sales force & marketing
Market expansion Customer health
46%
26%
■ High Performers ■ Others
Speed-to-Value
63% say that levers now deliver tangible impacts within 12 months on average, up from 41% the prior year.
AI Acceleration
66% of respondents now see tangible impact from AI within 12 months — nearly double the prior year.
Results within 12 months
63%
41%
Results within 12 months
66%
34%
M&A Priority
M&A climbed from last to first priority in one year, and 51% of firms are exceeding their M&A business case.
#1
Top Exit Factor
62%
Margin expansion is cited as the most critical factor for value at exit, up from 46% last year.
2025
8th
7th
6th
5th
4th
3rd
2nd
1st
2026
62%
46%
2025
2026
What's inside the full report
Where high performers are pulling away and what they're focused on Bottom-line imperatives: where to double down, what to pressure-test, what to do now AI adoption, implementation and performance data by lever and region M&A execution benchmarks by sector Exit readiness framework by hold period stage 2026 lever priority rankings and year-over-year shifts Regional deep dives: US & Canada, EMEA, LATAM, APAC
Unlock the Formula
The High Performer Formula
Five behaviors define the high performers, the 40% of respondents who report their portfolios consistently exceeded business case expectations. Same levers. Different discipline, cadence and focus.
Velocity is a key differentiator in value creation. Firms are realizing value faster across all levers, but outperformance comes from pairing that speed with disciplined execution and focusing resources on the highest-impact growth levers.”
Scott Bingham
Senior Managing Director, Global Co-Leader of Transactions FTI Consulting
The firms that pull ahead in 2026 will be the ones where playbook discipline, commercial intensity, AI-amplified execution and M&A integration compound on each other — download now to find out more.
Are you moving fast enough?
About the Survey
FTI Consulting conducted a global survey of 550+ PE decision makers online in January and February of 2026.
For any questions relating to the survey methodology see the methodology section in the report or contact
FTI.PrivateEquity@fticonsulting.com
Contact the Experts
Jiva Jagtap
Senior Managing Director
united states
Scott Bingham
Senior Managing Director
united states
Jan Timmermann
Senior Managing Director
united kingdom
Michael Weyrich
Senior Managing Director
united kingdom
Keith McGregor
Senior Managing Director
australia
Sam Aguirre
Senior Managing Director
brazil
Roy Huang
Senior Managing Director
china
Related Insights
See Last Year’s Report — 2025 Private Equity Value Creation Index
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Perspectives from Diligence to Exit
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Puja Sood
Managing Director
UNITED STATES
