PitchBook News - Aerospace & defense activity soars

When asked how to become a millionaire, Richard Branson famously said, "Start with a billion dollars and launch a new airline."

However, that adage may not apply when you think about the broader aerospace and defense sector, along with ancillary spaces related to airlines like maintenance, repair, and overhaul.

Even Warren Buffett, famously averse to investing in the space after being burned in the 90s, made a big bet in aircraft parts this year, buying up a huge chunk of publicly traded Heico.

We are launching coverage of aerospace and defense research, along with airlines and airline-related services. Our A&D vertical launch report, which will be updated quarterly, looks at PE deal and exit activity in the space, delving into over 4,000 deals broken out into 43 categories and subcategories.

We created a new taxonomy for the space and our data shows where activity has been the strongest, while our commentary examines the reasons for strength across the space with a viewpoint on what might take place next year.

The aerospace & defense industry and the airline space have different but interrelated demand drivers. We thought it best to look at the spaces together, and the data is remarkable, showing a strong deal appetite among middle market PE firms.

 

2024 has been a big year for aerospace & defense deals.