--- title: EQT passes litmus test description: EQT’s £10.6bn acquisition of Intertek signals growing private equity appetite for resilient, defensive industrial assets. image: https://community.ipem-market.com/hubfs/IPEM%20Community/Weekly%20Spin/weekly%20spin%20meme%20may%2019.gif --- ## [![logo_IPEM-community_orange-1](https://community.ipem-market.com/hubfs/logo_IPEM-community_orange-1.svg "logo_IPEM-community_orange-1")](https://community.ipem-market.com/) [Follow us on LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/company/ipem_privateequity) [Follow us on Youtube ](https://www.youtube.com/@ipem?themeRefresh=1) [More information ](https://www.ipem-market.com/) [✕](https://community.ipem-market.com/eqt-passes-litmus-test#atbs-offcanvas-primary) [** ](https://community.ipem-market.com/eqt-passes-litmus-test#) Share - ![weekly spin meme may 19](https://community.ipem-market.com/hs-fs/hubfs/IPEM%20Community/Weekly%20Spin/weekly%20spin%20meme%20may%2019.gif?width=900&height=900&name=weekly%20spin%20meme%20may%2019.gif) ## EQT passes litmus test EQT’s £10.6bn acquisition of Intertek signals growing private equity appetite for resilient, defensive industrial assets. In a deal that effectively “runs the experiment” on private equity’s appetite for defensive industrials, EQT’s agreement to acquire Intertek for £60-a-share, implying an enterprise value of £10.6 billion, validates both its buyout discipline and the continued appeal of the testing, inspection and certification (TIC) model. Earlier bids at £58, £54 and £51 a share were rejected by the board. After the board was “minded to recommend” the improved bid, Intertek shares jumped almost 7%. Intertek chief executive André Lacroix had come under mounting pressure from investors to strike a deal, including Palliser Capital and Matt Peltz, son of activist investor Nelson Peltz. For EQT, the acquisition demonstrates its ability to win large-cap, strategically sensitive industrial assets in competitive conditions, reinforcing a broader shift in which assurance businesses, with resilient demand and regulatory-linked revenue streams, are increasingly attractive privatization targets.  Schedule a call KNOW MORE Schedule a call [Inspired by the Financial Times ](https://www.ft.com/content/eed61c87-d37d-4a05-8239-c814165688c1?syn-25a6b1a6=1) ### Subscribe to the IPEM Newsletter!   ![James Williams](https://community.ipem-market.com/hs-fs/hubfs/1744544007605.jpeg?width=180&height=180&name=1744544007605.jpeg) [James Williams](https://community.ipem-market.com/author/james-williams) James is an experienced financial journalist and editor with over 20 years experience covering private markets and alternatives. He is host of the Clockwork CIO podcast. - [**](https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-williams-8074151b/) [Previous ](https://community.ipem-market.com/easy-as-abc) ### [Easy as ABC](https://community.ipem-market.com/easy-as-abc) [Next ](https://community.ipem-market.com/what-european-lps-want-from-the-us-mid-market) ### [What European LPs want from the US Mid-Market](https://community.ipem-market.com/what-european-lps-want-from-the-us-mid-market) #### RELATED NEWS [![image](https://community.ipem-market.com/hubfs/Weekly%20spin%20march%2010.gif)](https://community.ipem-market.com/jeff-soar-eyes-big-four) [Weekly Spin](https://community.ipem-market.com/tag/weekly-spin) ### [Jeff Soar Eyes Big Four](https://community.ipem-market.com/jeff-soar-eyes-big-four) Swedish private equity group EQT is backing a new UK tax business to disrupt the Big Four and... 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By [James Williams](https://community.ipem-market.com/author/james-williams) Feb 17 2026 ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "James Williams", "url" : "https://community.ipem-market.com/author/james-williams" }, "dateModified" : "2026-05-19T09:53:44.261Z", "datePublished" : "2026-05-19T09:53:44.000Z", "headline" : "EQT passes litmus test", "image" : [ "https://community.ipem-market.com/hubfs/IPEM%20Community/Weekly%20Spin/weekly%20spin%20meme%20may%2019.gif" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://community.ipem-market.com/eqt-passes-litmus-test", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://community.ipem-market.com/hubfs/IPEM%20Brand%20Identity/logo_IPEM_classique-orange.svg" }, "name" : "EUROPEXPO (IPEM)" } } ```