Private Equity Firms Have $1.5 Trillion to Spend, But Are Struggling to Seal Deals

Private equity firms hunting for acquisitions with their $1.5 trillion of unspent capital are struggling to seal deals as they hit roadblocks from heady price demands to difficult financing markets.

Buyout funds have seen around $30 billion of potential deals hit trouble in recent weeks. Medtronic Plc is looking increasingly likely to spin off of its patient-monitoring and respiratory-intervention operations, after talks with Carlyle Group Inc. slowed and strategic bidders’ interest cooled, people with knowledge of the matter said. It was seeking a valuation approaching $10 billion, they said.