Capstone Partners Releases 2026 Middle Market Business Owners Research Survey: CEOs Acclimate to Volatility and Exhibit Optimism, Exit Preparation Bolsters Decision Making and Business Performance
Key Highlights
- ➤57.7% of CEOs completed capital markets transactions in the last 12 months, up 0.3% YOY
- ➤54.6% of owners reported inbound private equity contact in the last 12 months
- ➤84.5% of CEOs implemented or plan to adopt artificial intelligence tools
- ➤72.7% of middle market CEOs started preparing for a business exit
- ➤Exit-prepared owners reported 20% greater LTM revenue growth than others
Capstone Partners Releases 2026 Middle Market Business Owners Research Survey: CEOs Acclimate to Volatility and Exhibit Optimism, Exit Preparation Bolsters Decision Making and Business Performance PR Newswire
BOSTON, Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Capstone Partners, a leading middle market investment banking firm, released its 2026 Middle Market Business Owners Survey Report, with insights from privately-owned companies across the U.S. This report combines Capstone's in-depth middle market knowledge with proprietary data obtained from 400 participating owners of privately-owned, middle market companies. Conducted between May 20, 2026, and July 7, 2026, the survey captures sentiment at a pivotal moment in the U.S., identifying CEOs' decision-making processes, growth, financial, exit plans, and value drivers that characterized middle market business in 2026.
Get started
Create a free account to read the full story.