Still, the strong performance of medical supplies maker Medline, which went public just before Christmas and has surged more than 40% from its IPO price, is another encouraging sign, particularly for companies owned by private equity firms. Medline was bought in a leveraged buyout in 2021, with Blackstone, The Carlyle Group, and Hellman & Friedman purchasing a majority stake. Medline’s success could prompt more PE-backed companies to go public.
