Private equity is making a comeback from its pandemic lows — and firms have big plans to capitalize on the booming exit environment.

In the second quarter of 2020, private equity exit activity dropped to decade lows, according to the 2021 global private equity divestment study from Ernst & Young. Then, it sprung back, as private equity leaders saw opportunities to produce stronger valuations. From March 2020 to March 2021, PE exits jumped nearly 40 percent to $600 billion, higher than it had been since before 2010. READ MORE