Mid-market financial sponsors put more equity into their deals in the fourth quarter than their senior lenders did debt, at 4.2x EBITDA versus 3.8x, according to Standard & Poor’s Leveraged Commentary and Data, which follows the leveraged lending market.

Big investors this year can be expected to show the same kind of tentative steps as a patient ready to leave the hospital.

Investment bank fee payments in 2011 showed a healthy growth rate from a year earlier. Improvement came from many sectors, led by increased fee distribution in the energy, power and commodities industry. The global total for the most recent year stands at about $9.63 billion, a 27 percent improvement from $7.56 billion a year earlier.

So you finally find this great acquisition—one of your targeted industries, consistent performance, great prospects and strong management team. Oh yeah, it does have a couple of blemishes—some customer concentration, for one, but you’re comfortable with that.