Middle market private equity firm
Crestview Partners
- HeadquartersNew York, NY S4
- Founded2004 S2
- Websitecrestview.com
- Last verifiedOctober 22, 2026
At a glance
| Deal types | Platform, Add-on S5 |
|---|---|
| Sectors | Industrial & Manufacturing, Wealth Management, Construction Services, Distribution, Consumer & Food |
What Crestview Partners buys
Crestview Partners is a New York private equity firm founded in 2004 that has raised about $10.5 billion of capital commitments, about $771 million of it from its own partners. It invests in three areas where its partners have run businesses: media and communications, financial services, and industrials and industrial services. Crestview does not publish revenue or EBITDA ranges, but its recent deals are large: the $1.5 billion take-private of broadband provider WOW! with DigitalBridge in December 2025, label maker Smyth Companies in March 2025, and airport concessionaire Tailwind Hospitality in February 2026.
The firm says about 70% of its investments came through relationships with owners and management teams, and it usually invests alongside the people already running the company, as at Smyth, where the CEO stayed on. A smaller company is most likely to meet Crestview as an add-on. OneMagnify, its marketing and analytics platform, bought Guidance in 2025 and Optimal's performance marketing arm in 2026, and Smyth is looking for tuck-in deals in labels and packaging.
Recent deals
Announced in the 24 months before October 22, 2026.
| Date | Company | Type | Sector | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | First Eagle InvestmentsAgreement for portfolio company Victory Capital to buy the asset manager, creating a firm with about $571 billion of assets | Add-on | Source | |
| Feb 2026 | Optimal (performance marketing business)Paid media and audience data business added to OneMagnify | Add-on | Source | |
| Feb 2026 | Tailwind HospitalityWilmington, North Carolina operator of restaurants, bars and shops in more than 60 regional airports and train stations | Platform | Consumer & Food | Source |
| Jan 2026 | Investment adviser bought by VenerableVenerable, a buyer of closed annuity blocks, bought an investment adviser and closed a reinsurance deal | Add-on | Source | |
| Dec 2025 | WideOpenWest (WOW!)Take-private of the broadband provider with DigitalBridge at an enterprise value of about $1.5 billion | Platform | Source | |
| Oct 2025 | Elo Touch SolutionsTouchscreen and kiosk maker sold to Zebra Technologies, which agreed in August 2025 to pay $1.3 billion in cash | Exit | Industrial & Manufacturing | Source |
| Apr 2025 | Crestview continuation fund (Venerable and ATC)First continuation fund, with nearly $600 million of commitments led by Apollo S3, to keep two Fund III companies | Fund close | Source | |
| Mar 2025 | Smyth CompaniesMinnesota label and flexible packaging maker bought from Novacap; the CEO and team invested alongside Crestview | Platform | Industrial & Manufacturing | Source |
| Feb 2025 | GuidanceeCommerce agency added to OneMagnify, its fourth acquisition | Add-on | Source | |
| Dec 2024 | You FirstGlobal sports and entertainment agency added to the Gersh Agency | Add-on | Source |
Portfolio by sector
From the firm's portfolio page S3.
Financial Services
- AutoLenders
- DARAG Group
- Insignia Financial
- Modern Wealth Management
- Pelagos Insurance Capital
- Upwell Water
- Venerable Holdings
- Victory Capital
Industrials
- ATC
- Convergix Automation Solutions
- Emerald Technologies
- OneMagnify
- Oxbow Carbon
- Smyth Companies
- SyBridge Technologies
- Tailwind Hospitality
Media
- 3STEP Sports
- Camping World Holdings
- Congruex
- Digicomm International
- FC3
- Gersh Agency
- Hornblower Holdings
- Journey Beyond
- Pursuit
- Saber Interactive
- WOW!
Oil & Gas
- ProFrac
- Select Water Solutions
- Silver Creek Exploration
Past investments: Elo Touch Solutions
Greymont’s take
How Crestview Partners fits a seller
Crestview fits owners of sizable industrial, packaging, marketing services, media or financial services businesses who want a buyer with partners who have run companies in their field. Its newest platforms are large, and Smyth was bought from another private equity firm, Novacap, so a first-generation founder is more likely to sell to one of its portfolio companies than to Crestview directly. Smyth and OneMagnify are the clearest buyers of smaller firms right now.
Crestview tends to keep management in place and add money for growth; at Smyth it set aside extra equity for acquisitions when the deal closed. It can also hold companies for a long time: in 2025 it moved Venerable and ATC into its first continuation fund instead of selling them. An owner who keeps a stake should ask how long Crestview expects to hold the business and whether a continuation fund could stretch that timeline.
Questions owners ask
What industries does Crestview Partners invest in?
Its firm page names three: media and communications, financial services, and industrials and industrial services. Current holdings range from WOW! and Congruex in broadband to Venerable and Modern Wealth Management in financial services and Smyth and Convergix in industrials.
Does Crestview buy smaller companies?
Mostly through its platforms. OneMagnify bought the eCommerce agency Guidance in February 2025 and Optimal's performance marketing business in February 2026, and Smyth said when Crestview bought it that it was pursuing tuck-in acquisitions in labels, shrink sleeves and flexible packaging.
Does management stay after Crestview invests?
Usually. When Crestview bought Smyth Companies in March 2025, it invested alongside the existing management team, and the president and CEO kept running the company. The firm describes its approach as long-term partnerships with owners and managers.
Sources
- S1Crestview Partners home page Accessed October 22, 2026
- S2Crestview Partners: Firm Accessed October 22, 2026
- S3Crestview Partners: Investments Accessed October 22, 2026
- S4Crestview Partners: Contact Us (office address) Accessed October 22, 2026
- S5Crestview Acquires Smyth Companies (March 6, 2025) Accessed October 22, 2026
- S6DigitalBridge and Crestview Partners Complete Take-Private Acquisition of WideOpenWest (December 31, 2025) Accessed October 22, 2026
- S7Crestview Partners Closes Continuation Fund for Two Fund III Investments (PR Newswire, April 1, 2025) Accessed October 22, 2026
- S8Crestview Partners: News and Press Accessed October 22, 2026
Compiled by Greymont Advisors from public sources, including the firm’s own website and press releases. Greymont is not affiliated with Crestview Partners. Figures are as reported on the dates shown and may have changed. Request a correction