Sharpening focus on industry sectors and organizing around them help private equity firms–and other financial investors–create superior deals and returns. In deal generation, deep sector expertise strengthens contact with key people in an industry and increases the volume and quality of deal flow. In due diligence, it speeds a firm's ability to identify good deals and screen out bad ones, and brings to bear proprietary insights and credibility with the target's owners and managers that provide an edge in auctions. Following an acquisition, it helps quickly set the right strategic direction to improve performance and build value, recruit seasoned professionals and challenge management to hit operational targets. At exit time, a firm with deep sector expertise is uniquely able to identify the right buyers and present the sale in the most compelling light.