The average size of European buyouts in 2015 has risen to €126.3 million, helped by a strong third quarter, with activity on track for the best year since the financial crisis, according to a new report.

The average deal size for the first nine months of the year is up from €102.6 million in 2014 and is the highest since €171 million in 2007, according to the report by the Centre for Management Buyout Research and Equistone Partners Europe, which was published on September 30.