Citing a survey conducted by Harris Williams & Co, Bloomberg reports that mid-sized companies are becoming more open to selling themselves to private equity buyers

Buyout firms were named as the preferred buyer by 38 percent more respondents than last year notes the Bloomberg story. This is according to  the survey of 500 middle-market executives. Eighteen percent of respondents said private equity was their top-choice acquirer, up from 13 percent a year earlier. Bloomberg reports that this compares with 46 percent who identified corporate buyers as their favored choice, a decline from 49 percent.

Almost all of the business leaders -- 95 percent -- said they’re interested in M&A in the next three years. The preference for selling all or a portion of their company exceeded a desire to merge with or acquire others.

View the Bloomberg story Private Equity Gets More Popular for Mid-Sized Business Sellers.

View the Harris & Williams white paper The Time is Right for M&A.