Adds share move in para 3, American 401(k) context with CEO comments in para 7-9

By Jakob Van Calster

Sept 4 (Reuters) - CVC Capital CVC.AS, one of the world's largest private equity managers, reported first half profit that matched market expectations on Thursday and reiterated its realisations target for the current year.

It posted a net profit of 396 million euros ($464 million)for the first six months of 2025, roughly in line with analysts' median forecast of 393 million euros in a consensus compiled by CVC.

Shares in CVC, which have largely traded flat since its IPO in one of the biggest of its kind in Europe last year, were down around 4% in early morning trading

Realisations - the cash it earns and distributes from the successful sale of investments - totalled 13.2 billion euros over the last twelve months, 20% higher than last year's level as the group reiterated its target to meet or slightly beat realisations achieved in 2024.

The group's profits and realisation levels add to data from Preqin that shows signs of exit activity picking up after years of slowing down as global economic uncertainty and high interest rates weighed on dealmaking.

CVC, which maintains stakes in brands such as Lipton Teas, Breitling, and Petco, cited "strong fundraising momentum" in a press release on Thursday and said it had raised 6.3 billion euros of capital in the first half of 2025.

In early August, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an order that aimed to allow more private equity, cryptocurrency and other alternative assetss into 401(k) retirement accounts, opening the way for alternative asset managers to tap into the country's $12 trillion retirement savings market.

"It opens up a really exciting and substantial new market," CEO Rob Lucas told reporters. He said CVC was strengthening its U.S. business to take advantage.

Lucas added that the details were still too vague to fully assess the logistics of including a sector which regulators had previously considered too risky.

($1 = 0.8542 euros)

(Reporting by Jakob Van Calster in Gdansk, editing by Matt Scuffham)

((jakob.vancalster@thomsonreuters.com))