KKR Offloads CoolIT Systems For $4.75B To Ecolab – Know The Details

• At the close of the transaction, all CoolIT employees will receive a substantial cash payout on their ownership in the company. 
• KKR acquired CoolIT in 2023 through its Global Impact Fund II, which helps scale innovative commercial solutions to global challenges.

KKR Inc (KKR) on Wednesday announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell CoolIT Systems, a global leader in liquid data center cooling, to Ecolab in a transaction valued at $4.75 billion. 

The sale will represent one of KKR’s largest recent realizations, generating approximately 15 times the original equity invested, inclusive of distributions, the investment firm said. At the close of the transaction, all CoolIT employees will receive a substantial cash payout on their ownership in the company. 

The transaction, which is subject to customary regulatory approvals, is expected to close in Q3 2026.

“CoolIT demonstrates the power of a true ownership culture in driving meaningful results for both companies and employees. When employees are owners, they have a direct stake in the company’s success and help drive the innovation and execution that fuel long-term growth,” said Pete Stavros, Partner and Global Co-Head of Private Equity at KKR. 

KKR History With CoolIT

KKR acquired CoolIT in 2023 through its Global Impact Fund II, which helps scale innovative commercial solutions to global challenges. In 2025, CoolIT’s solutions delivered an estimated 2.18 billion kWh in energy savings, enough to power approximately 200,000 homes for one year, according to the statement. 

At the time of acquisition, CoolIT employees became owners in the business through a broad-based ownership program, aligning the entire organization around long-term value creation. With this sale, CoolIT’s 650 employees will receive cash payouts, ranging from approximately one year of annual pay for employees to over eight years of annual pay. Employees will also be eligible to receive pre-paid personal financial coaching and tax preparation services.

CoolIT designs and manufactures advanced systems that enable sustainable data center growth as AI-driven compute demand increases.

Retail Reaction

Retail sentiment around KKR trended in ‘extremely bearish’ territory amid ‘high’ message volume. 

Shares in the company have fallen nearly 31% so far in 2026. 

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