Feb 7 (Reuters) - SolarWinds ( SWI ) said on Friday it

has entered into a deal with private equity firm Turn/River

Capital to take the IT management software firm private for an

enterprise value of approximately $4.4 billion.

Shares of the Austin-based company were up about 22% in

early trading.

Debt-funded buyouts are expected to rebound this year as

borrowing costs decline, enabling private equity firms to

finance deals cheaply and complete more acquisitions.

Some of the world's largest buyout firms, including

Blackstone, have begun pursuing large debt-funded acquisitions

as the financing outlook improves.

According to the terms of the deal, Turn/River Capital will

pay SolarWinds ( SWI ) shareholders $18.50 per share in cash,

representing a premium of about 23.1% from its last closing

price, and will be debt-funded. The deal is expected to close in

the second quarter.

The go-private transaction has an equity value of $3.16

billion, according to Reuters calculations.

Thoma Bravo and Silver Lake - which collectively hold

approximately 65% of the outstanding voting securities of

SolarWinds ( SWI ) - have approved the transaction by written consent.