The recent wave of M&A activity by private equity has caused a lot of speculation on the street as to who's next. A Barrons article over the weekend listed several LBO targets that analysts are currently watching. Here's a list of the companies mentioned:

Oil/Energy Companies

• Apache Corporation (NYSE:APA)
• Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO)
• Hess Corporation (NYSE:HES)
• Transocean, Inc. (NYSE:RIG)

Consumer Product Companies

• Kimberly Clark Corporation (NYSE:KMB)
• Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE:EL)

Homebuilder Companies

• KB Home (NYSE:KBH)
• DR Horton, Inc. (NYSE:DHI)
• Lennar Corporation (NYSE:LEN)
• Toll Brothers, Inc. (NYSE:TOL)
• MDC Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:MDC)
• Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE:HOV)

Technology Companies

• Linear Technology Corporation (NDAQ:LLTC)
• Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. (NDAQ:MXIM)
• Analog Devices, Inc. (NYSE:ADI)
  
• Altera Corporation (NDAQ:ALTR)
• Xilinx, Inc. (NDAQ:XLNX)

With a record $350 billion in deals this year alone by private equityy, many more acquisitions may lie ahead. These are some stocks to watch in the event of future leveraged buyouts; any such acquisitions would likely come at significant premiums to the current market price.