When the banks underwriting Cerberus' $7.4 billion ( e5.4 billion) acquisition of Chrysler and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts' £11.1 billion ( e16.3 billion; $22.3 billion) acquisition of Alliance Boots found themselves unable to syndicate several billion dollars of debt, it was a sure sign that sub-prime mortgage turmoil had begun to impact the leveraged buyout market substantially. At the end of August, analysts reported that banks were still waiting to offload $330 billion of debt from agreed deals, and some predicted there would be no more mega-buyouts struck this year, and possibly well into 2008. PEI talked with William Allen, founder of London-based leveraged debt advisor Blenheim Advisors, to get his views on the implications of the credit crunch.
3 min read · 12 January 2013
Sweden's smaller deal market is hoping to stay immune from the contagion sweeping the LBO market. Andy Thomson reports.
6 min read · 12 January 2013
Switzerland's LP are not the type to panic in the face of credit market turmoil, writes James Taylor. And on p. 85, Toby Lewis reports on current trends in the Swiss buyout market.
9 min read · 12 January 2013
Ten years ago, some of the largest firms got creative when debt became scarce – with disastrous results.
3 min read · 12 January 2013
?PRIVATE EQUITY PROTEST 2 2007-10-01 Staff Writer Meanwhile, Yorkshire-based climate campaigners decamped to the London office of mid-market GP Bridgepoint to make clear their objection to any expansion of Leeds-Bradford airport, which Bridgepoint acquired for £146 million (€214 million; $297 million) in May
2 min read · 12 January 2013
The US private equity mid-market – made up of hundreds of firms but controlling only half the capital in the market – has been somewhat insulated from the turmoil of the megafund deal market. While it faces an altered landscape, the mid-market's challenges are being offset by greater interest from foreign strategic buyers as well as returns-minded LPs. David Snow reports.
7 min read · 12 January 2013
European venture capital has had a bad press which, on the basis of its long-term performance, appears largely justified. Andy Thomson canvasses LPs for their current views of the space.
4 min read · 12 January 2013
An examination of the 1998 vintage year for buyout funds shows weak returns, on average. But the so-called credit crunch of that year had little to do with this underperformance. Those worried about the performance of the current vintage year should pay more attention to the economy and to the skills of individual GP groups, reports David Snow.
7 min read · 12 January 2013
Stub equity may help push through the Clear Channel Communications take-private bid. Toby Lewis examines the pros and cons.
6 min read · 12 January 2013
Superwoman Nicola Horlick tells the industry that its public relations skills leave a lot to be desired.
6 min read · 12 January 2013
