Finance
Everything Is Private Equity Now
Spurred by cheap loans and investors desperate to boost returns, buyout firms roam every corner of the corporate world.
ILLUSTRATION: IGOR BASTIDAS FOR BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK
Private equity managers won the financial crisis. A decade since the world economy almost came apart, big banks are more heavily regulated and scrutinized. Hedge funds, which live on the volatility central banks have worked so hard to quash, have mostly lost their flair. But the firms once known as leveraged buyout shops are thriving. Almost everything that’s happened since 2008 has tilted in their favor.
Low interest rates to finance deals? Check. A friendly political climate? Check. A long line of clients? Check.