Download PDF Introduction Undoubtedly private markets are inherently illiquid. When an investor wants to cash out of private funds, they must navigate ambiguous pricing mechanisms, information asymmetries, and reliance on intermediaries. In the usual course of events, liquidity in private market investments is realised through planned exits. However, unforeseen circumstances Read more…
Download PDF Introduction The Consumer Healthcare sector has long been crucial for consumers to find quick solutions without heading to the doctors, covering over the counter (OTC) products such as supplements, medicines (painkillers), skincare, hygiene products, and more. With the rise of digital healthcare tools and prescription management, Consumer Healthcare Read more…
Download PDF Introduction European innovation has finally gotten to American shores. Over recent years, synthetic risk transfers (SRTs) have become an increasingly relevant tool within banking, prompting both industry excitement and regulatory concern. In a nutshell, SRTs are financial transactions that banks use to transfer the credit risk of certain Read more…
Download PDF Introduction It has been long established that the global hub for venture capital (VC) investments is the US, with California, New York and Massachusetts being particularly strong in this type of alternative investment. Europe, on the other hand, is notorious for lagging in the scene, with tight regulations, Read more…
Download PDF Introduction In recent years, major water suppliers in England, privatized by Margaret Thatcher’s government in 1989, have encountered significant financial difficulties due to critical level of leverage in the higher interest rate environment and substantial fines for sewage pollution. As of 2023, 8 companies had debt-to-capital ratios exceeding Read more…
Download PDF Introduction High levels of leverage have been common practice to increase returns since the genesis of the private equity industry, but as the industry evolves financial sponsors have come up with new and innovative ways to lever up not only their portfolio companies, but entire portfolios as well. Read more…
Download PDF What has happened in the last 5 years? Over the past five years, M&A activity has experienced dramatic fluctuations, reaching both record highs and record lows. The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 brought deal activity to a near standstill as companies prioritised safeguarding employees’ health and Read more…
Download PDF Introduction: Infrastructure as an Asset Class Infrastructure investing involves allocating capital towards large-scale physical and organisational structures that provide essential services, such as transportation, energy, water, and telecommunications. These assets are critical for the functioning and growth of economies, often offering long-term, stable returns for investors. Infrastructure investments Read more…
Download PDF Introduction The aerospace industry has long been a highly competitive and technologically advanced sector, with the production of commercial aircraft serving as its centrepiece. For decades, this market has been effectively controlled by two major companies: Airbus [EPA: AIR], based in Europe, and Boeing [NYSE: BA], headquartered in Read more…
Download PDF Introduction Michael Saul Dell, an American billionaire investor, is the founder and CEO of Dell Technologies Inc. [NYSE: DELL]. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, he is the 13th richest person in the world, as of October 3, 2024. Born in Houston in 1965 to a Jewish family, Read more…
Download PDF Overview In the industry of private equity (PE), dividend recapitalizations also referred to as dividend recaps, have become one of the principal financial maneuvers in driving the returns on invested capital. In times where exits are difficult and options are limited, general partners extract value from portfolio companies Read more…
Download pdf Introduction A few weeks ago, the German media conglomerate Axel Springer announced the split up of its media and digital classifieds assets. According to the firm, the demerger is to be signed in the coming months and completed by mid-2025 at the latest. The deal envisions Axel Springer’s Read more…
Download PDF Introduction Last month, the Japanese operator of 7-Eleven [XTKS: 3382] rejected a friendly takeover bid from the Canadian retailer Alimentation Couche-Tard [TO: ATD], which controls the Circle K brand. At $14.86 per share, the bid valued the business at $39bn, which would have made this Japan’s biggest-ever buyout Read more…
Download PDF Introduction On September 10th, Italy’s UniCredit SpA [ETR: CRIN] has acquired a total 9% stake in the German Commerzbank AG [FWB: CBK], half of it directly off the hands of the German finance agency. About a week later the stake was increased to 21%, the majority of it Read more…
Download PDF Introduction Private Equity firms are known for investing in all types of businesses. Ranging from pet clinics and cookie brands to power transmission lines, over time funds have expanded their investment horizons to different asset classes. In the early 2000s private equity firms began investing in higher education, Read more…