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How persistent is private equity performance? Evidence from deal-level data

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  • Braun, Reiner
  • Jenkinson, Tim
  • Stoff, Ingo

Abstract

The persistence of returns is a critical issue for investors in their choice of private equity managers. In this paper, we analyse buyout performance persistence in new ways, using a unique database containing cash flow data on 13,523 portfolio company investments by 865 buyout funds. We focus on unique realized deals and find that persistence of fund managers has substantially declined as the private equity sector has matured and become more competitive. Private equity has, therefore, largely conformed to the pattern found in most other asset classes in which past performance is a poor predictor of the future.

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  • Braun, Reiner & Jenkinson, Tim & Stoff, Ingo, 2017. "How persistent is private equity performance? Evidence from deal-level data," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(2), pages 273-291.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jfinec:v:123:y:2017:i:2:p:273-291
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jfineco.2016.01.033
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Nanda, Ramana & Samila, Sampsa & Sorenson, Olav, 2020. "The persistent effect of initial success: Evidence from venture capital," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 137(1), pages 231-248.
    2. Petrus H. Ferreira & Roman Kräussl & Wayne R. Landsman & Maria Nykyforovych Borysoff & Peter F. Pope, 2019. "Reliability and relevance of fair values: private equity investments and investee fundamentals," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 24(4), pages 1427-1449, December.
    3. Fuchs, Florian & Füss, Roland & Jenkinson, Tim & Morkoetter, Stefan, 2021. "Winning a deal in private equity: Do educational ties matter?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    4. Bienz, Carsten & Thorburn, Karin & Walz, Uwe, 2019. "Ownership, Wealth, and Risk Taking: Evidence on Private Equity Fund Managers," SAFE Working Paper Series 126, Leibniz Institute for Financial Research SAFE, revised 2019.
    5. Korteweg, Arthur & Sorensen, Morten, 2017. "Skill and luck in private equity performance," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(3), pages 535-562.
    6. Maurice McCourt, 2022. "Permanent private equity: Market performance and transactions," Journal of Financial Research, Southern Finance Association;Southwestern Finance Association, vol. 45(2), pages 339-383, June.
    7. Gomes, Luís M. P. & Soares, Vasco J. S. & Gama, Sílvio M. A. & Matos, José A. O., 2018. "Long-term memory in Euronext stock indexes returns: an econophysics approach," Business and Economic Horizons (BEH), Prague Development Center, vol. 14(4), pages 862-881, August.
    8. Hammer, Benjamin & Marcotty-Dehm, Nikolaus & Schweizer, Denis & Schwetzler, Bernhard, 2022. "Pricing and value creation in private equity-backed buy-and-build strategies," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    9. Hammer, Benjamin & Knauer, Alexander & Pflücke, Magnus & Schwetzler, Bernhard, 2017. "Inorganic growth strategies and the evolution of the private equity business model," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 31-63.
    10. Block, Joern & Fisch, Christian & Vismara, Silvio & Andres, René, 2019. "Private equity investment criteria: An experimental conjoint analysis of venture capital, business angels, and family offices," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 329-352.
    11. Jia, Xiao & McCourt, Maurice, 2022. "Global leveraged buyout deal performance: A cross-border cross-cultural perspective," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    12. Bienz, Carsten & Thorburn, Karin S. & Walz, Uwe, 2023. "Fund ownership, wealth, and risk-taking: Evidence on private equity managers," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    13. Maiia Sleptcova & Heidi Falkenbach, 2021. "Managerial Skill and European PERE Fund Performance," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 62(4), pages 665-690, May.
    14. Dyaran Bansraj & Han Smit & Vadym Volosovych, 2020. "Can Private Equity Funds Act as Strategic Buyers? Evidence from Buy-and-Build Strategies," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 20-041/IV, Tinbergen Institute.
    15. Fang, Hongyan & Nofsinger, John R. & Song, Zhihui & Wang, Shuxun, 2018. "Private equity performance and capital flows: Evidence from China," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 223-244.
    16. Braun, Reiner & Jenkinson, Tim & Schemmerl, Christoph, 2020. "Adverse selection and the performance of private equity co-investments," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(1), pages 44-62.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Private equity; Returns; Performance persistence; Portfolio companies;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • G23 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Non-bank Financial Institutions; Financial Instruments; Institutional Investors

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