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The economics of the private equity market

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  • Stephen D. Prowse

Abstract

The private equity market is an important source of funds for start-ups, private middle-market companies, firms in financial distress, and public firms seeking buyout financing. Over the past fifteen years, it has been the fastest growing corporate finance market, far surpassing the public equity and public and private bond markets. In this article, Stephen Prowse examines the economic foundations of the private equity market and describes its institutional structure. He also explores reasons for the market's explosive growth and highlights the main characteristics of that growth, including data on returns to private equity investors. He describes the important investors, intermediaries, and issuers in the market and their interactions with each other. In particular, he investigates how the major intermediary in the market--the limited partnership--addresses the severe information problems associated with investing in small private firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephen D. Prowse, 1998. "The economics of the private equity market," Economic and Financial Policy Review, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, issue Q III, pages 21-34.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedder:y:1998:i:qiii:p:21-34
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. den Haan, Wouter J. & Ramey, Garey & Watson, Joel, 2003. "Liquidity flows and fragility of business enterprises," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(6), pages 1215-1241, September.
    2. Dahiya, Sandeep & Ray, Korok, 2012. "Staged investments in entrepreneurial financing," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 18(5), pages 1193-1216.
    3. Carolin Bock & Maximilian Schmidt, 2015. "Should I stay, or should I go? – How fund dynamics influence venture capital exit decisions," Review of Financial Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(1), pages 68-82, November.
    4. Magnus Henrekson & Dan Johansson & Mikael Stenkula, 2010. "Taxation, Labor Market Policy and High-Impact Entrepreneurship," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 10(3), pages 275-296, September.
    5. Rudina Degjoni & Ilirjana Loxha, 2020. "Albania’s Plan: Response to COVID-19," European Journal of Economics and Business Studies Articles, Revistia Research and Publishing, vol. 6, ejes_v6_i.
    6. Leonel Arango Vásquez & Eduardo Alexander Duque Grisales & Germ�n Horacio Cardona V�lez, 2014. "La teoría de la agencia en la industria del capital riesgo: mecanismos de alineación de intereses," Escenarios: Empresas y Territorio, Institución Universitaria ESUMER.
    7. Bock, Carolin & Schmidt, Maximilian, 2015. "Should I stay, or should I go? – How fund dynamics influence venture capital exit decisions," Review of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 68-82.
    8. Capasso, Arturo & Faraci, Rosario & Picone, Pasquale Massimo, 2014. "Equity-worthiness and equity-willingness: Key factors in private equity deals," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 57(5), pages 637-645.
    9. Mantell, Edmund H., 2005. "An ergodic theory of venture capital solicitation," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 14(2), pages 149-168.

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