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Private Equity and Financial Fragility during the Crisis

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  • Shai Bernstein
  • Josh Lerner
  • Filippo Mezzanotti

Abstract

Do private equity firms contribute to financial fragility during economic crises? We find that during the 2008 financial crisis, PE-backed companies increased investments relative to their peers, while also experiencing greater equity and debt inflows. The effects are stronger among financially constrained companies and those whose private equity investors had more resources at the onset of the crisis. PE-backed companies consequentially experienced higher asset growth and increased market share during the crisis.

Suggested Citation

  • Shai Bernstein & Josh Lerner & Filippo Mezzanotti, 2017. "Private Equity and Financial Fragility during the Crisis," NBER Working Papers 23626, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:23626
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • G24 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Investment Banking; Venture Capital; Brokerage

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