Title: Ten Key Questions Facing the Private Equity World
1Ten Key Questions Facing the Private Equity
World
- David Rubenstein
- Co-founder Managing Director
February 27, 2008
2Questions for Audience
- 1. How many of you are GPs?
- 2. LP's?
- 3. Service providers?
- 4. Media?
- 5. Labor unions?
- 6. Think the golden age is over and that the best
days of private equity are behind us? - 7. Think the best days lie ahead?
- 8. Think there will be buyouts of 5 or 10 billion
this year? - 9. Next year?
- 10. Think there will be visible bankruptcies?
- 11. Think returns will be better from deals done
now? worse? - 12. Think taxes will go up? Stay the same? Go
down? - 13. Think private equitys image will improve?
Worsen? - 14. How about the next president? Who thinks it
will be Obama, Clinton, McCain, Huckabee?
31. Will Leverage for Buyouts Return in Time for
PE Investors and Professionals to Stay with the
Industry?
4Leveraged Loan Volumes Will Recover
- US Leveraged Loan Volumes Bounced Back after the
Downturn of 2000-2001
US Buyout Leveraged Loan Volume (Bn)
1,929
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2004
2003
2005
2006
2002
2007
Source SP Leveraged Buyout Review
5Leveraged Loan Volumes Will Recover
- While European Issuance has Grown Every Year
Since 1999
European Buyout Leveraged Loan Volume (Bn)
2005
2006
2001
2002
2007
2000
2003
1999
2004
Source SP LCD
6But This Will Not Happen Overnight
- In the US, it took roughly three years for
leveraged loan volumes to match their previous
highs after 2000 - And those three years were challenging for
private equity investors - In 2001 and 2002, US leveraged loan issuance fell
to approximately 1/3 of its 1998 total - But when the recovery came, it exceeded all
expectations - Leveraged loan issuance more than doubled between
2002 and 2004 and again between 2004 and 2006 - Issuance jumped 20x between 2001 and 2007
Source SP Leveraged Buyout Review
72. Are There Going to be Major Defaults from
Buyouts Completed within the "Golden Age"?
8Leverage Levels Are at Historical Highs
x
Average Large LBO Leverage Multiples (Debt/EBITDA)
1997
1999
1998
2002
2001
2000
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
Source SP Leveraged Buyout Review Note
Includes issuers with EBITDA of 50MM or more
9And Credit Ratios Are Depressed
x
(EBITDA Capex) / Cash Interest
2004
2005
2003
1997
2006
2007
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
Source SP Leveraged Buyout Review
10Default Rates Have Remained Low Over the Past
Three Years
Percentage of Outstanding Leveraged Loans in
Default or Bankruptcy
Avg. 3.80
Source SP LCD
11And Remain Below Levels Seen During Past Market
Downturns
- Leveraged Loan Default Rates During Recent Market
Downturns
Source Morgan Stanley
12But the Trading Levels of Many LBO Debt Deals
Suggest Defaults are Likely
- A Spread vs. Treasuries of Above 1,000 Indicates
Significant Distress
Source Merrill Lynch High Yield Master II Index
133. What is Going to Happen to All of the Buyout
Debt Still Held by the Major Syndicating Banks?
14A Massive Backlog Remains
- Approximately 200 billion of leveraged loans are
still sitting on banks balance sheets - This represents a decrease of only 75 billion
from last years peak - Every bank is affected
Sources The Wall Street Journal, Morgan Stanley
154. What Areas Will PE Firms Pursue to Achieve the
Types of Returns Sought by Their Investors?
16PE Firms Will Invest More in Emerging Markets
11.4
- Emerging Market Fundraising Has Grown
Exponentially
Emerging Asia (Bn)
CEE/Russia (Bn)
2007
2006
2004
2003
2005
2005
2004
2003
2006
2007
Latin America (Bn)
Middle East Africa (Bn)
2006
2003
2004
2005
2007
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Source EMPEA
17PE Firms Will Invest More in Emerging Markets
24.9
Emerging Asia (Bn)
CEE/Russia (Bn)
10.5
54.5
1H 2007
2003
2004
2005
2006
2003
2004
2005
2006
1H 2007
Latin America (Bn)
Middle East Africa (Bn)
5.9
32.2
2003
2004
2005
2007
2006
2003
2005
2006
2007
2004
Source Morgan Stanley, Thomson
18PE Firms Will Invest More in Emerging Markets
- A growing percentage of global private equity
activity is dedicated to Emerging Markets - In 2001, they accounted for 4.5 of private
equity fundraising and 3.3 of deal volume - In 2007, they accounted for 15.9 of fundraising
- In the first half of 2007, they accounted for
7.0 of global LBO deal volume
Source Morgan Stanley, Thomson
19Private Equity Firms Will Make More Minority
Investments
- Private equity firms have increased their
commitments to non-control investments
- In the past six months, private equity firms have
made large minority investments in companies
including - Sprint Nextel, NC Numericable, MBIA, Global
Hyatt, Antero Resources, Galaxy Entertainments,
MoneyGram International, Legacy Hospital
Partners, and Bharti Infratel
Source Dealogic
20And They Will Commit More Capital to Distressed
Investments
- Distressed Debt Fundraising Anticipating Debt
Maturity Schedule
Source Private Equity Analyst, data as of
6/30/07 Fitch Ratings, data as of July 2007
215. Should Investors in PE Expect Higher or Lower
Rates of Return?
22Top Quartile PE Returns Are Unrivalled
Top Quartile US Buyout Returns
IRR
Top Quartile U.S.
32.1
20.4
Buyout
21.8
28.5
Top Quartile gt2Bn
22.1
18.2
18.4
SP 500
8.7
5.4
20.3
DJIA
7.7
5.7
19.9
NASDAQ
12.2
6.1
0
10
20
30
40
10-year
5-year
1-year
Source Thomson Venture Economics Note PE data
as of 30 June 2007 Bloomberg, market data as of
30 June 2007
23Top Quartile PE Returns Are Unrivalled
7.6
Top Quartile European Buyout Returns
Top Quartile Eu. Buyout
FTSE 100
CAC-40
Source Thomson Venture Economics Note PE data
as of 30 June 2007 Bloomberg, market data as of
30 June 2007
246. Is Now the Right Time for Investors to Pursue
Private Equity Investments?
25PE Funds Raised During Times of Market Distress
Generally Perform Well
- Private equity investments have produced healthy
returns during each of the three most recent
global economic slowdowns
Top Quartile Private Equity IRRs by Vintage
Source Thomson Venture Expert Note IRRs are
cumulative and are calculated from inception to
9/30/07
267. Will Regulators and Legislators Continue to
Seek Changes in PE Regulation, Oversight and
Taxation?
27The PE Industry Faces Various Legislative and
Regulatory Proposals
- Several countries are considering or have
introduced changes to the way that private equity
returns are taxed - The industry is under pressure to increase
disclosure and transparency - In some markets, foreign private equity firms are
subject to limitations on their investment
activity
288. Will Sovereign Wealth Funds Replace PE Firms
as Principal Sources of Capital for
Corporations/Sellers Seeking New Capital?
29PE Firms Pale in Comparison to the Largest
Sovereign Wealth Funds
Top Sovereign Wealth Funds
Source Citigroup
30Sovereign Wealth Fund Investment Activity Has
Increased Dramatically
Sovereign Wealth Fund Deal Volume
Deal Volume (Bn)
of Deals
1,151
2007
2006
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2004
2003
2005
Number of Deals
Value of Deals
Sources World Economic Forum, Thomson Financial
31But These Investments Still Represent A Tiny
Proportion of Total MA Activity
Breakdown of Global MA Activity (Bn)
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
1997
Sources World Economic Forum, Thomson Financial
32Sovereign Wealth Funds and PE Firms Are Forming a
Productive Partnership
- Sovereign wealth funds have purchased substantial
equity stakes in several alternative asset
managers - China Investment Corp. invested 3 billion in
Blackstone - Abu Dhabis Mubadala invested 1.4 billion in
Carlyle - Dubai International Capital invested 1.3 billion
in Och-Ziff - They are among the private equity industrys
largest individual investors - In the future, sovereign wealth funds and private
equity firms are likely to pursue large
investment opportunities through joint ventures - Sovereign wealth funds will benefit from PE
firms deep pools of investment talent and deal
expertise
339. Can the PE Industry Improve its Image with the
Public, Media, Governments, Unions, Environmental
and Consumer Groups?
34Private Equitys Image Could be Better
A Backlash Against Private Equity Grumbling by
unions over post-deal job cuts has escalated into
a public outcry Business Week
Gluttons at the Gate Private equity are using
slick new tricks to gorge on corporate assets. A
story of excess Business Week
3510. Is PE's Future Going to Be Better, Bigger,
and Stronger than Before, Or Have We Already Seen
the High-water Mark?
36Its Always Darkest Just Before Dawn
- As before, deal volume will rebound and
yesterdays records will be left far behind
Global LBO Activity
of Deals
Deal Volume (Bn)
CAGR 31
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
of Deals
Deal Volume
Source Dealogic
37What I Was Supposed to Talk About Giving
Private Equity a Positive Image Why is there
such Disparity Between the Publics Perception of
the Industry and the Industrys Perception of
Itself, and What can be done to bring these Views
into Alignment
38The Current Situation
- Perception of the Industry outside the Industry
- Destroyed Jobs
- Relocated Facilities Overseas
- Focused Only on Short-Term Profits
- Left Companies in Worse Shape
- Made Too Much Money for PE Professionals
- Insufficient Level of Taxes Paid
- Perception of the Industry within the Industry
- Improved operation of companies
- Prevented job losses created jobs
- Improved Economies
- Created High Returns for Investors/Pension Funds
- Paid Large Amount of Taxes
- Created an Industry
39Why the Disparity in Perceptions?
- Industry Focused for Long Time Principally on
Returns - Industry Spent Little Time Explaining its Actions
to those Outside of Investor Base - Industry Lacked Data to Support its Views
- No Industry Vehicle for Long Time
- Other Problems of Industry Critics/Convenient and
Attractive Target
40What Can the Industry Do to Improve Its Image?
- Continue to Produce Hard Data
- Engage Industry Critics in Debate/Discussion
- Consider Factors Other than Just Returns When
Assessing/Overseeing Investments - Involve Portfolio Companies Directly in the
Effort - Enhance Transparency/Public Focus
- Recognize that Some Changes Can and Should Occur
41Ten Leading Questions Facing the Private Equity
World
- David Rubenstein
- Co-founder Managing Director
February 27, 2008