Saturday, November 11, 2006

The Dark Side of the M&A Boom

Earlier this year, buyout giants Kohlberg Kravis Roberts struck an agreement for a $33 billion leveraged buyout of hospital company HCA. The deal is the largest buyout ever, eclipsing KKR's record purchase of RJR Nabisco in 1988. That deal was worth $31.4 billion, including debt.

The HCA deal was hardly an anomaly. This year has broken 2000's record for private-equity fundraising, according to industry newsletter Dow Jones Private Equity Analyst and it isn't even over. U.S. private-equity funds have raised $177.89 billion in 2006 to date. Read More.

No comments: