Private equity firms deal with organisations from a variety of sectors and regions, with the goal of increasing the value of their investments through strategic planning, operational efficiencies, and restructuring of finances.
Private equity investments emerge and stand as an increasingly prominent influence in the global marketplace based on evolving industries. Private equity investments foster progress through well-structured investment plans. With strategically managed pools of capital acquired from institutional investors, private equity firms aim at catering to a broad range of sectors and locations.
Private equity involves redirecting and pumping capital into businesses for promoting their growth and to enhance their operational efficiency. With relevant strategies in place such as proactive leadership, operational restructuring, businesses can ultimately generate considerable profits and enhance their business valuation and portfolio.
Types of Private Equity Investments
Private equity investments are aimed at raising capital to support business progress and to fund their growth potential. There are several types of private equity investments which are categorised based on their structures and motives. Understanding and analysing the different types of private equity investments enables investors to navigate this volatile market and make informed investment choices. Following are some of the prominent types of private equity investments:
Venture capital
- Venture capital is a prominent type of private equity that majorly focuses on providing capital to fast growing companies which are in their early stages of inception.
- Venture capital investment entails not just capital funding but also mentorship and access to networks which makes this a holistic investment model.
- Businesses benefit significantly from this hands-on approach as they receive capital investment alongside relevant business strategies which pave the way for entrepreneurial success.
Growth equity
- Growth equity is a popular investment type of private equity funds which focuses on funding reputable and established companies which have streamlined income streams and scalable business prospects.
- Growth equity firms provide capital funding to companies in order to support expansion goals such as entering new market sectors, production of new products, advertising and marketing strategies.
- With the right push from investors, growth equity investments possess the potential to eliminate some of the potential hazards associated with typical leveraged acquisitions while still offering investors the opportunity for significant rewards.
Distressed private equity
- Distressed private equity companies focus majorly on funding businesses that are undergoing financial turmoil or experiencing distressed situations due to overspending, poor cash flow, or significant market disruptions.
- This type of private equity investment involves strategically identifying opportunities to acquire equity of the companies under turmoil at a substantial discount to their intrinsic value.
Leveraged buyout (LBO)
- Leveraged buyouts also referred to as LBOs are investment firms that target seasoned and bigger companies which have produced consistent revenue and established competitive advantages.
- This type of private equity fundraising facilitates a better hold on the target company and enables them to better utilise the company’s assets and cash flow to fund the acquisition.
Mezzanine capital
- Mezzanine capital is a type of private equity investment opportunity which provides a reliable and additional source of capital especially when traditionally acquiring funds from banks is unavailable.
- This type of investment enables businesses to access larger funds at competitive rates than regular bank loans.