Goldman Sachs Capital Partners

Last updated

Goldman Sachs Asset Management Private Equity
FormerlyGoldman Sachs Capital Partners
Company type Subsidiary
Industry Private equity
Founded1986;38 years ago (1986)
Headquarters 200 West Street
New York City, New York, United States
Products Leveraged buyout
Growth capital
AUM US$95 billion (June 2023)
Number of employees
140+
Parent Goldman Sachs
Website www.goldmansachs.com/pia/

Goldman Sachs Asset Management Private Equity (previously Goldman Sachs Capital Partners) is the private equity arm of Goldman Sachs, focused on leveraged buyout and growth capital investments globally. The group, which is based in New York City, was founded in 1986. [1]

Contents

History

Goldman Sachs has historically invested capital in a variety of businesses alongside its investment banking clients. [2] In the early and mid-1980s, Goldman was a slow entrant into the financing of leveraged buyouts and junk bonds and preferred to focus on its traditional mergers and acquisitions advisory business. Beginning in 1983, however, Goldman began making longer-term equity investments in private equity transactions that came through its investment banking and other clients. [3]

Goldman Sachs Capital Partners was founded in 1986, at the same time that similar groups were founded at other investment banks including Lehman Brothers Merchant Banking, Morgan Stanley Capital Partners and DLJ Merchant Banking Partners. Goldman established investment partnerships that allowed its clients to participate alongside the firm in private equity transactions.

On April 23, 2007, Goldman closed GS Capital Partners VI with $20 billion in committed capital, $11 billion from institutional and high-net-worth investors and $9 billion from Goldman Sachs and its employees. [4] In late 2019, Goldman's Chief Executive, David M. Solomon, announced that the firm would combine GS Capital Partners into one division with Goldman's other direct-investing units, such as the Special Situations Group and Growth Equity unit, called the Merchant Banking Division (MBD), which added up to $140 billion under management. [1]

Investment funds

Since 1992, GSCP has raised third party capital as well as investing on behalf of Goldman, its clients and its employees through institutional private equity funds. GSCP's third party investors include pension funds, insurance companies, endowments, fund of funds, high-net-worth individuals, sovereign wealth funds and other institutional investors.

As of the end of 2008, GSCP had completed fundraising for seven investment funds with total committed capital of approximately US$39.9 billion:

FundVintage YearCommitted Capital ($m)
GS Capital Partners1992$1,104
GS Capital Partners Asia1994$300
GS Capital Partners II1995$1,750
GS Capital Partners III1998$2,780
GS Capital Partners 20002000$5,250
GS Capital Partners V2005$8,500
GS Capital Partners VI2007$20,300
West Street Capital Partners VII [5] 2017$7,000
West Street Capital Partners VIII [6] 2020$9,700

Investments

GS Capital Partners emerged in the late 1990s as one of the largest private equity investors globally competing and partnering with the largest independent firms, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, Blackstone Group, Bain Capital, Carlyle Group and TPG Capital. Since the raising of its Goldman Sachs Capital Partners 2000 Fund, GS Capital Partners has completed some of the most notable leveraged buyouts:

InvestmentYearCompany DescriptionRef.
Burger King 2002In July 2002, GS Capital Partners, together with TPG Capital and Bain Capital, announced the high-profile $2.3 billion leveraged buyout of Burger King from Diageo. However, in November the original transaction collapsed, when Burger King failed to meet certain performance targets. In December 2002, the consortium agreed on a reduced $1.5 billion purchase price for the investment. The consortium had support from Burger King's franchisees, who controlled approximately 92% of Burger King restaurants at the time of the transaction. Under its new owners, Burger King underwent a major brand overhaul including the use of The Burger King character in advertising. In February 2006, Burger King announced plans for an initial public offering. [7] [8] [9]
SunGard 2005GS Capital Partners was one of seven private equity firms involved in the buyout of SunGard in a transaction valued at $11.3 billion. GSCP's partners in the acquisition were Silver Lake Partners, Bain Capital, TPG Capital, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, Providence Equity Partners, and The Blackstone Group. This represented the largest leveraged buyout completed since the takeover of RJR Nabisco at the end of the 1980s leveraged buyout boom. Also, at the time of its announcement, SunGard would be the largest buyout of a technology company in history, a distinction it would cede to the buyout of Freescale Semiconductor. The SunGard transaction is also notable in the number of firms involved in the transaction, the largest club deal completed to that point. The involvement of seven firms in the consortium was criticized by investors in private equity who considered cross-holdings among firms to be generally unattractive. [10] [11]
Alltel 2007GS Capital Partners and TPG Capital announced the acquisition of Alltel Wireless in a $27 billion buyout in May 2007. The transaction was approved by the Federal Communications Commission and closed on November 16, 2007. However just over six months later, on June 5, 2008, Goldman and TPG agreed to sell Alltel to Verizon for slightly more than it had paid for the company amidst a deteriorating economic outlook. [12] [13]
Biomet 2007GS Capital Partners, The Blackstone Group, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, and TPG Capital acquired the medical devices company for $11.6 billion. [14]
Energy Future Holdings (formerly known as "TXU")2007An investor group of GS Capital Partners, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and TPG Capital completed the $44.37 billion [15] buyout of the regulated utility and power producer. The investor group had to work closely with ERCOT regulators to gain approval of the transaction but had significant experience with the regulators from their earlier buyout of Texas Genco. TXU is the largest buyout in history, and retained this distinction when the announced buyout of BCE failed to close in December 2008. The deal is also notable for a drastic change in environmental policy for the energy giant, in terms of its carbon emissions from coal power plants and funding alternative energy. On April 29, 2014, Energy Future filed for bankruptcy protection under Title 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code . [16] [17]

In addition to its successful buyout transactions, Goldman was involved in the high-profile failed buyout of Harman International Industries (NYSE:  HAR), an upscale audio equipment maker. On April 26, 2007, Harman announced it had entered an agreement to be acquired by GS Capital Partners and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts. [18] As the financing markets became more adverse in the summer of 2007, the buyout was on tenuous ground. In September 2007, Goldman and KKR backed out of the $8 billion buyout of Harman. By the end of the day, Harman's shares had plummeted by more than 24% on the news.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leveraged buyout</span> Acquired control over a company by the purchase of its shares with borrowed money

A leveraged buyout (LBO) is one company's acquisition of another company using a significant amount of borrowed money (leverage) to meet the cost of acquisition. The assets of the company being acquired are often used as collateral for the loans, along with the assets of the acquiring company. The use of debt, which normally has a lower cost of capital than equity, serves to reduce the overall cost of financing the acquisition. This is done at the risk of magnified cash flow losses should the acquisition perform poorly after the buyout.

In the field of finance, private equity (PE) is capital stock in a private company that does not offer stock to the general public. Private equity is offered instead to specialized investment funds and limited partnerships that take an active role in the management and structuring of the companies. In casual usage, "private equity" can refer to these investment firms rather than the companies that they invest in.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kohlberg Kravis Roberts</span> American investment manager

KKR & Co. Inc., also known as Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., is an American global investment company that manages multiple alternative asset classes, including private equity, energy, infrastructure, real estate, credit, and, through its strategic partners, hedge funds. As of December 31, 2023, the firm had completed more than 730 private equity investments in portfolio companies with approximately $710 billion of total enterprise value. As of December 31, 2023, assets under management (AUM) and fee paying assets under management (FPAUM) were $553 billion and $446 billion, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Kravis</span> American businessman

Henry R. Kravis is an American businessman, investor, and philanthropist. He is a co-founder of KKR & Co. Inc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TPG Inc.</span> American investment company

TPG Inc., previously known as Texas Pacific Group and TPG Capital, is an American private equity firm based in Fort Worth, Texas. The firm is focused on leveraged buyouts and growth capital. TPG manages investment funds in growth capital, venture capital, public equity, and debt investments. The firm invests in a range of industries including consumer/retail, media and telecommunications, industrials, technology, travel, leisure, and health care.

Jerome Kohlberg Jr. was an American businessman and investor. He was an early pioneer in the private equity and leveraged buyout industries founding private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and later Kohlberg & Company.

Bain Capital is an American private investment firm based in Boston. It specializes in private equity, venture capital, credit, public equity, impact investing, life sciences, crypto, tech opportunities, partnership opportunities, special situations, and real estate. Bain Capital invests across a range of industry sectors and geographic regions. As of 2022, the firm managed approximately $165 billion of investor capital. The firm was founded in 1984 by partners from the consulting firm Bain & Company. The company is headquartered at 200 Clarendon Street in Boston with 22 offices in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">APriori Capital Partners</span> American private equity investment

aPriori Capital Partners is a private equity investment firm focused on leveraged buyout transactions. The firm was founded as an affiliate of Credit Suisse and traces its roots to Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, the investment bank acquired by Credit Suisse First Boston in 2000. The private equity arm also manages a group of investment vehicles including Real Estate Private Equity, International Private Equity, Growth capital, Mezzanine debt, Infrastructure, Energy and Commodities Focused, fund of funds, and Secondary Investments.

A private equity firm is an investment management company that provides financial backing and makes investments in the private equity of startup or operating companies through a variety of loosely affiliated investment strategies including leveraged buyout, venture capital, and growth capital. Often described as a financial sponsor, each firm will raise funds that will be invested in accordance with one or more specific investment strategies.

AlpInvest Partners is a global private equity asset manager with over $85 billion of committed capital since inception as of December 31, 2022. The firm invests on behalf of more than 450 institutional investors from North America, Asia, Europe, South America and Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of private equity and venture capital</span>

The history of private equity, venture capital, and the development of these asset classes has occurred through a series of boom-and-bust cycles since the middle of the 20th century. Within the broader private equity industry, two distinct sub-industries, leveraged buyouts and venture capital experienced growth along parallel, although interrelated tracks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Early history of private equity</span>

The early history of private equity relates to one of the major periods in the history of private equity and venture capital. Within the broader private equity industry, two distinct sub-industries, leveraged buyouts and venture capital experienced growth along parallel although interrelated tracks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Private equity in the 1980s</span>

Private equity in the 1980s relates to one of the major periods in the history of private equity and venture capital. Within the broader private equity industry, two distinct sub-industries, leveraged buyouts and venture capital experienced growth along parallel although interrelated tracks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Private equity in the 1990s</span>

Private equity in the 1990s relates to one of the major periods in the history of private equity and venture capital. Within the broader private equity industry, two distinct sub-industries, leveraged buyouts and venture capital, experienced growth along parallel although interrelated tracks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Private equity in the 2000s</span>

Private equity in the 2000s represents one of the major growth periods in the history of private equity and venture capital. Within the broader private equity industry, two distinct sub-industries, leveraged buyouts and venture capital expanded along parallel and interrelated tracks.

Publicly traded private equity refers to an investment firm or investment vehicle, which makes investments conforming to one of the various private equity strategies, and is listed on a public stock exchange.

A club deal, in finance, refers to a leveraged buyout or other private equity investment that involves two or more private equity firms. It can also be referred as consortium or syndicated investment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trimaran Capital Partners</span> American middle-market private equity firm

Trimaran Capital Partners is a middle-market private equity firm formerly affiliated with CIBC World Markets. Trimaran is headquartered in New York City and founded by former investment bankers from Drexel Burnham Lambert. Trimaran's predecessors were early investors in telecom and Internet businesses, most notably backing Global Crossing in 1997. Trimaran also led the first leveraged buyout of an integrated electric utility.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhône Group</span> Private equity firm

Rhône Group is a global private equity firm with approximately $11 billion of assets under management, specializing in mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, and partnerships with particular focus on European and trans-Atlantic investments. Rhône also offers financial advisory services, strategic alliances, joint partnerships, and business valuation services. Rhone Group was listed in 2013 to 2014 by Preqin as the 'Most Consistent Performing Private Equity Fund Manager' based on both its multiple and IRR of all 3 funds in the top quartile ranking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energy Capital Partners</span> American energy investment firm

Energy Capital Partners (ECP) is an American investment firm headquartered in Summit, New Jersey. It focuses on investments in the energy sector. The firm has additional offices in New York City, Houston, San Diego, Fort Lauderdale and Seoul.

References

  1. 1 2 Jenkins, Patrick (December 2, 2019). "Can Goldman's merchant bank help group regain old edge?". The Financial Times. Financial Times.
  2. "Goldman Sachs Asset Management Completes Final Close of West Street Capital Partners VIII". www.gsam.com. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  3. GS Capital Partners V Closes at $8.5 Billion. PE Source, April 13, 2005
  4. "Goldman closes fund after raising $20 bln". Reuters. April 23, 2007. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  5. Zhu, Julie (February 7, 2020). "Exclusive: Goldman Sachs to raise $8 billion for new buyout fund - sources". Reuters.
  6. "Goldman Sachs Asset Management Completes Final Close of West Street Capital Partners VIII". Goldman Sachs. September 27, 2022.
  7. U.S. Investors Agree to Buy Burger King From Diageo for $2.26 Billion. New York Times, July 26, 2002
  8. A Lower Price Is Said to Revive Burger King Sale, New York Times, December 12, 2002
  9. Grace Wong (May 12, 2006). "Burger King IPO set to fire up". CNN Money. Retrieved September 30, 2007.
  10. "Capital Firms Agree to Buy SunGard Data in Cash Deal." Bloomberg L.P., March 29, 2005
  11. Do Too Many Cooks Spoil the Takeover Deal?. New York Times, April 3, 2005
  12. http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-07-185A1.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  13. Alltel | Investors | Press Release
  14. de la MERCED, MICHAEL J. "Biomet Accepts Sweetened Takeover Offer." New York Times, June 8, 2007.
  15. Source: Thomson Financial
  16. Lonkevich, Dan and Klump, Edward. KKR, Texas Pacific Will Acquire TXU for $45 Billion Bloomberg, February 26, 2007.
  17. "KKR, Texas Pacific-led group to buy TXU Corp". Reuters. February 26, 2007. Archived from the original on May 17, 2007. Retrieved January 23, 2009.
  18. Harman International press release Archived July 4, 2007, at the Wayback Machine