"自买自卖"规模突破千亿美元！私募基金"左手倒右手"交易创历史新高

Core Insights - The scale of "continuation vehicles" transactions in private equity is expected to exceed $100 billion, reflecting a significant shift in how the industry returns cash to investors [1] - This strategy is being adopted due to difficulties in achieving desired valuations from external buyers or public markets, with such transactions projected to reach $107 billion by 2025, up from $70 billion last year [1][3] - The rise of continuation funds has led to concerns about conflicts of interest and valuation fairness, as the same management firm acts as both buyer and seller [1][5] Group 1: Market Dynamics - The surge in continuation fund transactions is attributed to buyout firms struggling to obtain ideal valuations from external buyers, prompting them to retain investments for potential future gains [3] - This structure not only addresses liquidity issues but also generates additional management fees and potential performance fees from previously held assets [3] - Notable firms like EQT and PAI Partners are utilizing continuation vehicles to manage their investments, indicating a trend towards retaining high-performing assets [3][4] Group 2: Investor Concerns - Investors, particularly pension funds, are expressing concerns over potential undervaluation of transferred assets, which could harm the interests of original fund supporters [5] - A significant portion of private equity investors still prefer traditional exit strategies such as sales or IPOs, indicating skepticism towards continuation funds [5] - Legal disputes have arisen, exemplified by the Abu Dhabi Investment Council suing Energy & Minerals Group for allegedly undervaluing assets during a transfer to a continuation vehicle [6]