Upward and Onward In an Uncertain Environment w/ Bain Capital’s Stephen Pagliuca
Aug 24, 2023
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Bain Capital's Stephen Pagliuca discusses the impact of interest rates on deal making, investment opportunities from decoupling and energy transition, navigating secular trends, effective fundraising strategy, and the potential for larger buyout funds in the private equity industry.
The private equity industry is facing a decline in deal making activity due to factors like previous investments in risky businesses and a shift in the global economy, requiring investors to consider the implications for businesses.
Bain Capital recognizes the need to evolve and stay ahead in the private equity industry, focusing on long-term value creation, strategic change, and building expertise in new sectors like biotech and growth tech.
Deep dives
Private equity industry facing challenges in deal making and scalability
The private equity industry is currently experiencing a decline in deal making activity despite the abundance of available capital. This drop in activity can be attributed to several factors, such as the previous influx of investments in risky businesses and startups during a period of low interest rates, which is unlikely to return. Additionally, a shift in the global economy, including the walk back of quantitative easing, a major energy transformation, and geopolitical tensions, is affecting the investment landscape. These dynamics are expected to persist for the next decade and will require investors to consider their implications for businesses. However, the traditional buyout model of private equity, characterized by a focus on long-term orientation, specialized expertise, value-added services, and appropriate leverage, remains viable and adaptable to these changing market conditions.
Challenges in adjusting price expectations and uncertainty affecting deal making
The decline in deal making can also be attributed to sellers taking time to adjust their price expectations in a higher interest rate environment. Higher interest rates impact the affordability of businesses, leading to a period of adjustment. Additionally, uncertainty arising from geopolitical tensions and the potential for a recession have contributed to a cautious approach among buyers. The commercial real estate sector, in particular, is experiencing challenges due to changes in business practices driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, overall, the industry is adapting to the new economic landscape and buyers and sellers are gradually adjusting to the changing conditions.
Bain Capital's approach to remain successful in evolving markets
Bain Capital recognizes the need to continually evolve in order to stay ahead in the private equity industry. While sticking to their fundamental investment model, which focuses on long-term value creation and strategic change within businesses, the company continuously adapts to emerging investment opportunities. This includes building expertise in new sectors like biotech and growth tech, where advancements like supercomputing and genomics are facilitating more efficient drug discovery and AI is transforming businesses. Additionally, the firm emphasizes value-added services and alignment among management, strategy, and investors as key drivers of success. While the industry faces challenges, Bain Capital remains confident in the sustainability of its model and its ability to generate robust returns for investors.
The longtime chairman and now senior advisor at Bain capital explains why he is “as excited” to be involved in the private equity industry today as he was 30 years ago.
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