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What's Wrong With "The Buyout of America"

    In a new book, New York Post reporter Josh Kosman takes aim at the private equity industry, arguing that a wave of portfolio company defaults will trigger the next great credit crisis.

    But in trying to make his case, Kosman relies on a series of misstatements, half-truths and selective citations that don't stand up to detailed scrutiny.


      What's Wrong with Kosman's Book
      Private Equity is heping to secure the pensions of milions of American Retirees.

      PE by the Numbers

      • Equity investments by PE firms in 2007: $234 billion
      • PE funds raised in 2008: $341 billion
      • PE transactions in 2008: 1,846
      • Average PE equity contribution in 2007: 32%
      • Largest PE investments by industry in 2008: Finance; Professional Services; Healthcare; Oil and Gas; Computers and Electronics
      • Cumulative net profits returned to investors through 2007: $1.12 trillion
      • Average annual return to investors from top-quartile PE firms 1980-2005: 39%
      • Share of investments in top 100 PE firms from pension funds, endowments, foundations: 70%
      • Number of PE firms in U.S.: 1,040
      • Number of PE firms worldwide: 2,150
      • Sources and more data

      Private Equity investments drive growth, innovation, value at American companies

      Through investments in such companies as Hilton Hotels, Univision, Hertz,SunGard, Burger King and hundreds of others, well-known and lesser-known, private equity partnerships help deliver innovative products and services to consumers, provide employment opportunities and drive economic growth.

      How Private Equity works

      Frequently Asked Questions

      Fact and Fiction

      What's New


      Private Equity Council Launches New Action Center

      The new PEC Action Center makes it easy for private equity practitioners, portfolio company executives and others who support our industry to join with the PEC to tell the private equity story.

      As Congress considers tax and regulatory legislation that could profoundly affect our industry, it is critically important to make your voices heard.

      Visit the Action Center to Join the PEC Network; Send a Message to Congress; Share Your Success Stories; or to help us Recruit and Organize your peer firms.

      Visit the PEC Action Center