Private equity has historically provided high rates of return with a low correlation with other asset classes (e.g., fixed income and stocks) thus making it an excellent diversification element in an investment portfolio.
Examples
United States - Yale Investment Office (
www.yale.edu/investments/): 20% of assets under management invested in Private Equity. From 1998 to 2008 the net rate of return of the endowment was 16.3% p.a. Since its inception, the Private Equity portfolio had annual returns of 30.9%. A detailed case study can be found in Lerner, J.and Light, J. Yale University Investments Office, 2006, HBS Case Study.
Source: Yale Endowment Annual Report, 2008
Brazil - Funcef (
www.funcef.com.br): 6% of assets under management invested in Private Equity. Began its investments in 1996 and increased its participation in the sector in 2004. Has more than 20 funds in its portfolio.
Source: Capital Aberto Especial: Private Equity and Venture Capital, 2008
Investment challenges
Investing in Private Equity is a challenging activity. Funds’ information is not publicly available; there is a high discrepancy of returns among managers; investments have a long-term, low liquidity nature and a high amount of work is necessary on undertaking due diligence. All of these issues are amplified when making investments in emerging market funds.
Challenges