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Concepts

December 31, 2017

5 min read

Understanding Private Equity Waterfalls, Clawbacks, and Catch-Up Clauses

In private equity, a 'waterfall' refers to the priority sequence in...

In private equity, a 'waterfall' refers to the priority sequence in which profits from an investment are distributed among the general partners (GPs) and limited partners (LPs). It's akin to a multi-tiered waterfall, where the water - the profits in this analogy - cascades down different levels, each representing a phase in the profit distribution process.

Consider an example: A real estate fund acquires a property, invests in improvements, and then sells it at a profit. According to a typical 'European Waterfall' structure, the first tier - the top of our waterfall - ensures the return of the original capital to the LPs. The second tier provides the LPs with their preferred return, a predefined percentage on their initial investment.

Only after these two levels are satisfied does the waterfall flow to the third tier. Here, the remaining profits, often called 'excess profits,' are divided between the LPs and GPs. It's common for this split to favor the GPs, typically around an 80-20 LP-GP ratio, incentivizing fund managers to exceed the preferred return threshold.

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August 3, 2021

5 min read

Creating a Diversified Portfolio: Success Strategies

When it comes to investing, the notion of diversification is nothing new...

When it comes to investing, the notion of diversification is nothing new. Most investors know the wisdom behind not putting all their eggs in one basket. Yet, when it comes to real estate, this diversification often falls by the wayside. Many investors branch out into real estate, invest in a single asset, and believe they've achieved diversification. However, this approach misses the wealth of opportunity that real estate investment truly offers. Today, we'll discuss diversifying private equity real estate investments and why it's essential to your portfolio's overall success.

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