Using a novel, hand-collected dataset, comprising 321 exited buyouts in the UK in the period 1995 to 2004, this study examines the realized value increase in exited leveraged buyouts. Testing the free cash flow theory, we show that value increase and return characteristics of LBOs are to some extent related to the corporate governance mechanisms resulting from a leveraged buyout, especially managerial equity holdings. We show that return characteristics and the probability of a positive return are mainly related to size of the buyout target and acquisitions carried out during the holding period. Furthermore, we find that the return characteristics between insider driven buyouts and outsider driven buyins are different.

This paper examines the magnitude and the sources of the expected shareholder gains in UK public to private transactions (PTPs) in the second wave from 1997 to 2003. Pre-transaction shareholders on average receive a premium of 40% and the share price reaction to the PTP announcement is about 30%. We test the sources of the anticipated value creation of the delisting and distinguish between: tax benefits, incentive realignment, control reasons, free cash flow reduction, transactions cost reduction, takeover defences, undervaluation and wealth transfers, The main sources of the shareholder wealth gains are undervaluation of the pre-transaction target firm, increased interest tax shields and incentive realignment. An expected reduction of free cash flows does not determine the premiums, nor are PTPs a defensive reaction against a takeover.

This paper provides an overview of the literature on private equity and leveraged buyouts, focusing on global evidence related to both governance and returns to private equity and leveraged buyouts. We distinguish between financial and real returns to this activity, where the latter refers to productivity and broader performance measures. We also outline a research agenda on this topic.