Saturday, November 20, 2010

Carlyle Group's Delicious Decade


The Carlyle Group grew from $3.3 billion in assets under management in 2000 to $97.7 billion in 2010.  Now that's a delectable PEU decade.  (PEU stands for private equity underwriter).

Carlyle sold virtually any affiliate not nailed down in the last year.  Got to beat any tax hikes, especially on carried interest.

You haven't heard of PEU's.  Well, they're the rage.  Gonna save all of America's ills, education, health care, infrastructure...   Heck, they're going to save our relationship with Mexico, according to former Bush White House Homeland Security Adviser Frances Townsend.  Fran holds a spot at Monument Capital, a Carlyle Group franchisee.

You name it, PEU's are the answer to our problems, except one.   Greed...

Update:  In contrast to Carlyle's experience, over half of Americans (54%) found the past decade the most difficult of their life.  Correlation or cause and effect?