Private equity deals done between 2006 and 2008 actually outperformed public equity investments over the same time period.
The researchers studied 303 transactions made during those years, and found that the absolute return on through the end of 2011 was 5.1%
Researchers only examined portfolio companies that had been exited (via sale or public listing).
What about exits via bankruptcy? The following list contains Carlyle Group affiliates that went bankrupt:
Carlyle Capital Corporation
BlueWave Partners
SemGroup
Hawaiian Telecom
Edscha
IMO Carwash
Stallion Oilfield Services
Verari Systems
Willcom
Oriental Trading
Church Street Health Management
LifeCare Holdings
Leave those out and the deck becomes stacked in PEU's favor. Therefore, I offer the following addition to the article's lead premise:
Selected private equity deals done between 2006 and 2008 actually outperformed public equity investments over the same time period.
Cheating and misrepresentation, that's the PEU way. Don't expect anyone to hold the greed leverage boys accountable. Politicians Red and Blue love PEU.