Corporate Governance and Value Creation: Evidence from Private Equity

61 Pages Posted: 9 Mar 2009 Last revised: 10 Sep 2013

See all articles by Viral V. Acharya

Viral V. Acharya

New York University (NYU) - Leonard N. Stern School of Business; New York University (NYU) - Department of Finance; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI); National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Oliver Gottschalg

HEC Paris - Strategy & Business Policy

Moritz Hahn

Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU)

Conor Kehoe

McKinsey & Company, Inc.

Multiple version iconThere are 3 versions of this paper

Date Written: February 2009

Abstract

We examine deal-level data on private equity transactions in the UK initiated during the period 1996 to 2004 by mature private equity houses. We un-lever the deal-level equity return and adjust for (un-levered) return to quoted peers to extract a measure of "alpha" or abnormal performance of the deal. The alpha is significantly positive on average and robust during sector downturns. In the cross-section of deals, higher alpha is related to greater improvement in EBITDA to Sales ratio (margin) and greater growth in EBITDA multiple during the private phase, relative to that of quoted peers. In particular, deals with higher alpha either grow their margins more substantially, and/or grow multiples more substantially, whilst expanding their revenues only in line with the sector. Based on interviews with general partners involved with the deals, we find that deals with higher alpha and higher margin growth are associated with greater intensity of engagement of private equity houses during the early phase of the deal, employment of value-creation initiatives for productivity and organic growth, and complementing top management with external support. Overall, our results are consistent with mature private equity houses creating value for portfolio companies through active ownership and governance.

Suggested Citation

Acharya, Viral V. and Acharya, Viral V. and Gottschalg, Oliver and Hahn, Moritz and Kehoe, Conor, Corporate Governance and Value Creation: Evidence from Private Equity (February 2009). NYU Working Paper No. 2451/27878, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1354519

Viral V. Acharya (Contact Author)

New York University (NYU) - Leonard N. Stern School of Business ( email )

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New York University (NYU) - Department of Finance ( email )

Stern School of Business
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Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) ( email )

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Oliver Gottschalg

HEC Paris - Strategy & Business Policy ( email )

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Moritz Hahn

Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) ( email )

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Munich, 80333
Germany
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Conor Kehoe

McKinsey & Company, Inc. ( email )

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United Kingdom
+44 (0)20 7961 5988 (Phone)

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