Our US private equity operating metrics analysis highlights the key levers and value drivers in private equity, and explores a risk and return comparison between private equity and public equity.
In the first half of 2024, returns from US private equity and venture capital were modest. Both private asset classes have struggled to keep up with the public indexes over the past three years, but have performed well vis-à-vis public peers over longer time periods.
Private equity (PE) outperformed venture capital (VC) in global ex US markets in the first half of 2024, just as it did in the United States, and while the global ex US PE/VC indexes have historically outperformed their public market counterparts, the most recent three years stand out as an exception.
We expect private investment performance to improve, as the impact from overinvestment in 2021–22 recedes. The asset class’s long-term performance should continue to attract individual investors and managers are creating pathways for them to more easily access opportunities. While M&A and IPO exit opportunities may improve, we believe the importance of continuation vehicles as an exit path will grow. In Asia, we expect Japanese buyout and Chinese venture capital transaction activity to increase.
With the global economy showing signs of cooling and Chinese economic momentum remaining weak, the outlook for Asian markets is increasingly mixed.
Yes, we believe that private investment in climate solutions would continue apace in a second Trump administration, given strong demand for clean energy, supportive and resilient US government policies, and robust investment opportunities that will continue to be attractive to many investors.
This inaugural private investment fund terms publication highlights terms such as management fee, transaction fee offset, distribution waterfall, and GP clawback based on activity from 2018–22, The proprietary data found in this publication will help to keep clients well-informed about marketplace commonalities regarding these terms.
Most risk assets enjoyed strong returns in fiscal year ended June 2024. Developed markets equities led on better-than-expected economic data and the anticipation that central banks would begin easing monetary policies.
In 2023, both the Cambridge Associates LLC Developed Markets ex US Private Equity and Venture Capital Index and Cambridge Associates LLC Emerging Markets Private Equity and Venture Capital Index earned positive returns but underperformed their public counterparts. This contrast between private and public market returns is common during recovery years, as valuations for private investments typically take longer to reflect improvements in economic conditions.
In 2023, US private equity performed better than venture capital, but returns for both asset classes trailed those of the public markets, which rebounded strongly from a tough 2022.