Private Equity

Portfolio Review 2023 – Mark Bentley

This article reflects the opinions of its author and not necessarily those of ShareSoc. Introduction This is now my fourth annual comprehensive portfolio review. See my 2020 review for an explanation of my investment objectives, strategy, "asset types" and investment accounts. My 2022 review can be found here. 2023 was again a difficult and disappointing rollercoaster year. For the second consecutive year my results underperformed my FTSE All-share total return benchmark. See "Results Breakdown" below for the gory details. At least this year my aggregate ...

Portfolio Review 2022 – Mark Bentley

This article reflects the opinions of its author and not necessarily those of ShareSoc. Introduction Following on from my reviews in 2020 and 2021, I have now conducted a similar exercise for 2022. See my 2020 review for an explanation of my investment objectives, strategy, "asset types" and investment accounts. My 2021 review can be found here. I think most investors will have found 2022 a difficult year and I was no exception! See "Results Breakdown" below for the gory details. Whilst my complete portfolio ...

Portfolio Review 2021 – Mark Bentley

This article reflects the opinions of its author and not necessarily those of ShareSoc. Introduction Following on from my review in 2020, I have now conducted a similar exercise for 2021. See last year's article for an explanation of my investment objectives, strategy, "asset types" and investment accounts. 2021 was "a year of two halves" with my holdings roaring ahead in the first half and then a bit of a rollercoaster ride since September. These market gyrations are difficult psychologically but having lived through ...

Daily Mail, 24 Nov 2020, Roadside Recovery Firm AA Banks on £218m Private Equity Rescue

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-8979017/AA-banking-218m-private-equity-rescue.html quotes ShareSoc Director Cliff Weight who questions whether PE funds opportunistically sell their assets at inflated prices: Cliff Weight, director of small shareholders campaign group ShareSoc, said the AA's performance would raise further questions about private equity-backed floats in future. He said: 'In 2014 the private equity firms decided that they were better off selling the AA rather than holding on to it, after loading it up with almost £3bn in debts. It was floated with all the encouragement of the financial services ...

Lessons From a Failed Investment

This is a premium article, available to ShareSoc full members and SIGnet members. Recent troubles at the AA (AA.) and Petropavlovsk (POG) brought to mind another problematic investment that I am more familiar with and which shares some characteristics of those companies. That investment is Gulf Marine Services (GMS). IPOs by Private Equity Vendors Like the AA, GMS was floated by its original private equity owners, with a premium listing on the LSE main market, in March 2014. GMS is a relatively straightforward business: ...