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Concepts

December 31, 2017

5 min read

Understanding Private Equity Waterfalls, Clawbacks, and Catch-Up Clauses

In private equity, a 'waterfall' refers to the priority sequence in...

In private equity, a 'waterfall' refers to the priority sequence in which profits from an investment are distributed among the general partners (GPs) and limited partners (LPs). It's akin to a multi-tiered waterfall, where the water - the profits in this analogy - cascades down different levels, each representing a phase in the profit distribution process.

Consider an example: A real estate fund acquires a property, invests in improvements, and then sells it at a profit. According to a typical 'European Waterfall' structure, the first tier - the top of our waterfall - ensures the return of the original capital to the LPs. The second tier provides the LPs with their preferred return, a predefined percentage on their initial investment.

Only after these two levels are satisfied does the waterfall flow to the third tier. Here, the remaining profits, often called 'excess profits,' are divided between the LPs and GPs. It's common for this split to favor the GPs, typically around an 80-20 LP-GP ratio, incentivizing fund managers to exceed the preferred return threshold.

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February 7, 2023

7 min video

Introduction to Private Equity Real Estate

Private equity real estate (PERE) is an alternative investment that continues...

Private equity real estate (PERE) is an alternative investment that continues to captivate the interest of investors worldwide for its historical performance and place it fills in a successful portfolio. It involves pooling capital from various investors to directly invest in real estate properties or real estate-related companies.

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