Introduction

This article introduces the concept of private equity, which typically refers to the asset class of companies' equity securities that are not publicly traded on a stock exchange. It studies the private equity industry and the number of private equity investments. The rest of this article provides a summary of work that provides more information on the various features of private equity, such as its role in private acquisitions and the private equity contract. Several graphs on the private equity investments made in the United States, capital overhang for private equity funds, and the holding period from buyout to exit are also included.