What are some of the risks and benefits of using leverage buyouts (LBOs) to acquire a target company?
Leverage buyouts (LBOs) are a type of corporate acquisition that involve using a large amount of debt to finance the purchase of a target company. The buyer, usually a private equity firm, borrows money from banks or other lenders and uses the target's assets and cash flow as collateral. The goal is to increase the value of the target by improving its operations, cutting costs, or selling off parts of it, and then repay the debt and earn a high return on investment. But LBOs are not without risks and benefits, both for the buyer and the target. Here are some of the main ones.