The Private Equity for Families Blog
Insight for those interested in private equity or direct investment in privately-held businesses. The opinions expressed in the PE4Fams blog are those of Rob McCreary and not necessarily those of CW Industrial Partners or its employees.
Ballmer’s Antidote For Fake News
USA FACTS is a not for profit organization created by Steve Ballmer, former CEO of Microsoft. As I have written in a prior blog, this is like Joe Friday “just the facts, Maam.” Here is how Mr. Ballmer describes his efforts: “If you’re interested in gaining insight on government
Seignorage May Be Treasury’s Next Profit Center?
Just recently I learned the $100 Bill has a new look. Series 2009A, the new look, was finally issued four years late in 2013 due to printing problems with the new security features. If you look at the new $100 bills, the left face looks like old money and
One Toke Over The Line
While Bitcoin, Blockchain, Ether, Ripple and endless initial coin offerings dominate the imagination of retail investors, there is an equally appealing, and even more disruptive, agricultural product arriving soon from Amazon on your doorstep. Cannabis will generate EBITDA margins and cash conversion percentages that make online sports gambling paltry
Central Bankers Don’t Get Chopped
The spring weather in Cleveland has been pretty awful and, while it is bad for your golf, tennis, biking and hiking, a cold and wet spring has been great for TV. My wife has been hooked on “Chopped” for several years and I have to admit it is fun
Teacher’s Pension
I have a friend who has been a teacher for more than 20 years in Cuyahoga County. She is counting on her pension to navigate post retirement living for her and her husband who has also recently retired. Given all I have read and learned about the national problem
What’s In Your Rip Van Winkle Wallet?
I have always been intrigued with the idea of a portfolio of assets you can sleep on for twenty years. In fact, it is probably a pretty good way to think about how you should invest. To refresh memories, recall that Rip Van Winkle was the creation of Washington
A Double Whammy For LBOs
Since the end of last year, the three-month London interbank offered rate, known as LIBOR, has increased to 2.32% from 1.69%. LIBOR measures the cost for banks to lend to one another and is used to set interest rates on roughly $200 trillion in dollar-based financial contracts globally, including
New Variables For The Debt Debate
I have written several blogs over the last six months about the national debt and how it may challenge many assumptions about the American economy as well as the American way of life. I am writing again because those challenges just became more imminent. To refresh the facts this
Financial Literacy And Capitalism
I am surprised so few of the millennial generation are preparing for retirement by participating in tax deferred retirement plans. My generation was introduced to the miracle of compounding returns when the retirement system was revamped in 1976. Over 40 years later $1000 invested per year compounding at 8%
Who Is Going To Do The Work?
A lightning rod in the political world is immigration but less so in the business world. In the lower middle market every one of our portfolio companies is looking for qualified workers who can pass a drug test, and perform entry level work. I am not sure why Americans
Do Millennials Play Golf?
My only first-hand experience with Martians was “My Favorite Martian” which was a TV sitcom that aired from 1963-1966. Uncle Martin had special powers like the ability to disappear and levitate objects. While not quite as talented as Barbara Eden in “I Dream of Jeannie”, he was nonetheless my
We used to call it Winter
January of every year is wonderful for the prediction industry. Almost everyone who made a prediction in the prior year is taking credit for the few things they got right and, conveniently forgetting or minimizing what they missed. There are only a few groups who actually score themselves like
I Thought Medicare Was Free
One of the most anticipated dates in your golden years is the time just before you turn 65 when you are thinking about the government starting to take care of you. You probably have already applied for your AARP card and also are getting senior discounts at the movies.
Bitcoin Futures – The Grizzly and the Salmon
Anyone who owned Bitcoin for long enough to have experienced its wild appreciation was excited to learn in December that the Chicago Board of Options Exchange (CBOE) was authorized to permit trading in Bitcoin futures (CBOE,XBT). Somehow I knew this would not be what I expected and the game
Wall Street Journal Innovation
For those of us who are challenged by the pace of news and information or the great majority of us who simply do not have the time to dig into anything, The Wall Street Journal has an answer. Over the last six months subscribers to The WSJ have been
Going Home
Connected To Home As Thanksgiving approaches I notice excitement and enthusiasm everywhere for returning home. In Robert Frost’s poem, “Death of the Hired Man”, Silas, an itinerant handyman, comes home to die at Warren and Mary’s farm. Even though they are not family and he has a rich brother, home
Death By Compounding
The Congressional Budget Office usually does a good job of predicting the financial future for our country. Its 2017 Report looks out over the next 10 years and predicts many trends that we all know: Budget deficits will grow and accelerate Interest rates on government debt will rise to
Margin of Safety
Margin of Safety I admire Seth Klarman for his investment discipline and his realistic view of business models and securities analysis. As I have written before, his book “Margin of Safety-Risk Adverse Strategies for the Thoughtful Investor” is out of print but can be purchased online for slightly more
Take Control of Your Credit Proflie
I am amazed at the number of highly profitable business models focused on monetizing individual identity, location and movement, credit, socialization, and dating. The internet has allowed many companies to leverage you for their gain and profit. But one of them stands out as extraordinary. The three Credit Reporting
Cloning Private Equity With An Index Fund?
Taking a page out of the Austin Powers movie “The Spy Who Shagged Me” the financial world has introduced its own Mini Me clones of the Private Equity Asset Class. The August 26 edition of The Economist unveils these two new offerings. One is offered by State Street Investments
Why Is This So Hard
The most important ingredient of success in private equity is not capital. It is people. After 40 years of working in mergers and acquisitions as a lawyer, investment banker and private equity owner I come back to people as the biggest variable in my success and failures. Why is
This blog represents the views of Rob McCreary and do not reflect those of CW Industrial Partners or its employees. This blog is not intended as investment advice. Any discussion of a specific security is for illustrative purposes only and should not be relied upon as indicative of such security’s current or future value. Readers should consult with their own financial advisors before making an investment decision.