Private Equity Indices Based on Secondary Market Transactions

57 Pages Posted: 5 Nov 2018 Last revised: 18 May 2023

See all articles by Brian H. Boyer

Brian H. Boyer

Brigham Young University - J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott School of Management

Taylor Nadauld

Brigham Young University

Keith Vorkink

Brigham Young University - J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott School of Management

Michael S. Weisbach

Ohio State University (OSU) - Department of Finance; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI)

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: November 2018

Abstract

Measuring the performance of private equity investments (buyout and venture) has historically only been possible over long horizons because the IRR on a fund is only observable following the fund’s final distribution. We propose a new approach to evaluating performance using actual prices paid for limited partner shares of funds in secondary markets. We construct indices of buyout and venture capital performance using a proprietary database of secondary market prices between 2006 and 2017. These transaction-based indices exhibit significantly higher betas and volatilities, and lower alphas than NAV-based indices built from Preqin and obtained from Burgiss. There are a number of potential uses for these indices. In particular, they provide a way to track the returns of the buyout and venture capital sectors on a quarter-to-quarter basis and to value illiquid stakes in funds.

Suggested Citation

Boyer, Brian H. and Nadauld, Taylor and Vorkink, Keith and Weisbach, Michael S., Private Equity Indices Based on Secondary Market Transactions (November 2018). NBER Working Paper No. w25207, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3278507

Brian H. Boyer (Contact Author)

Brigham Young University - J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott School of Management ( email )

Provo, UT 84602
United States

Taylor Nadauld

Brigham Young University ( email )

Provo, UT 84602
United States

Keith Vorkink

Brigham Young University - J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott School of Management ( email )

Provo, UT 84602
United States

Michael S. Weisbach

Ohio State University (OSU) - Department of Finance ( email )

2100 Neil Avenue
Columbus, OH 43210-1144
United States

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI) ( email )

c/o the Royal Academies of Belgium
Rue Ducale 1 Hertogsstraat
1000 Brussels
Belgium

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