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| "The amount of debt we are using is fairly modest compared with the US" |
Liquidity in the global debt and bank markets is scarce but judging by the action of Brazil’s leading private equity firm, the financial crisis has yet to hit Latin America’s biggest economy. São Paulo-based GP Investments has entered into one of the biggest leveraged buyouts in Brazil, in what is expected to be the first of many similar transactions. In August, the private equity firm agreed to acquire 100% of Pride International’s Latin American Land Drilling and E&P Services businesses for $1 billion in cash. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the third quarter.
"There aren’t many big deals around in the current private equity climate, but for the few that there are we now have the funding for them, which is a really important novelty in the Brazilian market," says Antonio Bonchristiano, co-CEO of GP Investments.
Of the total amount due, 60% will be financed through new debt that has been provided by Citi through a 24-month bridge loan.