LBO case study - back to basics!

Hey guys, really silly question but need your help.


I am about to do an LBO case study next week, and even though it's not my first one - I think I still don't know how to get to the price. Do you typically leave the entry price blank and model the whole thing out based on say 25% IRR and then use goal seek to get the entry price? Cause the way I was doing it my whole life was to put some approximate dummy for entry price and then manipulate it until the IRR gets to where I need it to be.


Is the goal seek (setting IRR to 25% and having entry multiple as a variable) the way to do it? Sensitivity tables do the same trick as long as you have some idea in what zipcode the price should land.

In other words - how do you actually derive the price in an LBO?


Again - really sorry for the dumb question, but appreciate some help!

 

There are two main ways to frame it up in my mind:

1. Here are the assumptions made / provided (debt, income statement projections, etc.), and here is what the IRR/MOIC is. Good deal or bad deal, and why?

2. Here are the assumptions you need to believe in order to do the deal (sales grow at x% CAGR, EBITDA margins at y%, buy the company for 8x multiple, etc.) 

 

I think you have the right idea in mind. You should be making debt assumptions based off what is reasonable- what do you typically see in market for senior vs subordinate and look at certain metrics like fixed coverage ratio…for final price, I think you have the right idea. You’re setting the price to get to your target IRR (which could be 20%, 25%, etc.)…obviously, how sensible a price you’re setting depends on your other assumptions.

 

I’m very new and have an LBO modeling test this week for a generalist fund. What would be a good ballpark of assumptions for debt v. Equity breakdown within purchase price?

 

Iusto quidem voluptatum architecto porro porro vel vel. Porro ipsa laboriosam esse fugiat mollitia ipsam exercitationem magni.

Quasi a blanditiis laborum occaecati quam perferendis. Occaecati tempora sint odio necessitatibus voluptas impedit. Quo et voluptate provident quos quasi.

Sint vitae nesciunt culpa inventore qui. Sit quod vero quidem eligendi vitae qui. Cum quo nihil consectetur quo consequuntur. Ut illum rerum quidem similique aliquid.

Career Advancement Opportunities

April 2024 Private Equity

  • The Riverside Company 99.5%
  • Blackstone Group 99.0%
  • Warburg Pincus 98.4%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 97.9%
  • Bain Capital 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

April 2024 Private Equity

  • The Riverside Company 99.5%
  • Blackstone Group 98.9%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.4%
  • Ardian 97.9%
  • Bain Capital 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

April 2024 Private Equity

  • The Riverside Company 99.5%
  • Bain Capital 99.0%
  • Blackstone Group 98.4%
  • Warburg Pincus 97.9%
  • Starwood Capital Group 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

April 2024 Private Equity

  • Principal (9) $653
  • Director/MD (22) $569
  • Vice President (92) $362
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (91) $281
  • 2nd Year Associate (206) $266
  • 1st Year Associate (387) $229
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (29) $154
  • 2nd Year Analyst (83) $134
  • 1st Year Analyst (246) $122
  • Intern/Summer Associate (32) $82
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (314) $59
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
5
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
9
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
98.8
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”