How do you calculate a PE firm's AUM?

Just curious about this. Is it the sum total of all active commitments, or the sum total of all commitments since inception? Does it include "valuation gains"? I can ask people in my firm but I don't want to look dumb lol

Ex. If a PE firm raised 2 funds, fund 1 had $50m in committed capital but this had all been returned, fund 2 is active and has $200m in committed capital and an internal gross MOIC of 1.5x, is the PE firm's AUM $200m, $250m, $300m, or $350m?

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Ah, the age-old question about Assets Under Management (AUM) in the world of Private Equity! It's a bit like trying to peel a banana from the middle, isn't it? But don't worry, I've got your back.

AUM can be a bit of a slippery term, especially in the realm of real estate and private equity. It's not always as straightforward as adding up all the money a firm has under its control.

In the context of a PE firm, AUM typically includes the total capital committed to a firm's active funds. So, if a fund has been fully realized (like your Fund 1), it wouldn't typically count towards the AUM.

As for valuation gains, it's a bit of a grey area. Some firms might choose to include unrealized gains in their AUM, while others might not. It really depends on the firm's policy and how they choose to present their numbers.

So, in your example, if we're only counting committed capital in active funds, the AUM would be $200m (the committed capital in Fund 2). If the firm chooses to include unrealized gains from Fund 2, the AUM could be as high as $300m (the $200m committed capital plus the $100m unrealized gain).

Remember, though, this is a bit of a simplification and the actual calculation can be more complex. It's always a good idea to ask for clarification if you're unsure - no one was born knowing this stuff!

Sources: Can someone make a LO AM tier list?, PERE 100 2020, Working in FIG (Financial Institutions Group) - An Overview., AUM real estate definition

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