Was there an error in the LBO interview case?

Hi everyone!

Hope you can help me with this one.

A couple of weeks ago I had a private equity interview with a large European private equity fund.

In the interview, I received a ten-page document about a potential LBO investment. In the document, there was a sources and uses table, which I thought, was incorrect.

In the attached file to this question, I have made two table. One table, of how it looked in the case and one table on how I think it should have looked.

Is my table for “sources and uses” correct or am I wrong? If I a wrong, what am I misunderstanding.

Thanks

Attachment Size
LBO case.pdf 63.51 KB 63.51 KB
15 Comments
 

Your sources and uses is wrong because you're taking $250mm from the fund to pay for the deal, not $225mm. The $20mm working capital adjustment is a payment that you need to make, i.e. it isn't in your favor. So you have to take $250mm in cash and pay out $20mm. That's completely different than just raising $230mm. Same thing for the debt and fees.

I'm not sure why you think you can just get rid of the working capital and debt adjustments? Those are things you have to pay per the table you provided.

 
Khayembii

Your sources and uses is wrong because you're taking $250mm from the fund to pay for the deal, not $225mm. The $20mm working capital adjustment is a payment that you need to make, i.e. it isn't in your favor. So you have to take $250mm in cash and pay out $20mm. That's completely different than just raising $230mm. Same thing for the debt and fees.

I'm not sure why you think you can just get rid of the working capital and debt adjustments? Those are things you have to pay per the table you provided.

agree with this

 
Best Response
Whiskey5 Khayembii:

Your sources and uses is wrong because you're taking $250mm from the fund to pay for the deal, not $225mm. The $20mm working capital adjustment is a payment that you need to make, i.e. it isn't in your favor. So you have to take $250mm in cash and pay out $20mm. That's completely different than just raising $230mm. Same thing for the debt and fees.

I'm not sure why you think you can just get rid of the working capital and debt adjustments? Those are things you have to pay per the table you provided.

agree with this

Yes, for clarity when I said "it looks okay" I mean the case study as assigned looks okay. You don't get extra inventory for free, and you don't get someone else to pay down the debt for you.

I just can't possibly understand why OP would take those out?

 

This shit just pisses me off. I'd never get interviews at large buy side institutions like this yet people who can't do this shit do.

Apologies for the rant, we all got hosed at bonus time.

"After you work on Wall Street it’s a choice, would you rather work at McDonalds or on the sell-side? I would choose McDonalds over the sell-side.” - David Tepper
 

Hi guys,

Thanks for your input!

I agree on the 5 million in the uses side of the table as you pay back existing debt.

But I do not think the fund should pay for the net working capital adjustment, since it is just a purchase price mechanism to our funds favor. The only time it should be included in my head, is if the company needs extra cash to operate going forward.

By the way: I did pass the test, the only wanted to see was if I knew how to build and income statement, cash flow and balance sheet.

 
bigfrezzzer

Hi guys,

Thanks for your input!

I agree on the 5 million in the uses side of the table as you pay back existing debt.

But I do not think the fund should pay for the net working capital adjustment, since it is just a purchase price mechanism to our funds favor. The only time it should be included in my head, is if the company needs extra cash to operate going forward.

By the way: I did pass the test, the only wanted to see was if I knew how to build and income statement, cash flow and balance sheet.

But it isn't a purchase price adjustment in your favor. That's why it's a use, because you have to pay it.

 
Khayembii bigfrezzzer:

Hi guys,

Thanks for your input!

I agree on the 5 million in the uses side of the table as you pay back existing debt.

But I do not think the fund should pay for the net working capital adjustment, since it is just a purchase price mechanism to our funds favor. The only time it should be included in my head, is if the company needs extra cash to operate going forward.

By the way: I did pass the test, the only wanted to see was if I knew how to build and income statement, cash flow and balance sheet.

But it isn't a purchase price adjustment in your favor. That's why it's a use, because you have to pay it.

Yeah, again...you don't get extra inventory or A/R for free. You have to pay for it..

 

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