Private Equity Research Analysts and Associates

Employers

Approximately 3,300 private equity firms are headquartered in the United States, but firms are located throughout the world. Some firms specialize in a particular investment strategy (such as growth equity, leveraged buyout, distressed buyout, venture capital, and mezzanine fund), while others use some or all of these strategies. Private Equity International (https://www.privateequityinternational.com/pei300) publishes an annual list of the 300 biggest private equity firms. The PE industry is very fragmented. The four largest firms (Apollo Global Management, The Blackstone Group, The Carlyle Group, and KKR) hold only about 15 percent of industry assets under management. Many firms have fewer than five employees, and even the largest firms typically have only 200 to 1,500 employees.