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Cheap LBO opportunities exist in Europe and Asia, but not the US

Dan Rasmussen · Dan Rasmussen – Private Equity Risk and Public Equity Opportunity at Verdad Advisers (First Meeting, EP.15) · Feb 17, 2020 · at 23:55

Dan Rasmussen of Verdad Advisers discusses how private equity competition has eliminated cheap buyout opportunities in the US while leaving opportunities abroad.

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“Now, I think in Europe or in Asia, I think there are still cheap LBO opportunities, right? So a firm like Bain or Blackstone, they're still seeing opportunities to do really attractive buyouts ex-U.S. But within the U.S., you can't.”

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