Do Private Equity Firms Reduce Product Commercialization?

Abstract

Private equity (PE) firms reduce product commercialization in their Leveraged Buyout (LBO) investments. This reduction is associated with a product focus in the product commercialization strategy of the LBO. Using a sample of LBOs against a control sample of firms that failed to close the LBO transaction and using trademarks as a measure of product commercialization, I find that PE firms reduce trademark filings, but they accompany it with the reduction in the number of product classes which is a sign of product focus. The effect is opposite when managerial incentives are not aligned. The level of deal leverage does not affect PE firms' product commercialization strategy; neither does PE firms' experience.