Private equity, in finance, is an asset class (investment strategy) consisting of equity securities (stocks) in operating companies that are not publicly traded on a stock exchange. A private equity investment will generally be made by a private equity firm (which specialize in just private equity), a venture capital firm (which invests in start-up companies), or an angel investor (an affluent individual who provides capital for start-ups). Each of these categories of investor has its own set of goals, preferences and investment strategies; each however providing working capital to a target company to nurture expansion, new product development, or restructuring of the company’s operations, management, or ownership.
Among the most common investment strategies in private equity are: leveraged buyouts, venture capital, growth capital, distressed investments, and mezzanine capital. In a typical leveraged buyout transaction, a private equity firm buys majority control of an existing or mature firm. This is distinct from a venture capital or growth capital investment, in which the investors (typically venture capital firms or angel investors) invest in young or emerging companies, and rarely obtain majority control.
The Daily Omnivore 
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