Heat is on for PE funds to derive value in S-E Asia: Bain

THERE remains too much private-equity (PE) money chasing too few deals in South-east Asia, and one consultancy has made an argument for PE funds to relook the ways in which they are sieving value from their investments.

As it is, exit value by PE funds in South-east Asia last year slid to US$4.4 billion - the lowest level since 2006, a report by Bain & Company showed on Friday. The exit count rose slightly from 26 to 30, but half of that was valued at less than US$50 million, it noted.

By contrast, exit value in the Asia-Pacific - which would include PE activities in China, India, Japan, Korea and Australia - reversed from a three-year decline to hit US$111 billion, the same level as in 2010.