Private equity funds and joint ventures?

What's the difference between a private equity fund and a joint venture? Are they interrelated? Does one invest in the other? Thanks!

Public Comments

1. The two have nothing to do with each other.

A joint venture is any time 2 entities join together to form one entity, I use the term entity because while itusually is two companies this does not have to be the case. The new entity is separate from the original 2 entities but is owned by them. As an expamle several years ago Sone wanted into the cell phone handset business and Ericson was having technology problems i their cell phine handset division. The two companies decided that they could compete better together so they formed a joint veture owned by both of them called Sony Ericson to make handsets. Ericson is still a separate company that make such things as network infrastructure components. Sony is still a separate company that makes consumer electronics. The JV company is a jointly owned company that makes handsets.

A private equity fund is a partnership, this is the usual legal structure but I am sure there are other ways to set them up, that will buy out companies completly sometimes in a Joint venture with other companies or privaste equity funds with the aim of somehow unlocking hidden value. This could be by changing the way the company operates, how it is financed, changing managment, or spliting the company into smaller pieces, and even at times merging them with another company. Whatever the method the aim is to make a stronger, more competitive, and more valuable companies. Private equity funds also find small companies that are already in good shape but need financing to grow they may but these companies or part of them with the same aim of making them stronger, and more competitive this is usually by providing the financial backing the company needs to grow but can not get on its own.

Just a brief description of each but I hope this helps