Private equity investment in family firms: the role of stake size and deal syndication

Private equity (PE) firms are increasingly investing in family firms, as these organizations look to grow and deal with ownership succession. In this study we contribute to the developing entrepreneurship literature on PE investment by addressing the heterogeneity of PE firms. We distinguish between private independent and captive PE firms to understand whether different types of PE firms select different (i.e. family vs. non-family) firms as their target. We also look at whether the relationship between the type of PE firm and likelihood of investing in a family firm (vs. a non-family firm) is moderated by two factors, which are related to risk reduction in PE deals, namely size of equity stake and deal syndication. Our analysis of all 902 PE deals that took place in Canada between 2009 and 2014 indicates that family firms are not the preferred investment choice for private independent PE firms, although taking a minority stake positively moderates this relationship.