B he Blackstone Group Inc. is an American private equity alternative investment management firm with investments in companies involved in the commercialization and deforestation of the Amazon rainforest.[4][5][6][7]
Blackstone's private equity business has been one of the largest investors in leveraged buyouts in the last decade, while its real estate business has actively acquired commercial real estate.
Since its inception, Blackstone has invested in such notable companies as Hilton Worldwide, Merlin Entertainments Group, Performance Food Group, EQ Office, Republic Services, AlliedBarton, United Biscuits, Freescale Semiconductor, Vivint,[8] and Travelport.[9]
Blackstone was founded in 1985 as a mergers and acquisitions firm by Peter G. Peterson and Stephen A. Schwarzman, who had previously worked together at Lehman Brothers. In 2007, Blackstone became a public company with a $4 billion IPO, becoming one of the first major private equity firms to list shares in its management company on the public stock market.[10]Blackstone is headquartered at 345 Park Avenue in Manhattan, with eight additional offices in the United States, as well as offices in Dublin, Düsseldorf, London, Luxembourg, Paris, Sydney, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, Mumbai, and Dubai.[11]
As of 2019, the company's total assets under management were approximately US$545 billion.[12]:14 In 2019, Blackstone converted from being a publicly traded partnership into being a corporation.[13]
Investments 2011 to 2015[edit]
In February 2011, the company acquired Centro Properties Group US from Centro Retail Trust (now Vicinity Centres) for $9.4 billion.[89] The company became Brixmor Property Group and Blackstone sold its remaining interest in the company in August 2016.[90]
In November 2011, a fund managed by the company acquired medical biller Emdeon for $3 billion.[91]
In late 2011, Blackstone Group LP acquired Jack Wolfskin, a German camping equipment company. In 2017, the company was handed over to its lenders.[92]
In August 2012, Blackstone was part of a consortium that financed Knight Capital after a software glitch threatened Knight's ability to continue operations.[93]
In October 2012, the company acquired G6 Hospitality, operator of Motel 6 & Studio 6 motels from AccorHotels, for $1.9 billion.[94]
In November 2012, the company acquired a controlling interest in Vivint, Vivint Solar, and 2GIG Technologies.[95] In February 2013, 2GIG was flipped to Nortek Security & Control, LLC for $135M.[96]
In April 2013, the company discussed buying Dell, but it did not pursue the acquisition.[97]
In June 2013, Blackstone Real Estate Partners VII acquired an industrial portfolio from First Potomac Realty Trust for $241.5 million.[98] Part of this portfolio was developed by StonebridgeCarras as Oakville Triangle (Now "National Landing")[99]
In September 2013, Blackstone announced a strategic investment in ThoughtFocus Technologies LLC, an information technology service provider.[100]
In August 2013, Blackstone acquired Strategic Partners, manager of secondaryfunds, from Credit Suisse.[101]
In February 2014, Blackstone purchased a 20% stake in the Italian luxury brand Versace for €150 million.[102][103]
In April 2014, Blackstone's charitable arm, the Blackstone Charitable Foundation, donated $4 million to create the Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network in Colorado. The program encourages increased collaboration among local business leaders with the goal of retaining high-growth companies in the state.[104]
In May 2014, Blackstone Group acquired the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas resort from Deutsche Bank for $1.73 billion.[105]
In August 2014, Blackstone Energy Partners acquired Shell Oil's 50% stake in a shale-gas field in the Haynesville Shale for $1.2 billion.[106]
In January 2015, Blackstone Real Estate Partners VI announced it would sell a Gold Fields House in Sydney to Dalian Wanda Group for A$415 million.[107]
In June 2015, Blackstone acquired the Willis Tower in Chicago for $1.3 billion.[108]
In July 2015, Blackstone acquired Excel Trust, a real estate investment trust, for around $2 billion.[109]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blackstone_Group