Thursday, January 7, 2010

Changes in Carlyle Group's Brazilian Plans in Six Months


Bloomberg reported the Carlyle Group will invest up to $1.5 billion in Brazilian companies. It highlighted Carlyle's first purchase in that country, a majority stake in Latin America's largest tour operator. Brazil's garnering the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics should provide major demand for CVC.

Six months ago, Bloomberg ran a story that only stayed up a scant few hours. It said Carlyle would invest $1 billion. The good news for Carlyle is investors ponied up another $500 million. Did Bloomberg's yanking the story help Carlyle finish its sales pitch in relative anonymity? Did Carlyle ditch the young PEU who told Kuwaiti investors to lower their voices?

Carlyle bazillions are going Brazilian. Joint venture partner Robert L. Johnson got a piece of the action.