Vestar Capital Partners / Our Investment Strategy

What We Look For

Strong management teams are the foundation of Vestar’s investment strategy. When we invest, we look for management partners who have a proven track record in building a company, and a clear vision for taking that company to the next level.

We invest in a variety of industries, in companies that primarily range in value from $250 million to $3 billion. Typically these companies are among the leaders in their category, with well-established products, services and brands.

Over the past 20 years, our investment partnerships have taken many forms:

• We’ve partnered with families to help them sell all or part of their business, to solve succession problems, or to raise money for expansion.
• We’ve helped entrepreneurial management teams buy out corporate divisions and set them up as independent companies.
• We’ve provided growth capital to help businesses acquire complementary products and services, or to scale their operation domestically or internationally.
• We’ve taken public companies private, and allowed management to build long-term company value, without having to answer to the quarterly demands of Wall Street.
• We’ve recapitalized companies, helping them rebuild and reposition themselves for greater success going forward.

Every investment is different, and the role Vestar plays varies accordingly. Helping a family through the emotional process of selling a long-cherished business can be a far more delicate process than a corporate buyout. Transforming a subsidiary into a standalone firm might require substantial involvement on our part; in other investments, our involvement might be minimal. Sometimes we’re the controlling partner; at other times, the minority.

Our approach is flexible, guided always by the needs and goals of our management partners.