Ridgemont Equity Partners is a
private equity
Private equity (PE) is stock in a private company that does not offer stock to the general public; instead it is offered to specialized investment funds and limited partnerships that take an active role in the management and structuring of the co ...
firm focused on making investments in middle-market companies in the U.S. within certain industries such as basic industrial, energy, healthcare, telecommunications, media and technology. The firm focuses on equity investments up to US$250 million.
Prior to forming Ridgemont in 2010, the team previously had been known as BAML Capital Partners, and prior to that Bank of America Capital Investors. Since 1993, Ridgemont and its predecessors have invested over US$4.4 billion of equity capital.
The firm is based in
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 United ...
.
Predecessors
Ridgemont Equity Partners completed a spinout from Bank of America in 2010, prior to which it was known as BAML Capital Partners. In turn, BAML Capital Partners traced its roots back to 1993 with the formation of Bank of America Capital Investors.
From 2009 through 2010, BAML Capital Partners was the private equity and mezzanine investment unit of
Bank of America Merrill Lynch. BAML Capital Partners was formed in 2009 following the merger of
Bank of America
The Bank of America Corporation (Bank of America) (often abbreviated BofA or BoA) is an American multinational investment banking, investment bank and financial services holding company headquartered at the Bank of America Corporate Center in ...
and
Merrill Lynch from the combination of each bank's respective private equity units: Bank of America Capital Investors (BACI) and Merrill Lynch Global Private Equity (MLGPE).
Following the acquisition of
Merrill Lynch by
Bank of America
The Bank of America Corporation (Bank of America) (often abbreviated BofA or BoA) is an American multinational investment banking, investment bank and financial services holding company headquartered at the Bank of America Corporate Center in ...
, MLGPE ceased making new investments. Bank of America Capital Investors, a private equity division of Bank of America, has historically made much smaller investments than MLGPE. The two units were integrated in early 2009 with the elimination of much of the MLGPE team.
Merrill Lynch Global Private Equity
Merrill Lynch Global Private Equity (MLGPE) was the
private equity
Private equity (PE) is stock in a private company that does not offer stock to the general public; instead it is offered to specialized investment funds and limited partnerships that take an active role in the management and structuring of the co ...
investment arm of
Merrill Lynch, prior to its merger with
Bank of America
The Bank of America Corporation (Bank of America) (often abbreviated BofA or BoA) is an American multinational investment banking, investment bank and financial services holding company headquartered at the Bank of America Corporate Center in ...
. The MLGPE business was focused on
leveraged buyout
A leveraged buyout (LBO) is the acquisition of a company using a significant proportion of borrowed money (Leverage (finance), leverage) to fund the acquisition with the remainder of the purchase price funded with private equity. The assets of t ...
and
growth capital investments across a range of industries. MLGPE was among the most active investment banking sponsored
merchant banking programs in the
mid-2000s buyout boom.
The firm, which is based in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, was founded in 1996. Since inception, MLGPE has invested more than US$5 billion of capital across more 30 companies.
Among the group's most notable investments are some of the largest
leveraged buyout
A leveraged buyout (LBO) is the acquisition of a company using a significant proportion of borrowed money (Leverage (finance), leverage) to fund the acquisition with the remainder of the purchase price funded with private equity. The assets of t ...
transactions of the last decade, including
The Hertz Corporation,
Hospital Corporation of America
HCA Healthcare, Inc. (historically known as Hospital Corporation of America) is an American for-profit operator of health care facilities that was founded in 1968. It is based in Nashville, Tennessee, and, as of May 2020, owned and operated 186 ...
,
[SORKIN, ANDREW ROSS.]
HCA Buyout Highlights Era of Going Private
" New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
, July 25, 2006. Debenhams and
Rexel.
References
Merrill Lynch charges into private equity June 13, 2008
{{Merchant banking private equity groups
Private equity firms of the United States
Bank of America
Financial services companies established in 1993