The Debt Trap

Professional Reviews

"The text is a great resource for PE fund managers and businesspeople alike." Wharton Magazine

"Not only does the book offer plenty of warning for private investors about investing in IPOs (Initial Public Offerings) where the company floating is backed by a Private Equity (PE) house, but also offers institutional investors plenty of evidence of what can go wrong with companies saddled with the exorbitant debt an LBO can bring.....What I most like about this book is its broad scope in explaining the social effects of this kind of financial engineering." Owen Jones, Fidelity

"Canderle lets the facts and circumstances do the talking. In his estimation, the reader will need to draw her own conclusions as to the merits and demerits of the discipline. At the very least, it would seem that the truth about private equity’s intentions lies somewhere between opprobrium and encomium, though the author at times is unsparing in his criticism of the industry’s shortcomings. Private equity is as much an investment strategy as it is an asset class. As such, it is multifaceted, often subject to the whims of human emotion, something that the case studies bring out with a high degree of granularity. The book assumes knowledge of the rudiments of finance, but is not completely inaccessible to those who lack it. On the contrary, it encourages the reader to learn more. Academics and financial writers could take a page from Canderle's book...literally. ...The author's style is erudite, yet he felicitously phrases the narrative to make what could otherwise be a dry volume into an engaging read. Private equity is dynamic. Enjoy this series of financial short stories. Perhaps truth is at times stranger than fiction." Marc L. Ross, CFA

"The author has broken the usual methods of asset class and giving you relatable examples for the same. He has made investing in private equity simple by opening doors for future investment for the audiences and readers of this book." Dheeraj Vaisya, Wall Street Mojo blog

"...The Debt Trap is a very valuable addition to the inordinately small body of literature on the subject of private equity...By breaking down the asset class’s methods through relatable examples, Canderle has opened the door for further investigation into the opaque world of private equity." Darragh Riordan, Real Deals

"A valuable contribution to the literature on private equity, The Debt Trap is an absorbing study of why leverage is a two-edged sword and should be used with utmost caution. The book is an important read for anyone involved in the private equity world or even the finance world at large." Jacob Wolinsky, CEO of ValueWalk

"Sebastien Canderle's book should be at the top of recommended reading lists for every finance course. It is a skilful critique of the fast-paced private equity industry. Drawing on a vast amount of research, The Debt Trap gives fascinating insights into some of the most illustrious leveraged buyouts, which will help to improve our teaching of finance and contribute to a sounder financial industry. For that reason it deserves to be read." Jacques Regniez, Professor of Economics and Finance at the State University of New York

"Sebastien Canderle has written a genuinely compelling book that raises crucial questions about modern-day PE investment practices. The Debt Trap is a thoughtful and stimulating work that helps to frame the debate on value creation in the world of alternative finance." Pablo Fernandez, Professor of Financial Management and PricewaterhouseCoopers Chair of Corporate Finance at IESE Business School

"Private equity has thrived on debt. Excessive debt can harm companies. This important book shows how and why thanks to a rich set of in-depth case studies. It is essential reading for practitioners and students of private equity." Francois Degeorge, Senior Chair of the Swiss Finance Institute and Professor of Finance at the Universita della Svizzera italiana

"Written for an audience with a working knowledge of finance, The Debt Trap dissects the dealmaking that undergirds leveraged buyouts and provides an essential road map to the many ways that this has changed since the 2008 nancial crisis. Detailed examinations of high-profile buyouts demystify the excessively risky and opaque means - new and old - that private equity firms use to acquire companies. The Debt Trap should be required reading for the staff and trustees of institutional investors, and for professionals working at lending institutions, but the clear writing and compelling case studies make it appealing to a much wider audience." Eileen Appelbaum, Senior Economist at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, and author of Private Equity at Work

"Private equity plays a crucial role in modern economies. What Sebastien Canderle explains is that the sector's performance depends on a very specific set of value triggers, first among them the optimal use of leverage. Get the mix wrong, however, and as the book's well-researched case studies demonstrate, even the most experienced fund managers can come to regret their foray into leveraged buyouts. The Debt Trap is filled with grounded analysis and is an authoritative book for PE practitioners and scholars alike." Franklin Allen, Nippon Life Professor of Finance and Economics at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and Brevan Howard Centre director at Imperial College in London