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Direct investments in private companies are becoming increasingly common throughout the family office sector, according to a new report from FINTRX in partnership with Schwab Advisor Family Office.
The report says this trend has accelerated over the past decade mainly because family offices have accumulated the assets and talent required to effectively allocate capital directly into the private space.
Between 2010 and 2015, direct investment activity increased by 206%, the biggest percentage jump in this activity of any five-year year period since 1990. Annual growth continued through 2018.
As a result, 51% of family offices worldwide now consider investing directly, including 83% of single-family offices, but just 30% of multifamily offices.
In North America, the breakdown is 50% overall and 82% of SFOs versus 27% of MFOs.
Paul Ferguson, managing director at Schwab Advisor Family Office, notes in the report that when ultra-wealthy families invest in private equity funds, they can control the level of their commitment and potentially negotiate certain terms, but generally lack control over the companies purchased or timing of capital commitments and distributions.
"Direct investment, by contrast, enables the SFO to focus on buying companies of a preferred size or industry," Ferguson says. "Then the SFO receives more transparent financial information — receiving it from the company directly instead of through a fund sponsor."
