Kelso & Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Private equity |
| Predecessor | Kelso Bangert & Company |
| Founded | 1971 |
| Founder | Louis O. Kelso |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Area served | North America |
Key people | Joseph Schuchert (CEO) |
| Products | Leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, growth capital funding, mezzanine capital (via BlackRock Kelso Capital Corp.) |
| Website | kelsocapital |
Kelso & Company is a U.S.-based private equity firm that concentrates on leveraged buyout transactions, recapitalizations, and growth capital funding. Headquartered in New York City, the firm deploys capital across various industries such as communications, manufacturing, and the restaurant sector.
Additionally, Kelso provides mezzanine capital through a collaborative venture with asset manager BlackRock. Their joint enterprise, BlackRock Kelso Capital Corp. (), functions as a Business Development Company, representing a publicly traded private equity entity.
History
Established in 1971 under the name Kelso Bangert & Company, the organization initially merged investment operations with advisory roles in mergers and acquisitions. Its founder, Louis O. Kelso, an attorney and economist known for pioneering employee stock ownership plans in 1956, concentrated early initiatives on M&A activities involving ESOPs.
The firm introduced its inaugural dedicated private equity fund in 1980. Following Louis Kelso’s passing in 1991, leadership was assumed by Joseph Schuchert. In June 2016, Kelso successfully closed Fund IX at $2.6 billion, surpassing its fundraising goal.
Investments
Kelso & Company primarily targets investments within North America, with an emphasis on U.S. markets spanning sectors such as energy, materials, retail, industrial and consumer products, telecommunications, financial services, and healthcare. Their typical investment size ranges from $50 million to $600 million in enterprises valued between $250 million and $2.5 billion.
In December 2021, Kelso finalized the purchase of ReSource Pro, a prominent provider of business process management and consulting services catering to insurance brokers and carriers.
External links
- Kelso & Company (official website)
- Blackrock-Kelso Capital Corp. (official website)
- Articles with short description
- Private equity firms of the United States
- Companies based in New York City
- American companies established in 1971
- Financial services companies established in 1971
- Former investment banks of the United States
- Companies listed on the Nasdaq
- 1971 establishments in New York City