Learn about Leveraged Buyouts with iMinds Money's insightful fast knowledge series.

Leveraged buyouts originated in the early 1960's. It is also known as a hostile takeover, a highly-leveraged transaction, or a bootstrap transaction. In effect, it is a tactic through which control of a corporation is acquired by buying up a majority of their stock using borrowed money.

Typically, an investor or financial sponsor acquires a controlling interest in a company's equity. A significant percentage of the purchase price here is financed through borrowing, which is termed leverage. The assets of the acquired company are used as collateral for the borrowed capital and sometimes the acquiring company's assets are used as well. Once control is acquired, the company is often made private, so that the new owners have more leeway to do what they want with it. This may involve splitting up the corporation and selling pieces of it for a high profit. In some cases, it may even liquidate its assets and dissolve the corporation itself.

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