Report: Investment Firm General Atlantic Considers Going Public Next Year

Investment firm General Atlantic has reportedly confidentially filed for an initial public offering (IPO).

The firm, which is known for its successful investments in companies like Facebook and Airbnb, is considering listing as early as next year, depending on market conditions, Bloomberg reported Monday (Dec. 11), citing unnamed sources.

Reached by PYMNTS, a General Atlantic spokesperson declined to comment on the report.

This potential IPO comes at a time when the alternative asset management industry is facing challenges due to the end of the era of cheap debt that fueled easy dealmaking, according to the report.

While publicly traded peers like Partners Group Holding and Bridgepoint Group have seen gains in the past year, General Atlantic’s IPO would test investor sentiment toward alternative asset managers, the report said.

Filing for an IPO does not necessarily mean the firm will sell stock immediately, as General Atlantic could still choose to remain private for a longer period, per the report.

General Atlantic, led by CEO William Ford, specializes in growth equity investments, according to the report. The firm makes minority investments in well-established, growing companies that have not yet gone public.

It has a diverse portfolio that includes tech firms like Uber, as well as companies in consumer, healthcare and financial services sectors, the report said. Established in 1980, General Atlantic manages $77 billion in assets.

The potential IPO of General Atlantic comes at a time when other investment firms are also considering going public, per the report. CVC Capital Partners has been preparing for an IPO, while HPS Investment Partners confidentially filed for an IPO more than a year ago.

In one recent move, in June, General Atlantic delivered a $500 million primary follow-on investment to Authentic Brands Group, a global brand owner, marketing and entertainment platform that owns Brooks Brothers, Nautica and Reebok among its more than 40 brands.

“Looking ahead, we believe Authentic is positioned for continued diversification across categories, license partners, geographies and distribution channels, with immense white space in digital and eCommerce particularly,” Andrew Crawford, managing director and global head of consumer at General Atlantic, said at the time.