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The brands you know. The firms quietly squeezing them. We keep receipts.

What’s private equity, anyway? →

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SubwayToys R UsPetSmartHilton Hotels
190
Brands tracked
70
PE firms
1009
Sources cited

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So what’s the deal with private equity?

Ever notice your favorite chain suddenly cutting menu items, raising prices, replacing staff, or just feeling… worse? There’s a decent chance a private equity firm bought it. PE firms acquire companies, load them with debt, slash what made them good, and try to flip them for a profit. The brand keeps its name. The experience doesn’t keep much else.

Red Lobster went bankrupt. Toys R Us vanished. Your dentist might be sending profits to Wall Street. We built this site so you can look up any brand and see who actually owns it. And what happened after they showed up.

We focus on private equity, but hedge funds and holding companies run the same play. If the shoe fits, we track it.

Learn more about how private equity works →