Foreign private equity houses have made fat profits working on their own in South Korea, but a new era of competition will drive global players to team up with local strategic buyers to chase big returns, bankers say.
Firms such as Newbridge Capital, Carlyle Group and J.P. Morgan entered South Korea after the Asian financial crisis by buying assets on the cheap, sometimes pocketing three times their money when they cashed out.
Overseas players are once again flush with cash for Korean investment, but they face new hurdles in a form of stronger competition from local strategic and financial buyers, tougher tax regulations and a preference for domestic capital.
"The question remains, will you be able to achieve the types of returns you had in the past?" said David Kim, head of Asia financial institutions coverage for Lehman Brothers. South Korea's stock market has risen more than 35 percent this year, raising seller's expectations and prices.
"Due to the significant potential demand from strategics and private equity, both foreign and more recently, domestic-based, it's more likely price expectations of sellers can be satisfied," said Kim.
Formerly distressed assets like Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, Mando Corp and Korea Exchange Bank are on sale, but inflated prices and demand from strategic buyers may scare off buyout firms used to big returns.
"They've been very active in the public auctions, but now they are looking to establish their own networks for private, negotiated transactions," said Ho Yang, the chief executive of Korea for Morgan Stanley. "Going forward, co-investing with a strategic buyer may be more attractive." Global private equity firms have combined forces in the past, as in the case of UBS, J.P. Morgan Partners and CVC Capital taking control of Haitai Confectionery Co, but working with South Korean companies is a novel concept.
Local companies hunting for assets are also in the market for capital. Domestic investment firms such as Vogo Capital Partners have propped up with fat wallets and deep local contacts, which foreign players may be lacking.
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