The alpha, beta, and consistency of private equity reported returns

The reported returns of U.S. private equity funds are benchmarked against passive exposures from public equity markets. Over the full sample period, private equity returns display three factors: market beta of less than one, small transaction size and growth, and a four-quarter lag behind public markets. Buyout funds delivered alpha of about 5.5% per annum; venture capital performed poorly. Closer examination reveals that these estimates are inconsistent over time, cautioning against extrapolation from historical averages.