Blackstone and its peers have provided a lifeline for those investors thirsting for yield in a zero-rate world. An emerging question is how they can keep it up when investors aren’t so parched.
In the 12 months through the third quarter, Blackstone has had inflows of nearly $150 billion, the firm reported on Thursday. When rates are higher a concern may be that some investors, satisfied with plain-vanilla yields, will direct funds elsewhere. Rising rates also can put pressure on market multiples that have helped fuel a huge boost in profitable sell-downs of investments. Blackstone in the third quarter generated over $800 million more of distributable earnings through net realizations than it did a year earlier.