[variaga]

I'm aware that some private equity actually does plan to make money by applying good management to a fundamentally sound company which is currently struggling (or "cheap") because of fixable mismanagement. Warren Buffet got rich by doing this repeatedly.

But that's not what happened to Toys'R'Us.

"Raider" PE doesn't care about the high interest rates because they don't intend to pay them for long enough to matter, and - as mentioned in other replies - usually the sophisticated counterparty to the loans has identified a less-sophisticated other counterparty to sell the loans to and sees this as a risk-free deal that nets them origination fees. Suckers exist. Banks make it their job to find them.

[jordanb]

> Warren Buffet got rich by doing this repeatedly.

Warren Buffet would insist that he's not in private equity because Berkshire's stock is publicly traded and there's no lockup. He has publicly stated that he thinks being a PE LP is financial malpractice.

[dh2022]

Warren Buffet is interested only in solid businesses, not in buying distressed assets in a fire-sale. One of his maxims: "is better to buy a wonderful business at a fair price, then to buy a fair business at a wonderful price"

[scarface_74]

He bought a bunch of newspapers when he knew they were on the decline and extracted money from them. He sold them all in 2020.