Turnaround Firm Sun May Be Turning Itself Around
Could Sun Capital be on a roll, after two years of absorbing body blows? I'm not ready to pronounce a turnaround quite yet, but the Boca Raton, Fla.-based firm has scored two impressive exits in the past month and written up its portfolio. It's even ready to do new deals.Sun began brightening in October, when it reported modest write-ups for the first half of 2009. Across its portfolio, the firm's holdings increased in value by 3%, including an 8% write-up for its latest fund. That's hopeful, although needs to be kept in the context of that last fund being held at 60% of its value at year-end 2008.That same month, Sun Capital earned back a little respect from investors by allowing them to decrease their commitments to its $6 billion fifth fund. The firm offered to cut commitments by $1 billion, allowing investors to decrease their stakes each by 16.7% and up to 33%, depending on how many chose to do so. That news was welcome to investors and a breath of fresh air to those that felt the firm was deaf to their concerns.
