Private equity’s latest source of leveraged buyout funding is US farmers

Duckhorn Portfolio would not consider $11 a heady price for a bottle of its luxury wine. But for a price per share of its company, it represents the height of decadence. The Napa Valley headquartered vintner this week sold itself for $11.10 a share, more than double its previous trading price and an implied enterprise value of $2bn.

Duckhorn had gone public at $15 per share in 2021. But a recent big acquisition, youth apathy towards wine, and a small cap float collectively meant that Wall Street turned sour. Its buyer, the private equity firm Butterfly Equity, is taking a big swig with some unusual backers. READ MORE