When do you use an LBO Analysis as part of valuation?

• A. When looking at a Leveraged Buyout; determine how much a private equity firm could pay; set a floor on valuation.
• B. When valuing a startup with no debt.
• C. When performing a liquidation valuation.
• D. When computing the discount rate in DCF.

Answer: (A)

LBO analysis is used when evaluating a potential leveraged buyout from the buyer's perspective. It models how much debt can be supported by the target’s cash flows and what equity the sponsor must contribute to achieve the required returns, which in turn tells you the maximum price the sponsor could justify paying. In that sense, it helps set a floor/feasibility boundary on valuation for a private equity deal because any higher price would jeopardize hitting the target IRR or violate debt constraints. This is different from valuing a startup with no debt, performing a liquidation valuation, or calculating a discount rate for a DCF, all of which address other questions.