PE returns have been superior to those of VC, S&P 500 (big public stocks), and Russell 2000 (small public stocks).
Compared to VC, PE also has a much more palatable risk profile, but it doesn’t typically have 100x+ upside potential (which is what makes VC fun). Compared to stocks, PE must produce premium returns to offset its illiquid nature.
As is the case in all these asset classes, there are huge variations within PE. Billion-dollar funds are lower on the risk-reward spectrum than is the lower middle market, where equity returns exceeding 3x MOIC are not uncommon (equivalent to ~25% IRR over 5 years).
