Apollo Global Management


Apollo Global Management, Inc., is a global alternative investment manager firm. It was founded in 1990 by Leon Black, Josh Harris, and Marc Rowan. Apollo is headquartered in New York City, with additional offices across North America, Europe and Asia. The company's stock is publicly traded on the NYSE under the symbol 'APO'.
The firm specializes in investing across credit, private equity, and real assets.
Apollo Global Management reported $315.5B of assets under management at the end of March 2020. Around 66% of assets are in the credit business. Around 21% of assets are in private equity. The remaining assets are in real assets.
Among the most notable companies Apollo has an investment in are ADT, CareerBuilder, Cox Media Group, Intrado, Rackspace, Redbox, Shutterfly, and Smart & Final.

History

Apollo, originally referred to as Apollo Advisors, was founded in 1990, on the heels of the collapse of Drexel Burnham Lambert in February 1990, by Leon Black, the former head of Drexel's mergers and acquisitions department, along with other Drexel alumni. Among the most notable founders are John Hannan, Drexel's former co-director of international finance; Craig Cogut, a lawyer who worked with Drexel's high-yield division in Los Angeles; and Arthur Bilger, the former head of the corporate finance department. Other founding partners included Marc Rowan, Josh Harris and Michael Gross, who both worked under Black in the mergers and acquisitions department, and Antony Ressler, who worked as a senior vice president in Drexel's high yield department with responsibility for the new issue/syndicate desk.
Less than six months after the collapse of Drexel, the founders of Apollo had already begun a series of ventures. Apollo Investment Fund L.P., the first of its private equity investment funds, was formed to make investments in distressed companies. Apollo's first fundraised approximately $400 million of investor commitments on the strength of Black's reputation as a prominent lieutenant of Michael Milken and a key player in the buyout boom of the 1980s. Lion Advisors was set up to provide investment services to Credit Lyonnais, which was seeking to profit from depressed prices in the high yield market.

1990s

At the time of Apollo's founding, financing for new leveraged buyouts was minimal and Apollo turned instead to a strategy of distressed-to-control takeovers. Apollo would purchase distressed securities which could be converted into a controlling interest in the equity of the company through a bankruptcy reorganization or other restructuring. Apollo used distressed debt as an entry point, enabling the firm to invest in such firms as Vail Resorts, Walter Industries, Culligan and Samsonite.
Early on, Apollo made a name for itself by acquiring interests in companies that Drexel had helped finance by purchasing high-yield bonds from failed savings and loans and insurance companies. Apollo acquired several large portfolios of assets from the U.S. government's Resolution Trust Corporation. One of Apollo's earliest and most successful deals involved the acquisition of Executive Life Insurance Company's bond portfolio. Using this vehicle, Apollo would purchase the Executive Life portfolio, generating tremendous profits when the value of high yield bonds recovered, but also resulting in a variety of state regulatory issues for Apollo and Credit Lyonnais over the purchase. More than a decade after the purchase, in 2002, California Attorney General Bill Lockyer accused Apollo, Leon Black, and an investor group led by French bank Credit Lyonnais of illegally acquiring the assets and bond portfolio of Executive Life Insurance Co. in 1991. According to the State of California, Lion allegedly violated a California law that prohibited foreign government-owned banks from owning California insurance companies.
In 1993, Apollo Real Estate Advisers was founded in collaboration with William Mack to seek opportunities in the U.S. property markets. Apollo Real Estate Investment Fund, L.P., the first in a family of real estate "opportunity funds", was closed in April 1993 with $500 million of investor commitments. In 2000, Apollo exited the partnership, which continued to operate as Apollo Real Estate Advisers until changing its name to AREA Property Partners, effective January 15, 2009. That firm is owned and controlled by its remaining principals, who include William Mack, Lee Neibart, William Benjamin, John Jacobsson, Stuart Koenig and Richard Mack. Apollo Real Estate Investment Fund, L.P., the first in a family of real estate "opportunity funds" was closed in April 1993 with $500 million of investor commitments. As of 2008, the firm was investing out of three funds: Apollo Real Estate Investment Fund V, Apollo European Real Estate Fund II, and Apollo Value Enhancement Fund VII. In 2004, Apollo Real Estate acquired the Value Enhancement Funds family of investment vehicles to broaden its offerings in the "value-added" segment of the real estate investment spectrum. Apollo also operates a real estate mezzanine lending program and real estate securities hedge fund called Claros Real Estate Securities Fund, L.P.
In 1995, Apollo raised its third private equity fund, Apollo Investment Fund III, with $1.5 billion of investor commitments from investors that included CalPERS and the General Motors pension fund. Unlike its first two funds and later funds, Fund III would ultimately prove only an average performer for private equity funds of its vintage. Among the investments made in Fund III were: Alliance Imaging, Allied Waste Industries, Breuners Home Furnishings, Levitz Furniture, Communications Corporation of America, Dominick's, Ralphs, Move.com, NRT Incorporated, Pillowtex Corporation, Telemundo and WMC Mortgage Corporation.
Also in 1995, Apollo founding partner Craig Cogut left the firm to found a smaller competitor Pegasus Capital Advisors. Since inception Pegasus has raised $1.8 billion in four private equity funds focused on investments in middle-market companies in financial distress. In 1997, Apollo co-founder Tony Ressler founded Ares Management as the successor to its Lion Advisors business which would manage collateralized debt obligation vehicles.
In 1998, Apollo raised its fourth private equity fund, Apollo Investment Fund IV, with $3.6 billion of investor commitments. Among the investments made in Fund IV were: Allied Waste Industries, AMC Entertainment, Berlitz International, Clark Retail Enterprises, Corporate Express, Encompass Services Corporation, National Financial Partners, Pacer International, Rent-A-Center, Resolution Performance Products, Resolution Specialty Materials, Sirius Satellite Radio, SkyTerra Communications, United Rentals and Wyndham Worldwide.

2000–2005

Apollo deployed its fourth fund during the booming markets of the late 1990s, only to experience difficulties with the collapse of the Internet bubble and the onset of the recession. Amid the turmoil of collapsing markets, Apollo was able to raise its fifth private equity fund in 2001, Apollo Investment Fund V, with $3.7 billion of investor commitments. Among the investments made in Fund V were Affinion Group, AMC Entertainment, Berry Plastics, Cablecom, Compass Minerals, General Nutrition Centers, Goodman Global, Hexion Specialty Chemicals, Intelsat, Linens 'n Things, Metals USA, Nalco Investment Holdings, Sourcecorp, Spectrasite Communications, and Unity Media.
Meanwhile, Ares profited significantly from investments made after the collapse of the high yield market in 2000 and 2001. Although the founders of Ares had completed a spin-out with the formation of the firm in 1997, they had initially maintained a close relationship with Apollo and operated as the West Coast affiliate of Apollo. By 2002, when Ares raised its first corporate opportunities fund, the firm announced that it would separate from its former parent company. The timing of this separation also coincided with Apollo's legal difficulties with the State of California over its purchase of Executive Life Insurance Company in 1991.
Following the spin-off of Ares in 2002, Apollo developed two new affiliates to continue its investment activities in the capital markets. The first of these new affiliates, founded in 2003, was Apollo Distressed Investment Fund Management a credit opportunity investment vehicle. The following year, in April 2004, Apollo raised $930 million through an initial public offering for a listed business development company, Apollo Investment Corporation ). Apollo Investment Corporation was formed to invest primarily in middle-market companies in the form of mezzanine debt and senior secured loans, as well as by making certain direct equity investments in companies. The Company also invests in the securities of public companies.

2005–2010

Between 2005 and 2007 the private equity market was booming, with new "largest buyout" records set and surpassed several times in an 18-month window. Although Apollo was involved in a number of notable and large buyouts, the firm avoided the very largest transactions during the time. Among Apollo's most notable investments during this period included Harrah's Entertainment, a leading US gaming and casino company; Norwegian Cruise Line, the cruise line operator; Claire's Stores, the retailer of costume jewelry; and Realogy, the real estate franchisor.
In August 2006, Apollo launched a $2 billion publicly traded private equity vehicle in Europe, AP Alternative Assets. The IPO of this new vehicle followed in the footsteps of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, which raised $5 billion for its KKR Private Equity Investors vehicle in May 2006. Apollo initially attempted to raise $2.5 billion for the public vehicle but fell short when it offered the shares in June, raising only $1.5 billion. Apollo raised an additional $500 million via private placements in the weeks following that sale.
Between 2006 and 2007, as the private equity industry expanded, several of the largest private equity firms, most notably The Blackstone Group and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, announced plans to realize value from their firms through the sale of shares in the public equity markets. Apollo Management chose a different path and completed a private placement of shares in its management company in July 2007. By pursuing a private placement rather than a public offering, Apollo was able to avoid much of the public scrutiny applied to Blackstone and KKR. In November 2007, Apollo was able to realize additional value from the sale of a 9% ownership interest in its management company to the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. Ultimately, in April 2008, Apollo filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to permit some holders of its privately traded stock to sell their shares on the New York Stock Exchange. That same year, the firm opened an office in India, marking their first push into Asia.
with the company's 2008 bankruptcy
As the deterioration of the financial markets worsened into 2008, Apollo saw several of its investments come under pressure. Apollo's 2005 investment in the struggling US retailer Linens 'n Things suffered from a significant debt burden and softening consumer demand. In May 2008, Linens filed for bankruptcy protection, costing Apollo all of its $365 million investment in the company. At the same time, Apollo's investment in Claire's, Realogy and Harrah's Entertainment came under pressure. Apollo responded to its investment difficulties by seeking to exchange a portion of the existing debt at Harrah's and Realogy to more favorable securities. At Claire's, Apollo exercised its "PIK toggle" option to shut off cash interest payments to its bondholders and instead issue more debt, in order to provide the company with additional financial flexibility.
In December 2008, Apollo completed fundraising for its latest fund, Apollo Investment Fund VII, with approximately $14.7 billion of investor commitments. Apollo had been targeting $15 billion, but had been in fundraising for more than 16 months, with the bulk of the capital raised in 2007.
In December 2009, it was announced that Apollo would acquire Cedar Fair Entertainment Company shares and the company would be become private underneath the management group. The deal includes a cash payment of $635 million and assumed debt which gives the transaction a value of $2.4 billion. It was later announced in April 2010 that the deal was pulled due to poor shareholder response.

2011–2017

In January 2011, Apollo acquired 51% of Alcan Engineered Products from Rio Tinto.
In March 2011, Apollo completed its initial public offering.
In March 2012, Apollo made a second attempt to acquire an amusement park operator with a $225.7 million offer for Great Wolf Resorts. In November 2012, Apollo acquired The McGraw-Hill Companies' education division in a deal totaling $2.5 billion.
On March 11, 2013, Apollo Global Management made the only bid for the snacks business of Hostess Brands, including Twinkies, for $410 million. Apollo bought a portfolio of Irish home loans from Lloyds Bank in December 2013 for €307m, less than half their nominal £610m value. The shares were bought by an Apollo Global Management subsidiary, Tanager Limited. The portfolio made a £33m loss last year.
In January 2014, Apollo and CEC Entertainment, the parent company of Chuck E. Cheese's, announced that Apollo bought the company and its brand for about $1 billion.
In October 2014, Apollo finalized the merger of its Endemol television studio with 21st Century Fox's Shine Group. The merged company became Endemol Shine Group, with AGM and Fox each owning half of the studio.
On March 24, 2015, Centerbridge Partners reached an agreement with Apollo to acquire the Great Wolf chain from them for $1.35 billion. The acquisition was finalized on May 12, 2015.
In June 2015, Apollo Global Management made a successful offer of around $1.03 billion in cash to privatize OM Group. Also that month, Apollo won the bidding during an auction for Saint-Gobain’s Verallia glass bottle manufacturing unit for a rumored fee of around 2.95 billion.
In February 2016, ADT Corporation agreed to be acquired by Apollo Global Management. Apollo Education Group shareholders approved a merger with Apollo Global Management in May 2016. In June 2016, Apollo Global Management made a successful offer to purchase Diamond Resorts International. Apollo made a successful offer to purchase Rackspace in August 2016.
In January 2017, Apollo acquired all properties of Oneedm Media LLC and Mattia Zucca assets to consolidate their presence in events, publishing and advertising. In March, Apollo acquired Benner Publishing from Alec B. Jones, owner of DEM Magazine for about $10,000. In May, Apollo announced that it had entered into an agreement to acquire West Corp for approximately $2 billion. In December, Apollo agreed to acquire Mexican restaurant chain Qdoba from Jack in the Box.

2018–2019

AGM was in talks to buy Nexstar Media Group for over $1 billion. However, on February 14, 2019, Cox Media Group announced that it was selling its 14 television stations to AGM. In March 2019 filings with the Federal Communications Commission, Apollo disclosed that, through the newly-formed Terrier Media, the Cox stations would be acquired for $3.1 billion ; Terrier will also concurrently acquire Northwest Broadcasting, giving the company 25 television stations. On June 26, 2019, Cox announced that its 60 radio stations, as well as its national advertising business CoxReps, and local OTT advertising agency Gamut. Smart Media from Cox., would also be acquired by the new company, which concurrently announced that it would retain the Cox Media Group name instead of Terrier Media. On February 10, 2020, Cox Enterprises bought back the Ohio newspapers it sold to AGM. The FCC required Apollo to reduce the daily newspapers to three days or sell them.
On April 16, 2019, AGM announced that it would once again acquire Smart & Final for $1.1 billion. On June 10, 2019, AGM announced that it would acquire Shutterfly for $2.7 billion, as well as its competitor Snapfish in a separate transaction valued at around $300 million. Apollo plans to merge both companies into a single entity, with Snapfish parent company District Photo as a minority stakeholder. In August, AGM agreed to provide approximately $1.8 billion of debt financing to support New Media Investment Group Inc.'s acquisition of Gannett. On October 23, 2019, AGM announced it signed agreements to take a 48.6% stake in Italian gambling group Gamenet SPA. On October 26, 2019, Apollo and The Walt Disney Company agreed to sell Endemol Shine Group to French studio Banijay Group. The sale was completed on July 3, 2020.

2020

In April 2020, AGM announced that it would invest $300 million in Cimpress, an Irish-domiciled printing group that owns Vistaprint. In May, ARM announced the purchase of $1.75 billion of preferred stock in Albertsons Companies. In July 2020, it was reported that the company totalled around $100 billion in investements for war chest in the Q2 of 2020. The sum was double the company's previous record despited the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Operations

Apollo is operated by its managing partners, Leon Black, Joshua Harris and Marc Rowan and a team of more than 400 investment professionals, as of June 30, 2019. The firm's headquarters are located in the Solow Building at 9 West 57th Street in New York City, with offices in Purchase, New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, El Segundo, Woodland Hills, Houston, Bethesda, London, Frankfurt, Luxembourg, Madrid, Singapore, Hong Kong, New Delhi, Powai, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Mumbai.
Apollo's executive committee includes: Leon Black, chairman, and chief executive officer; Josh Harris, Co-Founder and Senior Managing Director; Marc Rowan, Co-Founder, and Senior Managing Director; Scott Kleinman, Co-President and Lead Partner, Private Equity; James Zelter, Co-President and Chief Investment Officer, Credit; and Gary Parr, Senior Managing Director.
Apollo operates three business lines in an integrated manner:
Joshua Harris, a founder of Apollo Global Management, was advising Trump administration officials on infrastructure policy. During that period, he met on multiple occasions with Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law, and senior adviser, said three people familiar with the meetings. Among other things, the two men discussed a possible White House job for Mr. Harris.

Investment vehicles

Private equity funds

Apollo has historically relied primarily on private equity funds, pools of committed capital from pension funds, insurance companies, endowments, fund of funds, high-net-worth individuals, family offices, sovereign wealth funds and other institutional investors. Since 2014, Apollo has begun investing its eighth private equity fund, Apollo Investment Fund VIII, which raised approximately $18 billion of investor commitments. In 2017, Apollo raised $24.6 billion for its ninth flagship private equity fund, making it the largest in history. Since its inception in 1990, Apollo has raised a total of nine private equity funds, including:
FundVintage
Year		Committed
Capital
Apollo Investment Fund IX2017$24,600
Apollo Investment Fund VIII2014$18,400
Apollo Investment Fund VII2008$14,700
Apollo Investment Fund VI2005$10,200
Apollo Investment Fund V2001$3,700
Apollo Investment Fund IV1998$3,600
Apollo Investment Fund III1995$1,500
Apollo Investment Fund II1992$500
Apollo Investment Fund I1990$400

Apollo Investment Corporation

Apollo Investment Corporation is a US-domiciled publicly traded private equity closed-end fund and an affiliate of Apollo. AIC was formed to invest primarily in middle-market companies in the form of mezzanine debt and senior secured loans, as well as by making certain direct equity investments in companies. The Company also invests in the securities of public companies.
AIC is structured as a business development company, a type of publicly traded private equity vehicle that is designed to generate interest income and long-term capital appreciation. AIC historically has not invested in companies controlled by Apollo's private equity funds.

AP Alternative Assets

AP Alternative Assets is a Guernsey-domiciled publicly traded private equity closed-end limited partnership, managed by Apollo Alternative Assets, an affiliate of Apollo Management. AAA was formed to invest alongside Apollo's main private equity funds and hedge funds.
AAA was launched in August 2006, shortly after Kohlberg Kravis Roberts completed a $5 billion initial public offering for its KKR Private Equity Investors vehicle in May 2006. Apollo raised a total of $2 billion for AAA including the vehicle's $1.5 billion IPO and a subsequent private placement.
AAA's investment portfolio is made up of a mix of private equity and capital markets investments.

Portfolio investments

Apollo has been an active private equity investor through the mid-2000s buyout boom. The following is a list of Apollo's most recent and currently active private equity investments. The bulk of these investments are held in Apollo Investment Fund V, VI, and VII.
InvestmentYearCompany DescriptionRef.
Cox Media Group2019In December 2019, it was announced that Apollo closed the $3 billion deal which acquired the majority share of Cox Media Group. This deal entails Cox's 13 television stations, 54 radio stations, 3 newspapers, national television advertising business - CoxReps, and local OTT advertising business - Gamut. Smart Media from Cox.
Tech Data Corp.2019In November 2019, it was announced that Apollo acquired Florida-based Tech Data Corp. in a deal worth $5.4 billion, snatching it from Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway.
GE Capital Energy Financial Services2018In October 2018, Apollo announced to have acquired a portfolio of $1 billion in energy investments of GE Capital's Energy Financial Services unit.
Apollo Education Group2017In February 2017, Apollo announced the acquisition of Apollo Education, the parent company of University of Phoenix, for $1.14 billion.
Berry Plastics2006In June 2006, Apollo and Graham Partners announced the acquisition of Berry Plastics Corporation, a maker of plastic containers, for $2.25 billion from Goldman Sachs Capital Partners and JPMorgan Partners.
Chuck E. Cheese's2014In 2014, Apollo bought CEC Entertainment, the parent of Chuck E. Cheese's Restaurants.
Claire's2007In March 2007, Apollo announced the $3.1 billion leveraged buyouts of costume jewelry retailer, Claire's Stores. In 2008, Claire's experienced financial difficulty amid the slump in consumer spending.
Constellis2016Apollo bought Constellis Holdings in 2016 for $1 billion. Constellis is a private military contractor that was created as a result of a merger between rival contractors Triple Canopy and Academi in 2014. Academi, founded by Erik Prince and formerly known as Blackwater USA, is best known for its role in the Nisour Square Massacre, where Blackwater guards killed 17 Iraqi civilians and injured 20.
Countrywide plc2007In May 2007, Apollo acquired Countrywide plc, the leading provider of residential property related services in the UK, formerly known as Hambro Countrywide and Countrywide Assured Group for $1.05 billion.
CEVA Logistics2006In August 2006, TNT N.V. announced that it had agreed to the sale of its logistics division to Apollo for $1.9 billion. The business was re-branded as CEVA in November 2007.
Debt investments2008-2009Since the beginning of 2008, Apollo has been a significant acquirer of senior secured loans from investment banks and other financial institutions. In April 2008, Apollo, TPG Capital and The Blackstone Group completed the acquisition of $12.5 billion of bank loans from Citigroup. The portfolio comprised primarily senior secured leveraged loans that had been made to finance leveraged buyout transactions at the peak of the market. Citigroup had been unable to syndicate the loans before the onset of the credit crunch. The loans were reported to have been sold in the "mid-80 cents on the dollar" relative to face value. In late 2008, it was reported that Apollo had received margin calls associated with the financing of its purchase of certain loan portfolios as the price of the loans decreased.
Great Wolf Resorts2012In March 2012 Apollo announced plans to acquire the resort's chain for $703 million. Reports indicated the chain had not turned a profit since 2008.
Harrah's Entertainment2006On December 19, 2006, Apollo and TPG Capital announced an agreement to acquire the gaming company for $27.4 billion, including the assumption of existing debt.
Hexion Specialty Chemicals2005Hexion was formed in 2005 through the merger of Borden Chemical, Inc., Resolution Performance Products LLC, and Resolution Specialty Materials LLC, and the acquisition of Bakelite AG. Hexion announced in July 2007 that it was acquiring Huntsman Corporation, a major specialty chemicals company, in a $6.5 billion leveraged buyout. Hexion announced in June 2008 it would refuse to close the deal, prompting a series of legal actions. The transaction was officially terminated on December 14 after a settlement between Hexion and Huntsman, wherein they were required to pay Huntsman $1 billion to drop fraud charges that would have potentially sent the CEO of Apollo to prison.
Jacuzzi Brands2006In October 2006, Apollo announced a $990 million leveraged buyout of Jacuzzi Brands, the manufacturer of whirlpool baths.
McGraw-Hill Education2012In November 2012, McGraw Hill announced that it had agreed to the sale of its education division to Apollo for $2.5 billion.
Momentive Performance Materials2006In June 2006, Apollo acquired General Electric's Advanced Materials business in a deal valued at approximately $3.8 billion.
Noranda Aluminum2007In April 2007, Apollo acquired the US aluminum business of the mining company Xstrata for $1.15 billion. The aluminum business, Noranda Aluminum, includes a primary smelter and three rolling mills in Tennessee, North Carolina, and Arkansas along with other operations.
Norwegian Cruise Line2008In January 2008, Apollo completed a $1 billion investment in the cruise line operator to support a recapitalization of the company's balance sheet.
Novitex Enterprise Solutions2013In 2013, Apollo acquired Pitney Bowes Management Services for $400 million. From PBMS, Apollo formed Novitex Enterprise Solutions. Novitex is a document outsourcing provider that manages business-critical services for over 500 companies across ten industries. Many of its clients are Fortune 500 companies.
Oceania Cruises2007In February 2007, Apollo acquired the luxury cruise line and provided additional capital to fund the expansion of the company with the purchase of two new cruise ships.
Philips Lumileds2017In June 2017, Apollo bought 80.1% of Philips Lumileds division for $1.5 billion.
Realogy:
  • Coldwell Banker
  • Sotheby's International Realty
  • Century 21 Real Estate
2006In December 2006, Apollo announced an $8.5 billion buyout of the real estate franchisor that owns Coldwell Banker, Century 21 and Sotheby's International Realty. The transaction closed in April 2007 and was delisted from the New York Stock Exchange. As the housing market crash accelerated in 2008, Realogy faced financial pressures relating to its debt load. In November 2008, Realogy launched an exchange offer for a portion of its debt to provide additional flexibility, prompting a lawsuit from Carl Icahn.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises2008In February 2008, Apollo purchased the luxury cruise line from Carlson Companies for $1 billion. Following the purchase, Apollo made public its plans to order a new ship for Regent.
Rexnord Corporation2006In May 2006, Apollo announced the acquisition of the manufacturer of precision motion technology products, primarily focused on power transmission, from private equity firm The Carlyle Group for $1.825 billion.
Smart & Final
  • Henry's Marketplace
  • Sprouts Farmers Market
    		• 2007In February 2007, Apollo announced the acquisition of the Smart & Final chain of warehouse-style food and supply stores. In June 2007, Smart & Final completed the acquisition of the Henry's Marketplace chain of "farmers market" style food retailers from Wild Oats Markets as part of that company's acquisition by Whole Foods Market. In 2011, the Henry's chain was merged with Sprouts Farmers Market, which, like the Henry's markets, had been founded by Henry Boney.
    Thai Ornament Resorts2016In January 2016, Apollo announced the acquisition of Thai Ornament Resorts, an upscale destination resort developing firm, for $75.8 million from Tri-Cities Partnership and The Pool Trust.
    Vantium Management2008In May 2008, Apollo invested in Vantium, a company that buys residential mortgage assets as part of a strategy to profit from the housing market crash.
    Verso Paper2006In 2006, Apollo acquired International Paper's coated and supercalendered paper business for $1.4 billion, renaming the business, Verso Paper. Verso has been the second-largest producer for the North American magazine publishing and catalog/commercial print markets. In May 2008, Verso was able to complete an initial public offering of stock.
    Other investments include Connections Academy and Unity Media GMBH.

    Affiliated businesses

    From its inception, Apollo was built as part of a network of affiliated businesses focusing on private equity and a variety of distressed investment strategies.

    Lion Advisors

    Lion Advisors, which was founded at the same time as Apollo in 1990, focused on investment management and consulting services to foreign institutional accounts targeting investments in public and private high yield debt securities in the US. In 1992, Lion entered into a more formal arrangement to manage the $3 billion high-yield portfolio for Credit Lyonnais which together with a consortium of other international investors provided the capital for Lion's investment activities. The Lion business would ultimately be replaced by Ares Management.

    Ares Management

    Ares Management, founded in 1997, was initially established to manage a $1.2 billion market value collateralized debt obligation vehicle. Ares would grow to manage a family of collateralized loan obligation vehicles that would invest in capital markets-based securities including senior bank loans and high-yield and mezzanine debt. Ares was founded by Antony Ressler and John H. Kissick, both partners at Apollo as well as Bennett Rosenthal, who joined the group from the global leveraged finance group at Merrill Lynch.
    Ares I and II which were raised were structured as market value CLOs. Ares III though Ares X was structured as cash flow CLOs. In 2002, Ares completed a spinout from Apollo management. Although technically, the founders of Ares had completed a spinout with the formation of the firm in 1997, they had maintained a close relationship with Apollo over its first five years and operated as the West Coast affiliate of Apollo. Shortly thereafter, Ares completed fundraising for Ares Corporate Opportunities Fund, a special situations investment fund with $750 million of capital under management.
    In 2004, Ares debuted a publicly traded business development company, Ares Capital Corporation. In 2006, Ares raised a $2.1 billion successor special situations fund.