Carlyle Group Inc
For the period ended Dec 31, 2024. Filed Feb 27, 2025.
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A company's yearly report to the SEC, with audited financial statements. It is the fullest account a company gives of its business, its finances and the risks it sees.
FY2024 · Filed Feb 27, 2025
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Table of Contents
| Page | ||
|---|---|---|
| PART I. | ||
| ITEM 1. | BUSINESS | 7 |
| ITEM 1A. | RISK FACTORS | 30 |
| ITEM 1B. | UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS | 95 |
| ITEM 1C. | CYBERSECURITY | 95 |
| ITEM 2. | PROPERTIES | 97 |
| ITEM 3. | LEGAL PROCEEDINGS | 97 |
| ITEM 4. | MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES | 97 |
| PART II. | ||
| ITEM 5. | MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES | 97 |
| ITEM 6. | [RESERVED] | 99 |
| ITEM 7. | MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS | 100 |
| ITEM 7A. | QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK | 153 |
| ITEM 8. | FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA | 156 |
| ITEM 9. | CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE | 226 |
| ITEM 9A. | CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES | 226 |
| ITEM 9B. | OTHER INFORMATION | 227 |
| ITEM 9C. | DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS | 227 |
| PART III. | ||
| ITEM 10. | DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE | 228 |
| ITEM 11. | EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION | 228 |
| ITEM 12. | SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS | 228 |
| ITEM 13. | CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE | 228 |
| ITEM 14. | PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES | 228 |
| PART IV. | ||
| ITEM 15. | EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES | 229 |
Forward-Looking Statements
This Annual Report on Form 10-K may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements
include, but are not limited to, statements related to our expectations, estimates, beliefs, projections, future plans and strategies,
anticipated events or trends, and similar expressions and statements that are not historical facts, including our expectations
regarding the performance of our business, our financial results, our liquidity and capital resources, contingencies, and our
dividend policy. You can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “outlook,” “believes,”
“expects,” “potential,” “continues,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “seeks,” “approximately,” “predicts,” “intends,” “plans,”
“estimates,” “anticipates,” or the negative version of these words or other comparable words. Such forward-looking statements
are subject to various risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause
actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements including, but not limited to, those listed
below and those described under the section entitled “Risk Factors” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, as such factors may
be updated from time to time in our periodic filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), which are
accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in
conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and in our other
periodic filings with the SEC. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
Summary of Risk Factors
The following is only a summary of the principal risks that may materially adversely affect our business, financial
condition, results of operations, and cash flows. The following should be read in conjunction with the complete discussion of
risk factors we face, which are set forth in Item 1A “Risk Factors.”
Risks Related to Our Company
Adverse economic and market conditions and other events or conditions throughout the world could negatively impact our
business in many ways, including by reducing the value or performance of the investments made by our investment funds
and reducing the ability of our investment funds to raise capital, any of which could materially reduce our revenue,
earnings, and cash flow and adversely affect our financial prospects and condition.
Our use of leverage may expose us to substantial risks.
Our revenue, earnings, net income, and cash flow can all vary materially, which may make it difficult for us to achieve
steady earnings growth on a quarterly basis and may cause the price of our common stock to decline.
Given our focus on achieving superior investment performance and maintaining and strengthening investor relations, we
may reduce our AUM, restrain its growth, reduce our fees, or otherwise alter the terms under which we do business when
we deem it in the best interest of our investors—even in circumstances where such actions might be contrary to the near-
term interests of our stockholders.
We depend on our senior Carlyle professionals, including our Chief Executive Officer, and the loss of their services or
investor confidence in such personnel could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and
financial condition.
Recruiting and retaining our professionals has become more difficult and may continue to be difficult in the future, which
could adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
We may expand into new investment strategies, geographic markets, businesses, and types of investors, or seek to expand
our business or change our strategic focus with new strategic initiatives, which may result in additional risks and
uncertainties in our business.
Operational risks (including those associated with our business model), system security risks, breaches of data protection,
cyberattacks, or actions or failure to act by our employees or others with authorized access to our networks, including our
ability to insure against such risks, may disrupt our businesses, result in losses, or limit our growth.
Risks Related to Regulation and Litigation
Laws and regulations relating to privacy, data protection, data transfers, data localization, and data security worldwide may
limit the use and adoption of our services and adversely affect our business.
Extensive regulation of our business affects our activities and creates the potential for significant liabilities and penalties,
and could result in additional burdens on our business.
Financial regulations and changes thereto in the United States could adversely affect our business and the possibility of
increased regulatory focus could result in additional burdens and expenses on our business.
Regulatory initiatives in jurisdictions outside the United States could adversely affect our business.
We are subject to substantial risk of litigation and regulatory proceedings and may face significant liabilities and damage to
our reputation as a result of allegations of improper conduct and negative publicity.
Risks Related to Our Business Operations
Risks Related to the Assets We Manage
The asset management business is intensely competitive.
Poor performance of our investment funds would cause a decline in our revenue, income, and cash flow, may obligate us to
repay carried interest previously paid to us, and could adversely affect our ability to raise capital for future investment
funds.
The historical returns attributable to our funds, including those presented in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, should not
be considered as indicative of the future results of our funds or of our future results or of any returns expected on an
investment in our common stock.
Trade negotiations and related government actions may create regulatory uncertainty for our funds’ portfolio companies
and our investment strategies and adversely affect the profitability of our funds’ portfolio companies.
Our asset management business depends in large part on our ability to raise capital from third-party investors. If we are
unable to raise capital from third-party investors, we would be unable to collect management fees or deploy their capital
into investments and potentially collect carried interest, which would materially reduce our revenue and cash flow and
adversely affect our financial condition.
We have increasingly undertaken business initiatives to increase the number and type of investment products we offer to
retail investors, which could expose us to new and greater levels of risk.
Our investors may negotiate to pay us lower management fees and the economic terms of our future funds may be less
favorable to us than those of our existing funds, which could adversely affect our revenues.
Valuation methodologies for certain assets in our funds can involve subjective judgments, and the fair value of assets
established pursuant to such methodologies may be incorrect, which could result in the misstatement of fund performance
and accrued performance allocations.
The due diligence process that we undertake in connection with investments by our investment funds may not reveal all
facts that may be relevant in connection with an investment.
High interest rates and challenging debt market conditions have negatively impacted and could continue to negatively
impact the values of certain assets or investments and the ability of our funds and their portfolio companies to access the
capital markets, which could adversely affect investment and realization opportunities, lead to lower-yielding investments,
and potentially decrease our net income.
Our funds invest in relatively high-risk, illiquid assets, and we may fail to realize any profits from these activities for a
considerable period of time or lose some or all of our principal investments.
Our funds make investments in companies that are based outside of the United States, which may expose us to additional
risks not typically associated with investing in companies that are based in the United States.
Certain of our fund investments may be concentrated in particular asset types or geographic regions, which could
exacerbate any negative performance of those funds to the extent those concentrated investments perform poorly.
We are reliant on third-party service providers for certain aspects of our business and are subject to risks in using prime
brokers, custodians, counterparties, administrators, and other agents.
Industry Risks Related to the Assets We Manage
Our real estate funds are subject to risks inherent in the ownership and operation of real estate and the construction and
development of real estate.
Our energy business is involved in oil and gas investments (i.e., exploration, production, storage, transportation, logistics,
refining, marketing, trading, petrochemicals, energy services, and other opportunistic investments), which entail a high
degree of risk.
Investments in the natural resources industry, including the infrastructure, energy, power, and renewables industries,
involve various operational, construction, and regulatory risks.
Investments in the insurance industry (including our investment in Fortitude) could be adversely impacted by insurance
regulations and potential regulatory reforms.
Risks Related to Our Common Stock
The market price of our common stock may decline due to the large number of shares of common stock eligible for future
sale.
Carlyle Group Management L.L.C. has significant influence over us and its interests may conflict with ours or yours.
Our co-founders have the right to designate members of our Board of Directors.
Anti-takeover provisions in our organizational documents and Delaware law may discourage or delay acquisition attempts
for us that stockholders might consider favorable.
Risks Related to Taxation
Changes in relevant tax laws, regulations, or treaties or an adverse interpretation of these items by tax authorities could
assessed to portfolio investments (companies) or fund income.
U.S. and foreign tax regulations could adversely affect our ability to raise funds from certain foreign investors and increase
On January 1, 2020, we completed our conversion from a Delaware limited partnership named The Carlyle Group L.P.
into a Delaware Corporation named The Carlyle Group Inc. (the conversion, together with such restructuring steps and related
transactions, the “Conversion”).
Unless the context suggests otherwise, references in this Annual Report on Form 10-K to “Carlyle,” the “Company,”
“we,” “us,” and “our” refer to The Carlyle Group Inc. and its consolidated subsidia ries. Whenwe refer to our “senior Carlyle
professionals,” we are referring to the partner-level personnel of our firm. References in this Annual Report on Form 10-K to
the ownership of the senior Carlyle professionals include the ownership of personal planning vehicles of these individuals.
When we refer to the “Carlyle Holdings partnerships” or “Carlyle Holdings,” we are referring to Carlyle Holdings I L.P.,
Carlyle Holdings II L.P., and Carlyle Holdings III L.P., which prior to the Conversion were the holding partnerships through
which the Company and our senior Carlyle professionals and other holders of Carlyle Holdings partnership units owned their
respective interests in our business.
“Carlyle funds,” “our funds” and “our investment funds” refer to the investment funds and vehicles advised by Carlyle.
“Carry funds” generally refers to closed-end investment vehicles, in which commitments are drawn down over a
specified investment period, and in which the general partner receives a special residual allocation of income from limited
partners, which we refer to as carried interest, in the event that specified investment returns are achieved by the fund.
Disclosures referring to carry funds will also include the impact of certain commitments that do not earn carried interest but are
either part of or associated with our carry funds. The rate of carried interest, as well as the share of carried interest allocated to
Carlyle, may vary across the carry fund platform. Carry funds generally include the following investment vehicles across our
three business segments:
Global Private Equity: Buyout, middle market and growth capital, real estate, infrastructure, and natural resources
funds advised by Carlyle, as well as certain energy funds advised by our strategic partner NGP Energy Capital
Management (“NGP”) in which Carlyle is entitled to receive a share of carried interest (“NGP Carry Funds”);
Global Credit: Opportunistic credit, aviation finance, and other closed-end credit funds advised by Carlyle; and
Global Investment Solutions: Funds and vehicles advised by AlpInvest Partners B.V. and its affiliates
(“AlpInvest”), which include primary fund, secondary and portfolio financing, and co-investment strategies.
Carry funds specifically exclude certain legacy Abingworth funds in which Carlyle is not entitled to receive a share of
carried interest, collateralized loan obligation vehicles (“CLOs”), our business development companies and associated managed
accounts, as well as capital raised from strategic third-party investors which directly invest in Fortitude (defined below)
alongside a carry fund.
For an explanation of the fund acronyms used throughout this Annual Report on Form 10-K, refer to Item 1
“Business–Our Global Investment Offerings.”
“Fortitude” refers to FGH Parent, L.P. (“FGH Parent”), the direct parent of Fortitude Group Holdings, LLC
(“Fortitude Holdings”). See Note 4, Investments, to the consolidated financial statements in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual
Report on Form 10-K for more information regarding the Company’s strategic investment in Fortitude.
“Fee-earning assets under management” or “Fee-earning AUM” refers to the assets we manage or advise from which
we derive recurring fund management fees. Our Fee-earning AUM is generally based on one of the following, once fees have
been activated:
(a)the amount of limited partner capital commitments, generally for carry funds where the original investment period has
not expired and for AlpInvest carry funds during the commitment fee period;
(b)the remaining amount of limited partner invested capital at cost, generally for carry funds and certain co-investment
vehicles where the original investment period has expired;
(c)the amount of aggregate fee-earning collateral balance of our CLOs and other securitization vehicles, as defined in the
fund indentures (pre-2020 CLO vintages are generally exclusive of equities and defaulted positions) as of the quarterly
cut-off date;
(d)the external investor portion of the net asset value of certain carry funds;
(e)the fair value of Fortitude’s general account assets invested under the strategic advisory services agreement;
(f)the gross assets (including assets acquired with leverage), excluding cash and cash equivalents, of one of our business
development companies and certain carry funds; or
(g)the lower of cost or fair value of invested capital, generally for AlpInvest carry funds where the commitment fee
period has expired and certain carry funds where the investment period has expired.
“Assets under management” or “AUM” refers to the assets we manage or advise. Our AUM generally equals the sum
of the following:
(a) the aggregate fair value of our carry funds and related co-investment vehicles, and separately managed accounts, plus
the capital that Carlyle is entitled to call from investors in those funds and vehicles (including Carlyle commitments to
those funds and vehicles and those of senior Carlyle professionals and employees) pursuant to the terms of their capital
commitments to those funds and vehicles;
(b)the amount of aggregate collateral balance and principal cash or aggregate principal amount of the notes of our CLOs
and other structured products (inclusive of all positions);
(c)the net asset value of certain carry funds;
(d)the fair value of Fortitude’s general account assets covered by the strategic advisory services agreement; and
(e)the gross assets (including assets acquired with leverage) of our business development companies, plus the capital that
Carlyle is entitled to call from investors in those vehicles pursuant to the terms of their capital commitments to those
vehicles.
We include in our calculation of AUM and Fee-earning AUM the NGP Carry Funds that are advised by NGP. Our
calculation of AUM also includes third-party capital raised for the investment in Fortitude through a Carlyle-affiliated
investment fund and from strategic investors which directly invest in Fortitude alongside the fund. The total AUM and Fee-
earning AUM related to the strategic advisory services agreement with Fortitude is inclusive of the net asset value of
investments in Carlyle products. These amounts are also reflected in the AUM and Fee-earning AUM of the strategy in which
they are invested.
For most of our carry funds, total AUM includes the fair value of the capital invested, whereas Fee-earning AUM
includes the amount of capital commitments or the remaining amount of invested capital, depending on whether the original
investment period for the fund has expired. As such, Fee-earning AUM may be greater than total AUM when the aggregate fair
value of the remaining investments is less than the cost of those investments.
Our calculations of AUM and Fee-earning AUM may differ from the calculations of other asset managers. As a result,
these measures may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other asset managers. In addition, our calculation of
AUM (but not Fee-earning AUM) includes uncalled commitments to, and the fair value of invested capital in, our investment
funds from Carlyle and our personnel, regardless of whether such commitments or invested capital are subject to management
fees, incentive fees or performance allocations. Our calculations of AUM or Fee-earning AUM are not based on any definition
of AUM or Fee-earning AUM that is set forth in the agreements governing the investment funds that we manage or advise.
“Performance Fee Eligible AUM” represents the AUM of funds for which we are entitled to receive performance
allocations, inclusive of the fair value of investments in those funds (which we refer to as “Performance Fee Eligible Fair
Value”) and their Available Capital. Performance Fee Eligible Fair Value is “Performance Fee-Generating” when the associated
fund has achieved the specified investment returns required under the terms of the fund’s agreement and is accruing
performance revenue as of the quarter-end reporting date. Funds whose performance allocations are treated as fee related
performance allocations are excluded from these metrics.
“Perpetual Capital” refers to the assets we manage or advise which have an indefinite term and for which there is no
immediate requirement to return capital to investors upon the realization of investments made with such capital, except as
required by applicable law. Perpetual Capital may be materially reduced or terminated under certain conditions, including
reductions from changes in valuations and payments to investors, including through elections by investors to redeem their
investments, dividend payments, and other payment obligations, as well as the termination of or failure to renew the respective
investment advisory agreements. Perpetual Capital includes: (a) assets managed under the strategic advisory services agreement
with Fortitude, (b) our Core Plus real estate fund, (c) our business development companies and certain other direct lending
products,(d) Carlyle Tactical Private Credit Fund (“CTAC”), (e) our closed-end tender offer Carlyle AlpInvest Private Markets
(“CAPM”) funds, and (f) certain other structured credit products.
“Legacy Energy Funds” include Energy III, Energy IV, and Renew II and are managed with Riverstone and its
affiliates. The investment periods for these funds have expired and the remaining investments in each fund are being disposed
of in the ordinary course of business. The impact of these funds is no longer significant to our results of operations.
“Metropolitan” or “MRE” refers to Metropolitan Real Estate Management, LLC, which was included in the Global
Investment Solutions business segment prior to its sale on April 1, 2021.
The text of this filing, as the company filed it with the SEC, without its images or exhibits. This is not investment advice.