What is a catch-up clause?

Asked by: Prof. Bryana Gislason III  |  Last update: April 11, 2025
Score: 4.5/5 (53 votes)

The purpose of a catch-up clause is to compensate the General Partner based on an investment's total return rather than the return in excess of the preferred return. In other words, a catch-up is used to compensate the GP for the incentive fees lost due to a preferred return.

How does the catch up clause work?

For instance, if a GP earns a performance fee of 20%, a catch-up clause stipulates that the GP receives all the distributions above the hurdle rate until they receive 20% of the profits earned. Every amount above that is then split 80/20 between the LPs and GP.

What is 20% catch up?

Catch-up Basics

For private equity and venture capital funds, carried interest is usually 20%. During the catch-up phase, that means a sponsor receives distributions up to an amount that is equal to 20% of the total profits distributed to both investors and the sponsor.

What is the catch up clause in CFA?

A catch-up clause is intended to make the manager whole so that their incentive fee is based on the total return and not exclusively on the return in excess of the preferred return.

What is the general partner catch up clause?

The GP catch-up provision allocates distributions to the GP once the fund manager returns contributed capital and reaches the preferred return. The provision's purpose is to incentivize fund managers to create returns in excess of the preferred return.

Private Equity Fund Structure

35 related questions found

What is the catch up clause in a partnership agreement?

The purpose of a catch-up clause is to compensate the General Partner based on an investment's total return rather than the return in excess of the preferred return. In other words, a catch-up is used to compensate the GP for the incentive fees lost due to a preferred return.

What is the 100% catch up clause?

100% Catch-Up: The GP receives 100% of the profits during the catch-up phase until they are entitled to the full carried interest (as described in the example). 2. Partial Catch-Up: In some funds, GPs may only receive a portion of the profits (e.g., 50%) during the catch-up phase, rather than the full 100%.

What is the no catch up clause?

No catch-up means that profit share will be applicable only on the incremental return over and above the hurdle rate.

What is the new catch up provision?

Starting in 2025, the SECURE 2.0 Act allows eligible participants who are ages sixty to sixty-three to make “super-catch-up contributions” of up to the greater of: $10,000, or 150 percent of the regular catch-up limit.

What is the catching up principle?

Definition: Catch up effect, alternatively called the theory of convergence, states that poor or developing economies grow faster compared to economies with a higher per capita income and gradually reach similar high levels of per capita income. Thus, all economies, over time, may converge in terms of income per head.

What is catch-up in finance?

Catch-up takes effect when an investor's returns reach the defined hurdle rate, giving them an agreed level of preferred return. The manager then enters a catch-up period, in which it may receive an agreed percentage of the profits until the profit split determined by the carried interest agreement is reached.

What is the high water mark clause?

A high-water mark is the minimum level that a fund manager needs to achieve to receive a performance bonus. The high-water mark clause protects investors by avoiding paying the performance fee for the same part of return when an investment fund or account recovers from the previous loss.

What is a waterfall in M&A?

A distribution waterfall describes the method by which capital is distributed to a fund's various investors as underlying investments are sold for gains. Essentially, the total capital gains earned are distributed according to a cascading structure made up of sequential tiers, hence the reference to a waterfall.

What is the 80/20 rule in private equity?

The 80-20 rule is a principle that states 80% of all outcomes are derived from 20% of causes. It's used to determine the factors (typically, in a business situation) that are most responsible for success and then focus on them to improve results.

How does the catch up effect work?

The catch-up effect is a theory that the per capita incomes of all economies will eventually converge. This theory is based on the observation that underdeveloped economies tend to grow more rapidly than wealthier economies. As a result, the less wealthy economies literally catch up to the more robust economies.

What is a 50/50 catch up in private equity?

Another option that many funds feature is a catch-up provision. Such a provision allows a sponsor to split cash flows 50/50 (or at some other accelerated rate) over the preferred return until they have received 20% of all profits, after which the economics return to the 80/20 split.

How does catch up provision work?

Catch-up contributions are additional elective contributions participants can make to their 401(k), 403(b) or governmental 457 plans if they are at least 50 years old. SECURE 2.0 added a special additional age 60–63 catch-up contribution opportunity, effective for the 2025 calendar year.

Can I contribute full $6,000 to IRA if I have a 401k?

Do you have a 401(k) plan through work? You can still contribute to a Roth IRA (individual retirement account) and/or a traditional IRA as long as you meet the IRA's eligibility requirements.

What is the purpose of the catch up plan?

The goal of catch-up programmes is to help learners return to where they would be in the curriculum if the disruption had not occurred so that they can resume their education.

What are catch up rights?

Sample 1. Catch Up Rights means the right to exploit the Local Series by Licensee on an FVOD and/or AVOD basis, provided that each Episode of the Local Series has initially been broadcast/transmitted on the Licensed Channel. Such Catch-Up Rights may only be exploited during the Catch Up Period: Sample 1.

What does 80/20 catch up mean?

The investor would receive an annualized 8% preferred return and their capital back. The manager would then receive 100% of distributions until they receive 20% of all annualized profits (aka the catch up clause). All remaining dollars would be split on an 80%/20% basis, with the majority going to investors.

What is a clawback incentive fee?

A clawback is a contractual provision requiring that money that's already paid to an employee must be returned to an employer or benefactor, sometimes with a penalty. Many companies use clawback policies in employee contracts for incentive-based pay such as bonuses. They're most often used in the financial industry.

What is the most favored nation clause startup?

The MFN clause, within the context of venture capital, refers to a provision that ensures an investor receives favorable terms, comparable to the best terms offered to any other investor in subsequent funding rounds. In essence, it aims to protect the investor from being disadvantaged by future financing arrangements.

What is a clawback in PE?

Clawback is an obligation of the fund sponsor to return previously distributed carry as a result of subsequent underperformance. It is a widely implemented provision in the US, where PE firms predominantly follow the American carry distribution structure that allows GPs to earn carry on a deal-by-deal basis.

What does moic mean?

MOIC stands for “Multiple on Invested Capital” and measures investment returns by comparing the value of an investment on the exit date to the initial equity contribution.