SDC VentureXpert & private equity portfolios

When you are interested in finding out what the composition is of the portfolio's of private equity funds in specific nations the SDC database VentureXpert is a good starting point. For example: when I am interested in Dutch private equity funds involved in buyout related deals doing a search is easy:

1. Start up SDC Platinum and go to the database using the tab VentureXpert
2. Mark the part database Funds and click the OK button to go to the database.
   
   
   
3. Choose: Navigation Menu > Search Menu. Click OK.
4. Select the time period you are interested in and click OK to continue.
5. Use the tab "Investment Type" to select all Buyout Related deals.
6. Go to the tab "Fund/Firm" and use the variable/option Fund Nation (double-click to select it)
7. Type in Netherlands and double-click to select this nation. Click OK to continue.
   
   
   
8. Close the Search screen and use the button "Execute" at the top of your screen (to the right) to find these funds.
9. Create a custom report using the menu option at the top of the screen: Report > New Custom
10. From the items screen search and select the following variables:
    - Fund Name = Naam of the fund that is managed
    - Fund Portfolio Cos Name = Overview of the Current companies in the portfolio
    - Fund's Mgmt Firm: Name = Firm that manages the portfolio
    - Mgmt Firm's Fund List = Names of the funds that are managed by the firm.
11. When you are done, close the Items screen and save the report under an easily recognizable name
12. Use the button "Execute" at the top of your screen (to the right) to view the new report. (If a message pops up on the size of the report just click NO to NOT return to design mode).
13. At the top left corner in the menu you find the option to save/export the list of Funds: Document > Export/Save as.

Important tip: if you are interested in finding out more information on the companies in the portfolio's of the funds you can add the following two variables to make it easier to find out more:

• Fund Portfolio Cos: 6-digit Cusip = Cusip identification code for the companies in the portfolio
• Fund Portfolio Cos: Ticker = Ticker code for the companies in the portfolio

Using these codes it may be easier to get more information on the companies from other databases in SDC Platinum, or databases like Datastream or Compustat. For a short overview of options you can check out an earlier blog item on databases and company identifiers. If you are going to use Cusip codes to look up more data be sure to save the report in SDC as a text file. If you save the report to excel you may lose zero's or other characters of the Cusip codes due to the automatic formatting Excel applies. Searching for additional information using "formatted" Cusip codes may cause problems. After saving the report as a text file you can always open it later in Excel or other programs. Using Excel you can use the text wizard to get the data in the correct columns again. Just make sure to import everything as Text!

Author information: LinkedIn

11:32 AM - 2 September 2010

SDC VentureXpert Report problem: supplemental

A short while ago I reported that there is a problem with one of the standard reports that are available in the VentureXpert database of SDC Platinum. The problem has been reported to the Thomson company and they are currently working on it. Earlier, I thought the problem would be fixed in days or a week at most. It seems the problem is harder to fix than I thought because today I was told that it will take several Months before the problem is fixed. It may be that it will take until the end of the year. I hope that the problem will be fixed sooner, though!

In the mean time maybe you can try contacting the helpdesk of your organization (or the owner Thomson Reuters) If you need the data from this report and cannot get it any other way.

Author information: LinkedIn

06:06 PM - 14 June 2010

SDC VentureXpert Report problem

At the moment there appears to be a problem with one of the standard reports that are available in the VentureXpert database of SDC Platinum. The problem concerns the report "Cumulative Performance / Cumulative Internal Rate of Return (IRR)". When I do a search a search and call up the report I get an empty report with no cumulative data.

Below you see an example of a search + Report combination that shows the problem:
- Database Selection: Performance
- Search menu
- United States
- 3. All private Equity Funds
- No limitations on fund characteristics
- Report: Cumulative Performance / Cumulative Internal Rate of Return (IRR)
- Annual
- From date: december 1984
- To Date: december 2009

The problem has been reported to the Thomson company and they are currently busy investigating the problem.

Author information: LinkedIn

11:39 AM - 9 June 2010

Datastream and SDC Platinum (M&A)

Today I found out that the SDC Platinum database Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) has a couple of variables that allow you to search for companies in this SDC database using Datastream codes (Mnemonic in Datastream: DS Code). In addition it is also possible to include the variables in your custom report. Using these codes from the SDC download you can then find more company data in Datastream by uploading these codes as a list in Excel.

The Datastream code variables in the M&A database are:

• Acquirer Datastream Code (Code: A_DS_CODE)
• Target Datastream Code (Code: T_DS_CODE)
• Target or Acquiror Code (Code: B_DS_CODE)

Using the Tool "list wizard" you can upload the datastream code list in Datastream. It is important to remember, that company names in Datastream may have changed and that this database has another name for the same company instead of the original name as reported in the M&A database of SDC Platinum.

When I found out that the M&A database had these search variables I also tried to upload a list of DS codes from Datastream in the M&A database but this did not work as it should. I keep getting zero search results. I have contacted the helpdesk about this and I hope to get an answer from them soon. When I do, I will post this, of course.

Note: To be on the safe side it is always a good idea to download other codes as well in case you need to search in more databases. Company codes that may be relevant are: CUSIP, Sedol and Ticker.

Author information: LinkedIn

02:04 PM - 17 February 2010

Residential Mortgage Backed securities

Residential Mortgage Backed securities are a type of Mortgage-backed security which are backed by mortgages on residential rather than commercial real estate.

The SDC Platinum Global New Issue (GNI) is a good source for data if you are interested in Residential Mortgage Backed Securities (RMBS). Unfortunately, there is not a single search variable which can be used to get the data you need from the GNI database. I investigated it a bit and checked with the Thomson Reuters helpdesk and the way to get this data is to do a combined search.

If, for example, you want the RMBS data for Germany you need to first select "All Asset Backed Issues" using the variable "Mortgage or Asset-Backed Issue type". This variable can be found in the search screen in the tab "Deal". When you double-click on the variable you then select "All Asset Backed Issues" (MTGTYPC = G,I,J,L,O,R).

Next you can narrow the search result by searching the database through the "All Items" tab. After selecting the tab, type in "Issue type". When the variables are shown that have this text in the name you should be able to find the search variable "Asset Type Backing Issue". Double-click on this variable and select the the type "residential mtg".

As the final step you can use the variable "Issuer/Borrower Nation" to narrow the search result to RMBS in Germany (West and East Germany (GD + WG)).

Author information: LinkedIn

10:27 AM - 25 November 2009