DPI in Private Equity: Meaning & Role

 

Private equity (PE) is an attractive asset class for investors looking to diversify their portfolios beyond traditional stocks and bonds. 

However, unlike public markets, where performance is measured in real time, private equity investments operate on a longer timeline, with returns realised over several years. That’s why investors rely on specific metrics to assess performance—one of the most important being DPI (Distributed to Paid-In Capital).

If you're new to PE investing, understanding the meaning of DPI in private equity is crucial to evaluating your fund's performance and managing expectations. 

In this guide, we’ll explain DPI, how to calculate it, and why it is crucial for assessing private equity investments.

What Is DPI in Private Equity?

DPI, or Distributed to Paid-In Capital, is a performance metric used in private equity to measure the amount of capital returned to investors compared to what they originally invested. It is expressed as a multiple or percentage and indicates how much actual cash an investor has received back from a private equity fund.

For example, suppose you invested £1 million in a private equity fund and have received £1.5 million in distributions so far. This means your DPI would be 1.5x (or 150%).

Unlike other performance metrics that include unrealised gains, DPI only focuses on realised returns, which means actual cash distributions. As such, it’s a valuable tool for assessing the liquidity and profitability of a PE fund.

How to Calculate a DPI

Now that you know what a DPI is and what formula to use, let’s learn how to calculate it. Here’s a simple breakdown:

1. Track Paid-In Capital: The total amount of capital committed and paid into the fund by investors.

2. Monitor Distributions: The total amount of cash and stock distributions the fund has returned to investors.

3. Apply the Formula: Divide the total distributions by the total paid-in capital.

Let’s say an investor commits £2 million to a private equity fund. Over time, the fund distributes £3 million back to the investor. The DPI is calculated as follows:

DPI = £3,000,000 / £2,000,000 = 1.5x (or 150%)

This means that for every pound invested, the investor has received £1.50 in return. 

Interpreting DPI Values: What Is a Good DPI Score?

A good DPI score varies depending on the type of private equity fund and the stage of the investment lifecycle. Here’s how to interpret different DPI levels:

DPI < 0.5: This is considered low and indicates that the fund has not yet returned a significant portion of its paid-in capital. Given that PE funds take longer to yield returns, it is expected in the early years of a fund’s life but may be a red flag if sustained for too long.

DPI = 1.0: A DPI of 1.0 means that investors have received their original investment back but have not yet made a profit. This is a key milestone, but further distributions are necessary for a successful investment.

DPI of 1.5 to 2.0: This is generally viewed as a strong DPI, as it means investors have received 1.5x to 2x their initial investment. This range often indicates a well-performing fund that has realised solid returns.

DPI above 2.0: A DPI exceeding 2.0 is typically regarded as an excellent result, showing that the fund has delivered significant gains and outperformed benchmarks.

DPI vs Other Private Equity Performance Metrics

DPI is just one of several important metrics used to evaluate private equity investments. Let’s compare it with some of the other popular ones like TVPI, RVPI, and IRR:

DPI vs Other Metrics. Unlike TVPI and RVPI, DPI focuses solely on realised gains, making it the best metric for understanding actual cash returns. DPI helps investors compare fund performance, particularly when evaluating fund managers.

The Role of DPI in Private Equity Investing: Key Advantages

Before diving into the role of DPI, it's important to understand the key players in private equity funds:

• Limited Partners (LPs) are investors who commit capital to a private equity fund but have limited liability. LPs include institutional investors such as pension funds, insurance companies, endowments, and high-net-worth individuals.

• General Partners (GPs) are fund managers who make investment decisions, manage portfolio companies and ultimately generate returns for LPs. GPs actively manage the fund and oversee its investment strategy.

DPI plays a crucial role for both LPs and GPs, but in different ways.

Why DPI is Important for Investors (LPs)

DPI helps limited partners, aka investors:

• Assess fund performance. DPI helps investors determine whether a fund is generating actual returns rather than just paper profits. This is particularly important for LPs who want to ensure that their investments yield tangible results.

• Understand liquidity. A high DPI indicates that a fund has distributed significant capital back to investors, offering reassurance about the fund’s ability to generate returns.

• Support reinvestment decisions. Investors often use DPI as a basis for reinvesting their returns into new funds. A strong DPI provides confidence in reinvesting with the same fund manager or within the same asset class.

• Manage the risk. A high DPI can signal that a fund has effectively executed its exit strategies, reducing investor exposure to prolonged illiquidity.

How General Partners Use DPI

DPI is a popular metric for GPs, too. For different reasons, though, including:

• Attracting future investors. GPs showcase strong DPI values to demonstrate their ability to return capital to investors, helping them raise capital for new funds.

• Proving a successful investment strategy. A high DPI shows that a fund has efficiently managed exits and distributions, validating the GP’s investment approach.

• Benchmarking against industry standards. DPI compares performance against similar funds, helping GPs position themselves competitively in the market.

• Performance-based incentives: Many GPs are compensated based on fund performance. A high DPI can increase carried interest, further incentivising strong exit strategies.

Limitations of DPI as a Private Equity Performance Metric

While DPI can be an excellent metric for both investors and fund managers, it’s not without several limitations. It, for example:

⚠️ DPI does not factor in the time value of money. It only considers the total amount of capital returned and does not account for how long it took to receive those distributions. This can be misleading if a fund has a high DPI but took a long time to reach that level.

⚠️ Can be misleading in the early years. PE funds typically return capital later in their lifecycle, with many funds taking years to generate returns. A low DPI in the initial phases may not reflect a fund’s long-term profitability.

⚠️ Excludes unrealised value. A low DPI doesn’t have to indicate poor performance. A fund might still hold valuable assets that have yet to be sold, contributing to overall returns later. 

⚠️ Is not a standalone performance indicator. DPI should always be assessed alongside other metrics, such as TVPI and IRR, to get a holistic view of a fund’s performance.

⚠️ May be different across strategies. DPI tends to be higher in buyout funds that focus on shorter-term liquidity events, whereas venture capital funds, which typically have longer exit timelines, may show lower DPI values early on.

Using DPI for Alternative Investment Funds with Splint Invest

DPI is primarily associated with private equity, as it evaluates the performance of PE funds. However, it can also be a valuable tool for alternative investors. 

Understanding DPI can help investors make better decisions when allocating capital to alternative assets such as collectables, whisky, luxury goods, and more—all available through our Splint Invest platform.

Whether you are new to alternative investing or looking to expand your portfolio, understanding DPI will help you evaluate fund performance and make better investment choices on Splint Invest.

Final Thoughts on DPI in Private Equity & Alternative Investing

DPI, Distributed to Paid-In Capital, is a vital metric for private equity and alternative investment investors. Its key benefit comes from the fact that it’s a clear measure of how much capital has been returned, providing real insights into a fund’s liquidity and realised gains. This can help investors assess actual performance rather than rely solely on paper valuations.

For those looking to invest in alternative assets without the long lock-up periods of traditional private equity, platforms like Splint Invest offer a flexible and accessible solution. By applying DPI to alternative funds, just like in private equity, investors can measure fund performance and make data-driven decisions.

So, are you ready to start investing in alternatives? Set up your investor account today, explore our funds, and seize new, exciting investment opportunities.