U.S. private equity firm TPG Inc said on Monday it would buy alternative investment firm Angelo Gordon in a deal valued at $2.7 billion as it looks to bolster its credit investing business.

Major private equity firms have been expanding beyond their mainstay business as the equity funding market loses steam. They are also strengthening their direct lending arms, which provide credit to businesses, to take advantage of high interest rates.

TPG has been strengthening its credit investing business since splitting from its credit arm Sixth Street in 2020. It said Angelo Gordon offers diversification in credit investing, including corporate credit, direct lending and structured credit.

Shares of TPG were down 3.8% in early trading.

Analysts also expect private equity firms to step in to fill the gap left by regional banks, which have traditionally been crucial lenders to the commercial real estate industry but are now tightening their credit standards after the collapse of three U.S. banks this year.

Angelo Gordon, a New York-based investment company with focus on credit and real estate markets, has more than 650 employees across 12 offices in the United States, Europe and Asia.

The firm, founded in 1988, will become a new investing platform within TPG, the companies said in a statement on Monday.

TPG will buy Angelo Gordon in a cash and equity transaction, including about $970 million in cash and up to 62.5 million common units of the TPG Operating Group and restricted stock units of TPG.

Angelo Gordon’s co-chief executives, Josh Baumgarten and Adam Schwartz, will become co-managing partners of the platform, reporting to TPG CEO Jon Winkelried.

TPG and Angelo Gordon had combined assets under management of $208 billion as of Dec. 31.

Ardea Partners LP was lead financial adviser to TPG, while Goldman Sachs and Piper Sandler advised Angelo Gordon.

Reuters