Follow Us: Google+
 
Bankrate.com

smart spending

Celebrity investments gone sour

Investing » Celebrity Investments Gone Sour

Bono
Next
3 of 6
Back
text

The investment: Bono is a managing director and co-founder of the private equity firm Elevation Partners, a firm dedicated to large-scale investments in "media, entertainment and consumer-related businesses."

The firm made some solid investments early on, purchasing stakes in Yelp and Facebook, and turning a $300 million investment in video game creators BioWare and Pandemic Studios into more than $620 million when Electronic Arts purchased it from Elevation in 2007.

The dive: Their subsequent investments were less prescient, as the company reportedly sank around $460 million into Palm, and $300 million into Forbes Inc. Forbes has seen its value decimated by the consumer shift from print to online, and Elevation faced huge losses on Palm until HP bought Palm in August 2010 -- giving Elevation a paltry $25 million return on their investment. Last March, the website 24/7 Wall Street dubbed Bono "the worst investor in America."


 

 

advertisement

Show Bankrate's community sharing policy
            Connect with us
Compare Rates
advertisement
Most Read
  1. Nick Nolte's house for sale
  2. 8 eerie ghost towns
  3. 5 best markets for home values
  4. What does a kitchen remodel entail?
  5. Don't sell a smelly house
  6. Headlight requirements by state
  7. 9 gas-only, fuel-efficient cars
  8. 8 affordable, classic cars for retirees
  9. 5 car models that lose value
  10. Top 10 states for foreclosure
advertisement
Partner Center
advertisement

Advertising Disclosure: Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported comparison service. Bankrate may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website.