Strategies Direct Equity Investments

Globally diversified platform targeting the SMID market with unique positioning

Our direct equity investment strategy leverages the benefits of the Hamilton Lane platform and market access, aiming to execute high-quality direct equity investments and construct portfolios positioned to deliver compelling returns for our investors. The strategy is primarily focused on making direct equity investments in companies with small- to mid-sized enterprise values. By diversifying our investments, we seek to minimize market risks associated with over-exposure to a single general partner, geography, industry or deal type or size. Our objective is to maximize the multiple of invested capital as well as the IRR for each of the direct equity investments.

  • Leverage Hamilton Lane's extensive platform to drive unique and differentiated deal flow and access for our investors
  • Provide access to direct equity/ co-investments at preferential fees and terms versus traditional buyout funds
  • Focus on small- and mid-sized investments, with nearly 82% of investments co-underwritten or with proprietary access since 2014*

*Represents Proprietary, Advantaged, and Co-Underwritten invested deals in Hamilton Lane Co-Investment Fund III (EO III), Hamilton Lane Co-Investment Fund IV (EO IV) and Hamilton Lane Equity Opportunities Fund V (EO V) by deal count as of 6/30/2025.

844

Opportunities Reviewed YTD 2025**

$18.6B

Direct Equity AUM***

29

Years of Direct Equity Experience

**As of 12/2/2025

***Discretionary Assets Under Management ("AUM") includes all investments managed by Hamilton Lane for which Hamilton Lane retains a level of discretion for the investment decisions as of 10/1/2025. AUM equals assets under management for active accounts. AUM is equal to market value plus unfunded. AUM calculation does not include authorized to invest amounts (ANI). ANI can only be attributed to commingled fund-of-funds and separate accounts and cannot be attributed to underlying investments. Direct Equity AUM includes direct equity investments and does not include direct credit investments.


Deal Spotlights

MacLean Power Systems

Who they are

A leading manufacturer of componentry used in the maintenance and new construction of the North American electric grid.

Why it matters

The investment was underpinned by durable secular tailwinds from rising energy demand and grid modernization, MacLean’s strong competitive position and the mission-critical nature of its products and solutions. 

The HL advantage

We served as a strategic co-underwrite partner to Centerbridge in the transaction, leveraging our long-standing relationship with the firm and received favorable allocation in the deal.   

The bottom line

In November 2025, Blackstone agreed to acquire MacLean from Centerbridge and merge it with Power Grid Components. The transaction closed in March 2026, generating a 3.9x gross MOIC and 57% gross IRR, a significant uplift from the Q3 2025 mark of 2.5x MOIC and 43% IRR.

Past performance is not an indicator of future results.

ABC Legal

Who they are

A digital marketplace that connects attorneys with drivers (“process servers” or “servers”) to deliver legal documents (writs, complaints, subpoenas, and summons) in compliance with procedural regulations.

Why it matters

ABC Legal is a scaled market leader in a large, fragmented market, supported by a strong growth track record, durable revenue visibility and a highly differentiated tech stack. With meaningful upside from ongoing digital expansion and operational efficiency initiatives—and a sponsor with proven sector expertise—ABC Legal is well-positioned to deliver sustained, profitable growth.

The HL advantage

We received early access to the deal and an allocation more than three times larger than the next-largest co-investor’s, reflecting our longstanding relationship with the sponsor. Hamilton Lane has backed the sponsor's primary funds and been an LPAC member since 2012, and the direct equity team has made seven platform investments alongside the sponsor. 

AOM Infusion

Who they are

A leading specialty home infusion provider focused on chronic inflammatory disease therapies and biologics to treat 80+ chronic conditions.

Why it matters

The company is well-positioned to capitalize on the large market opportunity driven by an increase in home infusion as payors seek lower-cost care sites. The company's strong relationships with payors and health systems, white-glove patient service, tech stack and proprietary data and analytics infrastructure drive high satisfaction rates and position the company as a differentiated and highly scalable platform.

The HL advantage

The GP approached us early to serve as a co-underwriter, recognizing our capability to move quickly and decisively as a strategic partner. Our involvement enabled the sponsor to strengthen their position during the competitive auction process.

The bottom line

AOM has performed above expectations with LTM Q2 2025 revenue and EBITDA increasing 39% and 28%, respectively, over the prior year period.

Read our take on the current Direct Equity landscape
Our experienced, global direct equity team maintains a diverse range of sophisticated transactional skillsets, paired with differentiated sourcing capabilities to create unique opportunities in any climate. This has helped us deliver a best-in-class investor experience and consistently strong strategy performance. Our platform advantages allow us to access transactions that others cannot and utilizes a distinct private market information database to invest in the most attractive private companies around the world.
Drew Schardt
Co-Head of Direct Equity Investments

Leveraging our database of over 23,300 funds and 163,870 portfolio companies

Our data advantage is a key differentiator and allows the Direct Equity Investment Team to access an abundance of investment opportunities and information advantages throughout the investment lifecycle, from diligence to allocation to monitoring and reporting. We leverage our firm’s capabilities and in-depth knowledge of the private markets, as well as our significant technological reporting and analytical capabilities, to better understand the value drivers within a given investment and ultimately strive to generate compelling returns for our investors.

*As of 12/31/2024

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