Where Private Equity Collides with Donuts and National Security

Pop quiz: What do donuts and national security/intel have in common?  Better stated, what do Dunkin' Donuts and Booz Allen Hamilton have in common?

Answer: They may soon both have the same owner, the Carlyle Group.  Carlyle purchased Dunkin Donuts for a discount at $2.4 Billion back in December of '05 . . . and now is eyeballing BAH's government contracting business for around the same purchase price, speculatively valued at approximately $2 billion.

As they say, "Only in America" . . . Yes, you have to love the private equity game!

Notably Booz Allen is a key adviser and prime contractor to all of the major U.S. intelligence agencies – the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), the National Security Agency (NSA),  and – as well as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the National Counterterrorism Center, the Department of Defense and most of the Pentagon’s combat commands.

On the other side of the spectrum, Dunkin Donuts is an organization that sees 80% of its revenue come from the geography between Boston and D.C. . . . and well, makes donuts.

If you're interested, here's some more reading:

Carlyle Group May Buy Major CIA Contractor: Booz Allen Hamilton