What's with all the private equity purchasing semi to not profitable businesses as of late?

[harddriver]

Private Equity usually runs them into the ground, makes them lease back all their own properties and in the end bankrupt them, part them out and take the real estate. The companies stock is no longer traded on the public stock market once the private equity buys them. Looks like predatory capitalism at it's best.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_private_equity_owned_companies_that_have_filed_for_bankruptcy

The following private equity firm or hedge fund owned companies have filed for bankruptcy protection:

• A&P (grocery chain)<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...ave_filed_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-Atlantic-1"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a>
• Big Lots<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...led_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-S&amp;P_Global-2"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a>
• Brookstone<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...hat_have_filed_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-CNN-3"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a>
• Envision Healthcare<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...e_filed_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-HealthExec-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a>
• Friendly's<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...ave_filed_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-Atlantic-1"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></a>
• GenesisCare<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...e_filed_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-HealthExec-4"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a>
• Hearthside Food Solutions - aka "H-Food Holdings LLC"<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...led_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-S&amp;P_Global-2"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...es_that_have_filed_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-5"><span>[</span>5<span>]</span></a>
• Hooters<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...es_that_have_filed_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-6"><span>[</span>6<span>]</span></a>
• Hudson's Bay Company<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...es_that_have_filed_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-7"><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a>
• Instant Brands (maker of Instant Pot and Pyrex)<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...iled_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-privatebanker-8"><span>[</span>8<span>]</span></a>
• Joann<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...es_that_have_filed_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-9"><span>[</span>9<span>]</span></a>
• Kmart<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...s_that_have_filed_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-10"><span>[</span>10<span>]</span></a>
• On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...s_that_have_filed_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-11"><span>[</span>11<span>]</span></a>
• Party City<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...s_that_have_filed_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-12"><span>[</span>12<span>]</span></a>
• Payless Shoe Source<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...hat_have_filed_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-CNN-3"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a>
• Prospect Medical Holdings<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...s_that_have_filed_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-13"><span>[</span>13<span>]</span></a>
• RadioShack<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...hat_have_filed_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-CNN-3"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a>
• Red Lobster<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...iled_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-privatebanker-8"><span>[</span>8<span>]</span></a>
• RJR Nabisco<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...s_that_have_filed_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-14"><span>[</span>14<span>]</span></a>
• Sears<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...hat_have_filed_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-CNN-3"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a>
• Sports Authority<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...hat_have_filed_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-CNN-3"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a>
• Steward Health Care<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...s_that_have_filed_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-15"><span>[</span>15<span>]</span></a>
• TGI Fridays<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...s_that_have_filed_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-16"><span>[</span>16<span>]</span></a>
• Thames Water<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...iled_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-privatebanker-8"><span>[</span>8<span>]</span></a>
• The Limited<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...hat_have_filed_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-CNN-3"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a>
• Toys R Us<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...hat_have_filed_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-CNN-3"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a>
• True Value (hardware retailer)<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...s_that_have_filed_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-17"><span>[</span>17<span>]</span></a>
• TWA<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...s_that_have_filed_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-18"><span>[</span>18<span>]</span></a>
• Vice Media<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...s_that_have_filed_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-19"><span>[</span>19<span>]</span></a>
• Wellpath<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...led_for_bankruptcy#cite_note-S&amp;P_Global-2"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></a>
• Walgreens