Blackstone Group to go public?

Now this is ironic. Part of the appeal, if not the main selling point, of a leveraged buyout these days is that companies can escape the burdens of being a publicly traded company. That is, the burden of Sarbanes-Oxley. But the Blackstone Group is currently preparing for an initial public offering that would be a momentous event. You have to wonder if other big names--Carlyle Group, Kohlberg Kravis Robert and others--will follow suit. It's all about making money and maximizing value as well as allowing the big names to cash out a bit--so you can't blame them. I am sure they have worked out ways to not disclose too much about specific portfolio companies. It's fair to say the public might get more information, but I am not sure how much more. And shareholder meetings could prove "lively."

For more:
- here's the New York Times article