You would have thought, in part because of the performance of the Blackstone Group in the aftermarket, that private equity firms that wanted to go public had given up on the idea. But the Apollo Group, run by Leon Black, remains bent on listing itself on the NYSE. It has filed for an IPO, aiming to raise $475 million, notes the New York Times. The firm's buyout fund apparently has delivered average annual returns of nearly 30 percent through the end of 2007. But it's taking a bath right now with some of its portfolio companies. Some will argue that there is wisdom in going public at the worst time, in that there's nothing but upside. You can bet other private equity giants are thinking much the same.

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

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