When it comes to building a diversified investment portfolio, one key factor to consider is the concept of equity multiple. Equity multiple is a metric that measures the potential return on investment (ROI) for a particular investment opportunity.

Equity multiple is calculated by dividing the total amount of money returned to investors by the amount of money they initially invested. For example, if an investor puts in $100,000 and receives $200,000 in return, the equity multiple would be 2x.

The role of equity multiple in portfolio diversification is crucial. By investing in a variety of opportunities with different equity multiples, investors can spread their risk and potentially increase their overall returns. For instance, if one investment has a lower equity multiple but offers stability, another investment with a higher equity multiple may provide the opportunity for greater returns but with increased risk.

Let’s consider an example to illustrate this point. Suppose an investor has $500,000 to invest and decides to allocate it across three different opportunities: Opportunity A with an equity multiple of 1.5x, Opportunity B with an equity multiple of 2.5x, and Opportunity C with an equity multiple of 3x.

If the investor invests $200,000 in Opportunity A, $150,000 in Opportunity B, and $150,000 in Opportunity C, the potential returns would be $300,000, $375,000, and $450,000 respectively. The total equity multiple for the portfolio would be 2.65x.

By diversifying the portfolio and including investments with different equity multiples, the investor has the potential to achieve a higher overall return while spreading their risk across multiple opportunities.

In conclusion, understanding the concept of equity multiple is essential for building a diversified investment portfolio. By carefully selecting investments with varying equity multiples, investors can balance risk and reward to optimize their overall returns.