The statement whether PE (financial) firms create or destroy value, in comparison to strategic firms is hard, at least for me, to answer.
My experience of working in M&A for 10 years is that PE will take a troubled firm and will make changes, e.g. cutting costs, slashing management overhead to bring it’s P&A and Balance Sheet to the point where it looks attractive for a strategic buyer.
Our company (a strategic investor) buys companies from both strategic and financial (PE) sellers. We buy to address inorganic growth needs. I don’t have any perspective whether -or- how often a PE firm is successful vs. unsuccessful in turning around (or parlaying) an acquired company into something worth more value. Just like vultures play a part in the ecosystem,… so do PE investors. They’re often willing to do things which Strategic investors will be much slower.
Obviously, the industry suggests that the PE investors play a valued role, and they’re being compensated very well for their efforts.