HCA's Private-Equity Investors Score a $1.75 Billion Dividend

For the past two years, private-equity firms have had little to celebrate in terms of big winnings. But finally, they've gotten some good news -- at least, KKR, Bain Capital Partners and Merrill Lynch Global Private Equity did. The firms will receive a juicy $1.75 billion dividend from HCA, the largest hospital operator in the U.S. The company went private in 2006 in a $33 billion transaction.