KKR "Moving ahead" with IPO: After 1 Year?

Why is KKR even talking about this? It has been a year and right now the last thing any investor wants is part of an IPO in a Private Equity firm.

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co co-founder George Roberts said the firm is "moving ahead with its IPO" but declined to comment on timing. Asked if he could comment on the IPO, Roberts told Reuters, "Not really, other than the public statements we've made, which is we're moving ahead with it."

Has Roberts seen the results at Blackstone (NYSE:BX), Fortress (NYSE:FIG) ans Och-Ziff (NYSE:OZM)? All are down 70% to 80 % for the past year. In fact, the argument can be successfully made that the Blackstone IPO was the peak of the market for private equity.