Following a recent market weakening that made it challenging for them to sell the debt to investors.
Investment banks are continuing to put billions of dollars of hazardous debt supporting significant business buyouts onto their own balance sheets.
According to persons familiar with the situation, a group of banks that includes Bank of America Corp.
Barclays PLC, and Credit Suisse Group AG is financing the majority of the debt for the purchase of TV ratings business Nielsen Holdings PLC themselves.
The current market weakening has made it difficult for investment banks to sell the riskier debt to investors.
So they are continuing to add billions of dollars of it to their own balance sheets as part of huge company buyouts.