After months of fanfare, the renewed interest in stub equity, which gives public shareholders a stake in buyouts, may be squelched as Kohlberg Kravis Roberts threatens to walk away from the proposed buyout of Harman International and Clear Channel Communications awaits a controversial shareholder vote on Tuesday.

Stub equity, a concept that was created by KKR in the 1980s and shelved before being resurrected this year, allows a portion, or "stub" of an acquired company to remain publicly traded. Theoretically, the practice gives public shareholders a chance to enjoy high returns as private equity firms turn around the company's operations. It also allows private equity firms to put less of their own cash into a bid.