----------------------------- OMB APPROVAL ----------------------------- OMB Number: 3235-0006 Expires: August 31, 2012 Estimated average burden hours per response:............23.5 ----------------------------- UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 FORM 13F FORM 13F COVER PAGE Report for the Calendar Year or Quarter Ended: September 30, 2011 Check here if Amendment [_]; Amendment Number: -------------------- This Amendment (Check only one.): [_] is a restatement. [_] adds new holdings entries. Institutional Investment Manager Filing this Report: Name: The Blackstone Group L.P. Address: 345 Park Avenue New York, NY 10154 Form 13F File Number: 28-13114 The institutional investment manager filing this report and the person by whom it is signed hereby represent that the person signing the report is authorized to submit it, that all information contained herein is true, correct and complete, and that it is understood that all required items, statements, schedules, lists, and tables, are considered integral parts of this form. Person Signing this Report on Behalf of Reporting Manager: Name: John G. Finley Title: Authorized Person Phone: (212) 583-5000 Signature, Place, and Date of Signing: /s/ John G. Finley New York, NY November 14, 2011 ---------------------------- ------------------ --------------------- [Signature] [City, State] [Date] Report Type (Check only one): [X] 13F HOLDINGS REPORT. (Check here if all holdings of this reporting manager are reported in this report.) [_] 13F NOTICE. (Check here if no holdings reported are in this report, and all holdings are reported by other reporting manager(s).) [_] 13F COMBINATION REPORT. (Check here if a portion of the holdings for this reporting manager are reported in this report and a portion are reported by other reporting manager(s).) FORM 13F SUMMARY PAGE Report Summary: Number of Other Included Managers: 2 Form 13F Information Table Entry Total: 36 Form 13F Information Table Value Total: $5,981,052 ----------- (thousands) List of Other Included Managers: Provide a numbered list of the name(s) and Form 13F file number(s) of all institutional investment managers with respect to which this report is filed, other than the manager filing this report. Number Form 13F File Number Name ------ -------------------- ---- 1 28-13113 Blackstone Capital Partners V L.P. 2 28-12332 GSO Capital Partners LP Explanatory Notes: (1) The Blackstone Group L.P. is managed and operated by its general partner, Blackstone Group Management L.L.C., which is in turn wholly-owned by Blackstone's senior managing directors and controlled by Mr. Stephen A. Schwarzman, one of its founders. FORM 13F INFORMATION TABLE THE BLACKSTONE GROUP L.P. FOR THE QUARTER ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2011 VOTING AUTHORITY VALUE SHRS OR SH/ PUT/ INV. OTHER --------------------------- NAME OF ISSUER TITLE OF CLASS CUSIP (1000S) PRN AMT PRN CALL DISCRETION MANAGERS SOLE SHARED NONE -------------------- --------------- ----------- ---------- ------------ --- ---- ---------- -------- ---------- ----------- ---- BANKUNITED, INC. COM 06652K 10 3 $ 284,851 13,721,131 SH SOLE 1 13,721,131 BEAZER HOMES USA INC COM 07556Q 10 5 $ 29 19,041(a) SH Call SOLE 2 19,041 BIOSCRIP, INC. COM 09069N 10 8 $ 2,012 316,327 SH SOLE 316,327 BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON HLDG COR CL A 099502 10 6 $ 3,818 256,750 SH SOLE 256,750 CEMEX SA EURO MTN BE DEBT 3.250% 3/1 P2253T HV 4 $ 3,780 8,000,000 PRN SOLE 2 - CEMEX SA EURO MTN BE DEBT 3.750% 3/1 P2253T HW 2 $ 4,948 10,500,000 PRN SOLE 2 - CHENIERE ENERGY INC. COM NEW 16411R 20 8 $ 25,185 4,890,300 SH SOLE 2 4,890,300 CHENIERE ENERGY INC. COM NEW 16411R 20 8 $ 306 59,365 SH SOLE 59,365 CHINA DIGITAL TV HLDG CO LTD SPONSORED ADR 16938G 10 7 $ 338 86,697 SH SOLE 86,697 CROSSTEX ENERGY LP COM 22765U 10 2 $ 16,265 1,002,800 SH SOLE 2 1,002,800 CUMULUS MEDIA INC. CL A 231082 10 8 $ 9,415 3,315,238 SH SOLE 3,315,238 DR REDDYS LABS LTD ADR 256135 20 3 $ 2,211 74,200 SH SOLE 74,200 FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR SHARED- HOLDINGS I, LTD SHS OLD G3727Q 10 1 $2,163,390 196,136,895(b) SH OTHER 1 196,136,895 GENERAL GROWTH PPTYS INC NEW COM 370023 10 3 $ 604,310 49,942,980(c) SH SOLE 49,942,980 GENERAL MTRS CO COM 37045V 10 0 $ 139 6,872(d) SH Call SOLE 2 6,872 HDFC BANK LTD ADR REPS 3 SHS 40415F 10 1 $ 2,973 102,000 SH SOLE 102,000 HOWARD HUGHES CORPORATION COM 44267D 10 7 $ 16,872 400,764(e) SH SOLE 400,764 HSBC HLDGS PLC SPON ADR NEW 404280 40 6 $ 324 8,522 SH SOLE 8,522 ICICI BK LTD ADR 45104G 10 4 $ 135 3,900 SH SOLE 3,900 LORAL SPACE & COMMUNICATNS I COM 543881 10 6 $ 23,264 464,345 SH SOLE 2 464,345 MBIA INC. COM 55262C 10 0 $ 10,909 1,500,530 SH SOLE 2 1,500,530 MGIC INVT CORP WIS 5.000% 5/0 552848 AD 5 $ 5,650 10,000,000 PRN SOLE 2 - NIELSEN HOLDINGS N.V. COM N63218 10 6 $1,436,887 55,095,361 SH SOLE 1 55,095,361 ORBITZ WORLDWIDE INC COM 68557K 10 9 $ 119,451 55,046,598(f) SH SOLE 1 55,046,598 PULTE GROUP INC COM 745867 10 1 $ 5,925 1,500,000 SH SOLE 2 1,500,000 PULTE GROUP INC COM 745867 10 1 $ 251 63,654(g) SH Call SOLE 2 63,654 SOHU COM INC COM 83408W 10 3 $ 285 5,905 SH SOLE 5,905 SPDR S&P 500 ETF TR TR UNIT 78462F 10 3 $ 4,809 42,500 SH Put SOLE 2 42,500 VOTING AUTHORITY VALUE SHRS OR SH/ PUT/ INV. OTHER --------------------------- NAME OF ISSUER TITLE OF CLASS CUSIP (1000S) PRN AMT PRN CALL DISCRETION MANAGERS SOLE SHARED NONE -------------------- --------------- ----------- ---------- -------------- ---- ---- ---------- -------- ---------- ----------- ---- SPDR SERIES TRUST S&P HOMEBUILD 78464A 88 8 $ 332 25,000 SH Call SOLE 2 25,000 SPRINT NEXTEL CORP COM SER 1 852061 10 0 $ 34 11,189 SH Call SOLE 2 11,189 STANDARD PAC CORP NEW COM 85375C 10 1 $ 9,442 3,822,494 SH SOLE 2 3,822,494 STANDARD PAC CORP NEW COM 85375C 10 1 $ 35 14,075(h) SH Call SOLE 2 14,075 TATA MTRS LTD SPONSORED ADR 876568 50 2 $ 164 10,650 SH SOLE 10,650 TEAM HEALTH HOLDINGS, INC COM 87817A 10 7 $ 583,018 35,506,563 SH SOLE 35,506,563 TRW AUTOMOTIVE HLDGS CORP COM 87264S 10 6 $ 637,856 19,488,416 SH SOLE 19,488,416 US CONCRETE INC COM NEW 90333L 20 1 $ 1,439 350,094 SH SOLE 2 350,094 (a) Includes two series of BEAZER HOMES USA INC call options. (b) Represents shares held by Freescale LP. Certain funds affiliated with The Blackstone Group L.P. hold 3,395,055 Class A limited partnership interests in Freescale LP, representing 48.02% of the total Class A limited partnership interests outstanding. Certain funds affiliated with The Blackstone Group L.P. also hold 250 shares of Freescale Holdings G.P., Ltd., the general partner of Freescale LP, representing 25% of the total shares outstanding. (c) Includes 2,492,751 shares owned by Blackstone GGP Principal Transaction Partners L.P., a co-investment entity. (d) Includes two series of GENERAL MTRS CO call options. (e) Includes 20,004 shares owned by Blackstone GGP Principal Transaction Partners L.P., a co-investment entity. (f) The shares reported herein are not under the investment discretion of The Blackstone Group L.P. but are under the investment discretion of Blackstone LR Associates (Cayman) V Ltd., of which Mr. Stephen A. Schwarzman is a controlling person. (g) Includes three series of PULTE GROUP INC call options. (h) Includes two series of STANDARD PAC CORP NEW call options.