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Business Strategy Insights
From 60 days to 6 months: Why you need an M&A attorney
April 8, 2022 / in Business Strategy, Sell a Business / by Al Statz
We had a signed letter of intent in April and were set to close the transaction in June – until the seller’s lawyer got in the way. What should have taken 60 days ballooned into a full six months. Luckily, it still closed. Why you need an M&A attorney When selling your business, the M&A attorney looks out for your best interests. They help you understand the risks involved and how to mitigate them. They …
M&A Deal Terms: Average Capital Structure
March 31, 2022 / in Business Strategy, Sell a Business / by Al Statz
The following chart from GF Data shows the average capital structure over the past 5 years for middle market business acquisitions. Equity contributions have varied only slightly over that time, in the range of 46% to 49%. Overall there was a slight rise during COVID, but nothing major. There are two different stories based on deal size however. In the $10-50 million total enterprise value (TEV) bracket, average equity contribution dropped. However, for deals in …
M&A in 2022: Is this the year to sell?
March 31, 2022 / in Business Strategy, Sell a Business / by Al Statz
If you’re a business owner, you’ve probably had a rough couple of years – and the challenges aren’t over. While COVID-19 may be weakening its grip, talent shortages, supply chain issues, and inflation are still very much at play. And yet, the economy is surging. Many of the business owners we talk to have all the work they can handle and strong balance sheets. So on the plus side, performance is good. On the negative, …
How Supply Chain Issues are Complicating M&A Dealmaking
February 2, 2022 / in Acquire a Business, Business Strategy, Sell a Business / by Al Statz
Many businesses are struggling with supply chain issues right now. After vaccine programs and government stimulus monies kicked in and economies roared back to life this past year, global supply chains came under immense strain as weaknesses were exposed. Though conditions have improved slightly in just the past few months, experts in most industries are forecasting that supply chain troubles will persist well into 2023. This article discusses some of the ways that supply chain …
Valuing Personal Goodwill
January 17, 2022 / in Business Strategy, Business Valuation / by Victor Vazquez
What is personal goodwill? Before starting our discussion about personal goodwill, it is necessary to establish a common ground to understand the concept. First, it is an identifiable intangible asset that will generate future economic benefits to the asset owner. While there is no standard definition. Adam Mason and David Wood searched various textbooks, articles, and leading court cases[1]that define this term. From that exercise, we chose to utilize the following definitions for our discussion; …
Buyer’s top focus is employee team
November 2, 2021 / in Business Strategy, Exit Planning, Sell a Business / by Al Statz
Employees. Finding them. Keeping them. It’s on everyone’s mind right now. And for the company or person who buys your business, it just may be their number one concern. In the latest IBBA and M&A Source Market Pulse Report, a quarterly survey of M&A advisors, respondents indicated that employees were buyers number one due diligence concern so far this year. Employee issues, specifically longevity, loyalty and work ethic, ranked ahead of other due diligence priorities …
M&A Advisor Tip: Take a vacation to grow your value
September 23, 2021 / in Business Strategy, Exit Planning / by Al Statz
Build a strong management team and work on transitioning yourself out of the business. Buyers want to see that the business can run—and run well—without your constant attention. What would happen if you took the summer off? What would you come back to? If the answer is locked doors, then you’ve got some work to do. If your team might call you and have a meeting once a week, you’re moving in the right direction. …
Keep widening your moat
September 10, 2021 / in Business Strategy, Exit Planning / by Al Statz
When buying a business, one of the qualities buyers look for is barriers to entry. The harder it is for someone to get started in your business or take away your customers, the bigger the barrier. When investing in businesses, Warren Buffet talks a lot about moats. “In business, I look for an economic castle protected by unbreachable moats,” he says. “If you have an economic castle, people are going to come and want to …
7 Keys to Making Your Business Sellable
April 27, 2021 / in Business Strategy, Sell a Business / by Roy Martinez
A business owner recently asked me what she could do to increase the value of her business. She wants to sell and retire in a few years. My advice was: It is easier to sell big businesses than small businesses. The magic number is $1 million in adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization). When a business has more than $1 million EBITDA, it becomes attractive to all buyer types: individuals, strategic buyers, …
Biden tax plan driving business owners to market
March 17, 2021 / in Business Strategy, News, Sell a Business / by Al Statz
During his campaign, President Biden proposed tax changes that could have a significant impact on business owners. Any business owner contemplating an exit in the next few years should consider how potential tax changes could reduce their net proceeds from a sale. If Biden’s tax plans come to fruition, the capital gains tax rate could effectively double, from 20% to 39.6% for income exceeding $1 million. Right now, that means business owners need to shift …
Exit Strategies Group, Inc. is a leading provider of business sales and acquisitions, business valuations, and exit planning services for family owned and closely-held companies since 2002.
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