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Business Strategy Insights
How to Divest Part of a Company
March 7, 2023 / in Business Strategy, Exit Planning, Sell a Business / by Al Statz
Selling a division or line of business is often more complex than selling an entire company. If you’re like most private business owners, you have never sold a business, let alone carved out and divested part of one. This article shares some of what I’ve learned about planning and executing a successful divestiture during my 20+ years of investment banking. In my experience, most divestitures are intentional efforts to generate liquidity or streamline and strengthen …
Why boomer business owners should watch M&A cycles
August 18, 2022 / in Business Strategy, Exit Planning, Sell a Business / by Al Statz
Approximately 20% of private business owners are over the age of 65. Another 30% are between the ages of 55 and 64, according to estimates from the Census Bureau Annual Business Survey. If we’re going by age trends alone, that suggests roughly half of America’s businesses will transition ownership in the next five to 10 years. This will be the largest transfer of wealth the nation has ever seen in such a short period of …
M&A Advisor Tip: Niche companies can bring top dollar
August 18, 2022 / in Business Strategy, Sell a Business / by Al Statz
It’s often better to be #1 or #2 in a smaller/narrower market than a minor player in a larger/broader market. By targeting and dominating a distinct segment of a market, you help ensure that potential customers think of you first (brand recognition) and continually choose you, again and again. Dominant players usually have lower cost of customer acquisition, first call/last look with customers, and other advantages that drive profit margins up and accelerate growth. Niche …
M&A Advisor Tip: Employee retention adds business value
June 28, 2022 / in Business Strategy, Sell a Business / by Al Statz
“To win in the marketplace, you must first win in the workplace.” Those words of Doug Conant, former CEO of Campbell Soup Company, ring particularly true today. The talent market was tight before the pandemic, but now we’re in a critical state. Finding employees is a challenge for every company. And if you’re selling your business, it might be the buyer’s top concern. Employee issues buyers care about right now: turnover, training, cross-coverage, salary/wage increases, …
Market Pulse – Quarter 4, 2021
May 6, 2022 / in Business Strategy, Exit Planning, Sell a Business / by Al Statz
Seller’s Market Presented by IBBA & M&A Source A seller’s market occurs when demand exceeds supply. There are more interested, active buyers than there are quality deals on the market. In a seller’s market, buyer’s compete in order to win deals. This typically translates to increased values and more favorable deal terms for the seller. In Q4 2021, seller market sentiment rebounded, setting a new peak in all but the $5M-$50M sector. “Business confidence, and …
Small business values up in 2021
May 6, 2022 / in Business Strategy, Sell a Business / by Al Statz
Business values increased in 2021, despite ongoing challenges from the pandemic, talent shortages, and supply chain disruption. Deal activity continued at an intense pace, with advisors across the country reporting increases in both incoming deal flow and completed engagements. More advisors characterized this as a seller’s market than nearly any other time in the last decade, according to the year-end Market Pulse report from IBBA and the M&A Source. Buyer confidence is high, as is …
Six Benefits of Monitoring Company Value
April 21, 2022 / in Business Strategy, Business Valuation / by Al Statz
Even if your business is not for sale, monitoring its market value can be incredibly helpful. This article describes six ways that understanding value over the life of a closely held business benefits shareholders, directors and managers. 1. Value Report Card Like financial statements, an annual independent business valuation is a type of report card on company health. CEO’s can use this report card to educate, align and focus executive teams on maximizing enterprise value. …
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, …