Are You an Expert at What You Do?

So what is an expert and, more importantly, are you one? The term “expert” has many definitions. For anyone who has written a wedding toast or sat through a valedictorian’s speech you know how the next sentence starts…Webster defines an Expert as “one with a special skill or knowledge representing mastery of a particular subject.” If you click through the link you will notice an obsolete definition for the adjective: experienced.

This distinction is important to understand who can hold themselves out as experts in a particular field. In my field, Business Valuation, I consider myself both experienced and an expert. My certification as an Accredited Senior Appraiser through the American Society of Appraisers allows me to separate myself from other experts. For example, in valuing a business, a business broker may hold themselves up as an expert by applying pricing tools to determine the appropriate value of a business in a hypothetical transaction.

However, without the proper training and credentials, a business broker may rely on summary information for market multiples (i.e. the Business Reference Guide) and ignore the details of a transaction search. Without proper valuation training, they may also decide to exclude an income approach as a methodology better suited for a business generating strong cash flows. While the ASA, AICPA, and IRS standards dictate that my work as a credentialed appraiser meets the requirements of their compliance in opining to a value, anyone holding themselves up as an expert needs to follow a Federal Rule of Evidence Rule 702: Testimony by Expert Witnesses which states that;

A witness who is qualified as an expert by knowledge, skill, experience, training, or education may testify in the form of an opinion or otherwise if:

  • the expert’s scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge will help the trier of fact to understand the evidence or to determine a fact in issue;
  • the testimony is based on sufficient facts or data;
  • the testimony is the product of reliable principles and methods; and
  • the expert has reliably applied the principles and methods to the facts of the case.

An Update and a Crackdown

However, an amendment to Federal Rule of Evidence 702 will take effect on December 1, 2023, to help clarify the qualifications of an expert witness. A crackdown using the terms of this amendment has already taken place with increased exclusions and reversals of a lower court’s decision to admit expert evidence. Here are the terms of the amended Rule 702 (changes either crossed out or in bold).

Amended Rule 702: Testimony by Expert Witnesses

A witness who is qualified as an expert by knowledge, skill, experience, training, or education may testify in the form of an opinion or otherwise, if the proponent demonstrates to the court that it is more likely than not that:

  • the expert’s scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge will help the trier of fact to understand the evidence or to determine a fact in issue;
  • the testimony is based on sufficient facts or data;
  • the testimony is the product of reliable principles and methods; and
  • the expert has reliably applied expert’s opinion reflects a reliable application of the principles and methods to the facts of the case.

While the above changes may seem minor, they are having an immediate impact on expert selection by attorneys and the exclusion of experts by judges. One of the top 50 law firms in the US, Perkins Coie, suggests that:

“While the rule has not changed extensively, the amendments clarify the standards federal courts should apply to the qualification of expert witnesses…In addition, counsel preparing expert witnesses may wish to ensure that the expert is prepared to defend the principles and methods used as appropriate and reliably applied to the given case.”

A Daubert Standard

Cornell Law School’s database of legal terms defines the Daubert Standard as follows:

“The ‘Daubert Standard’ provides a systematic framework for a trial court judge to assess the reliability and relevance of expert witness testimony before it is presented to a jury. Established in the 1993 U.S. Supreme Court case Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals Inc., 509 U.S. 579 (1993), this standard transformed the landscape of expert testimony by placing the responsibility on trial judges to act as “gatekeepers” of scientific evidence.”

This standard was recently triggered in a bankruptcy case in South Carolina. The judge determined that the expert was qualified in this case but these challenges continue to occur.

Conclusion

I appreciate and respect someone with knowledge and experience holding themselves up as an expert. However, without the required credentials to pass the Daubert Standard test, I believe a judge, as the “gatekeeper” for the court, is more likely than not to exclude experts without an attorney appeal going forward.

Exit Strategies ten certified appraisers value control and minority ownership interests of private businesses for tax, financial reporting, and strategic purposes…and provide expert testimony. If you’d like help in this regard or have any related questions, you can reach  Joe Orlando, ASA at 503-925-5510 or jorlando@exitstrategiesgroup.com.

A Student of Business

A Key Performance Indicator to Improve the Results of your Testing Lab Exit

When preparing to sell your Testing Laboratory using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) can help to focus your efforts and resources in the right areas.  While numerous KPIs exist, one metric that should be on the radar of all business owners in the testing laboratory industry is the Sales/Employee Ratio. Labor costs make up the largest single expense for Laboratory Testing businesses, accounting for an estimated 38.4% of industry revenue in 2022 (IBIS WORLD July 2022).  For lab owners, monitoring labor costs is critical to improve financial performance and improve business valuations.  This KPI is simple to calculate, easy to understand, and offers valuable insights into a company’s efficiency, productivity, and overall financial health.

 

Defining the Sales/Employee Ratio:

The Sales/Employee Ratio, also known as Sales per Full-Time Equivalent (FTE), measures the sales generated by a company divided by the total number of full-time employees. It provides a clear picture of how efficiently a business is utilizing its workforce to generate sales. The formula for calculating this ratio is straightforward:

Sales/Employee Ratio = Total Sales Revenue / Number of Full-Time Employees

 

Why Sales/Employee Ratio Matters:

  1. Efficiency and Productivity: A high Sales/Employee Ratio indicates that a company efficiently utilizes its human resources to generate revenue. It signifies that employees are productive, effective, and contributing significantly to the organization’s bottom line. A low ratio, on the other hand, could suggest inefficiency, underutilization of staff, or a need to optimize processes.
  2. Financial Performance: The Sales/Employee Ratio directly correlates with a company’s financial performance. By analyzing this KPI over time, businesses can identify trends, measure growth, and evaluate their competitiveness within the industry. A higher ratio indicates strong financial health, profitability, and the ability to generate revenue with fewer resources.
  3. Resource Allocation: The Sales/Employee Ratio can aid in resource allocation decisions. By benchmarking against industry standards and peers, businesses can determine whether they need to adjust their workforce size, invest in employee training, or streamline processes. This ratio can guide decision-making and help optimize human resource utilization.
  4. Scalability and Growth Potential: As businesses expand, the Sales/Employee Ratio becomes even more critical. It helps identify if the current workforce is capable of supporting growth or if additional employees are required to maintain efficiency. A consistent or improving ratio amidst growth indicates that a company has the potential for scalable operations without compromising productivity.

 

How to improve your company’s Sales/Employee Ratio:

Achieving and maintaining a favorable Sales/Employee Ratio requires a strategic approach. Here are some key considerations for improving this KPI:

  1. Training and Skill Development: Invest in training programs to enhance the skills and capabilities of your team. By improving their effectiveness, they can generate higher sales, and be more productive thereby increasing the Sales/Employee Ratio.
  2. Process Optimization: Continuously analyze and refine business processes to eliminate inefficiencies and bottlenecks. Streamline operations can lead to improved productivity and higher sales output per employee.
  3. Technology Adoption: Leverage technology solutions such as customer relationship management (CRM) systems, lab automation tools, and analytics platforms. These tools enable better customer management, data-driven decision-making, and increased production efficiency.
  4. Performance Incentives: Implement performance-based incentive programs to motivate employees and drive them towards achieving higher production targets. Aligning incentives with the Sales/Employee Ratio can create a culture of productivity and accountability.

 

 

Figure 1:US Testing Laboratories Sales/Employee   VerticalIQ, May 2023, US Census

 

It is possible for the Sales/Employee Ratio to be too high.  This could mean that the business is working their employees too hard or not investing sufficiently in business operations.  Figure 1 above shows the average Sales/Employee for Testing Labs in the US based on the number of employees.  This can serve as a benchmark for your company.

 

Conclusion:

The Sales/Employee Ratio is a powerful and simple-to-understand KPI for the owners of Testing Laboratories that want to improve their company’s financial performance in preparation for an exit. By monitoring and optimizing this ratio, business owners can make informed decisions about resource allocation, training, and growth strategies. It serves as a compass for sustainable success, helping organizations unlock the full potential of their workforce while driving revenue growth.

 

Exit Strategies Group helps the owners of Testing Laboratories to navigate their best exits.  If you’d like to have a confidential, no commitment discussion on your exit plans or have related questions, please contact Adam Wiskind, Senior M&A Advisor at (707) 781-8744 or awiskind@exitstrategiesgroup.com.

 

Tags: KPI, testing laboratories, testing lab, exit, M&A, labor costs, sales, key performance indicator

Instead of selling, they’re growing

If it’s a bad time to sell your business, consider growing instead. That’s the takeaway from one contractor whose plans to sell their business got squashed by inflation and supply chain issues in 2022.

Pre-pandemic the business had been doing about $50 million in sales with $6 million in EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, and depreciation). In most markets, that would have made this business a highly attractive acquisition target.

But problems started when the supply chain slowed down – and prices jumped. The lag time between when they signed a job and when they started it began to grow, while costs were also skyrocketing beyond all predictions. Suddenly their $6 million EBITDA had dropped to $2 million as they continued to deliver jobs as contracted.

At the end of the day, the owners were looking at a potential loss of $25+ million in projected business value, solely due to margin contraction and inflation they couldn’t control. Clearly it was no longer a good time to sell, and together we decided to pull their business off the market.

But the owners aren’t just sitting back and licking their wounds. They’ve modified future contracts to better cover the costs of inflation. Perhaps more significantly, they’ve switched from exit mode to acquisition mode and are actively seeking to buy strategic operations, including vertical integration to control their supply chain and pick up additional margin.

In just a few years – maybe as little as three – they’ll be ready to reenter the M&A market with even bigger margins and the higher multiples that go with it. Instead of $6 million EBITDA at an exit multiple of 6-7x EBITDA, the vision is to build a $10 million business that could, plausibly, sell at 8-10x EBITDA.

Takeaway 1: Exit strong

That old advice that you need to “grow or die” isn’t true for every business. Many business owners find their comfort zone and stay there for years before they sell. There’s nothing wrong with building a lifestyle business and keeping it at a size you can manage.

But the higher multiples come when you exit your business on a growth trend. Companies with a clear, actionable plan for growth can often command a premium price when they sell.

After all, when an investor buys an asset, they do it in hopes the asset will grow. That holds true whether the asset is stock, a collector car, real estate – or a business. The bigger the growth potential, often the bigger the purchase price.

Takeaway 2: Get out before you burnout

After retirement, the number two reason business owners sell is that they’re burned out. They’re worn out and frustrated – tired of dealing with employees, capacity, regulatory issues, you name it. Unfortunately, that means margins are often declining when they go to market. And, it means they don’t have the stamina to deal with unexpected blows like the above supply chain-inflation double whammy.

The business owners above had the foresight to sell while they still had gas in the tank. They didn’t have to take a $25 million haircut because they just didn’t have the energy to continue. Just the opposite, in fact! They’re ready to readjust and reinvest with a clear strategy to increase value and exit on a high note.

And because they were already working with an M&A advisory team, they’re better positioned to view their business through a buyer’s eyes. They know what areas of their business will drive value and the targeted improvements they need to make to not just grow revenue but to strategically build value for a planned sale.

Takeaway 3: Now may be the time to buy

In general, the M&A market is expected to rebalance in 2023. We’re coming off years of record high activity and premium valuations, at levels that couldn’t be sustained long-term. To be clear, business valuations are not expected to tank, but simply to return to (still favorable) 2017 to 2019 market conditions.

That said, fears of a recession are looming. Inflation, talent, and energy issues could create economic headwinds and some businesses will struggle. Some business owners, particularly those who are near burnout (see takeaway #2 above), may be willing to sell at a reasonable price.

Think about smaller competitors operating in your space or related markets. Chances are you already know a few businesses that, if acquired, would increase your top-line revenue and your margins.

The right acquisition could come with added benefits like increased capacity in a key area, access to new customer relationships, better control of supply chain, or cross-selling opportunities from strategic product lines. As employee recruitment continues to be a problem, an acquisition with an established workforce could be your smoothest, and most affordable, path to growth.

Talk to your advisors about market conditions and your ability to withstand future speedbumps. Make an informed decision on whether growing, getting out, or keeping the status quo is the right path for you.


For advice on exit planning or selling a business, contact Al Statz, CEO of Exit Strategies Group, Inc., at alstatz@exitstrategiesgroup.comExit Strategies Group is a partner in the Cornerstone International Alliance.

How to Divest Part of a Company

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 core business operations. Often, the divested unit is underperforming and out of alignment with the company’s strategic direction.

Sometimes the asset to be divested is a distinct business unit with its own P&L and minimal overlap with the selling company’s main business. Other times, the asset is significantly integrated with the company’s primary business and some amount of “disentanglement” is needed before it can be reliably marketed and sold for an attractive price.

Spinning off the business into a standalone entity before a sale might even be necessary. From a buyer’s perspective, stand-alone or near-stand-alone entities are more attractive investment opportunities — because they are easier to value, perform due diligence on, and integrate. And since sellers want the buyer to take on and operate the acquired entity as soon as possible, a presale spin-off by the seller should be given consideration.

An entangled business is more challenging to acquire, and therefore sell, because of the added risk of misunderstanding exactly how the target business functions and the risk of making mistakes in the carveout/integration process. Also, consider that buyers will need to make significant investments beyond the purchase consideration. Plus, the pool of potential buyers is generally much smaller for a significantly entangled business.

When selling an entangled business, sellers must often enter into a Transition Services Agreement (TSA) that extends beyond the sale closing. This is an agreement in which the seller agrees to provide certain services to the buyer to maintain business continuity until the buyer is fully prepared to operate the acquired business.

Before attempting a divestiture, it’s worth having an experienced M&A advisor, business attorney and CPA help you conduct due diligence to assess the value and sale readiness of the assets or unit to be divested, and to identify potential challenges that are likely to arise during the sale process and whether a presale spin-off may be warranted. They will help you see the business through a buyer’s eyes and can help you develop a roadmap and budget for a successful divesture.

The divestiture’s purpose and expected financial benefits to the parent and its shareholders should be clear, and potential risks should be well understood. Your team will need to determine the specific assets and liabilities to be transferred, and each entity’s expected future cash flows. The acquisition costs and incremental investments required of an acquirer must also be estimated to arrive at a justifiable valuation. Sellers may decide to delay a sale to boost the group’s performance and show a track record of results before beginning the sale process.

For the sale process you’ll need reasonably accurate and reliable proforma financial statements. You’ll need to provide figures from the parent company’s books to show a buyer how expenses have been allocated.  It pays to be diligent and thoughtful in your preparation. Sloppiness here can lead to no deal and wasted time and money.

Beyond financial considerations, the “separation review” must consider business processes, customers and vendors, equipment, facilities, IT systems, IP, brand and market perception, leadership and governance, tribal knowledge, employee retention and engagement, and more. Acquirers pay a premium when they confidently understand a target business and clearly see how it will fit into their operations, support their strategic goals, and accelerate their future growth.

You’ll also need a strategy for communicating the spin-off and/or divestiture plans to key stakeholders, including employees, shareholders, suppliers, and customers. This will help ensure a successful transition and minimize disruption and potential harm to the business.

In a divesture, think of an M&A advisor as a strategic short-term member of your executive team. They help you develop a winning strategy and manage the entire process — performing financial modeling and valuation, preparing detailed and compelling offering materials, identifying best-fit buyers, conducting buyer outreach, attracting multiple bids and negotiating deal terms, facilitating due diligence, and liaising with attorneys and diligence providers.

All these efforts ensure that the divestiture is completed smoothly and efficiently. Preparation is key. You’d be surprised how challenging it is to maintain deal momentum while still unravelling organizational and operational entanglements.

In conclusion, divesting part of a business is a complex endeavor requiring thoughtful planning and precise execution. Following these steps will increase your odds of closing a deal and achieving your desired outcomes.

Continue the Conversation

Al Statz is president and founder of Exit Strategies Group, Inc. For further information on divesting a business unit or to discuss a potential need, confidentially, contact Al at 707-781-8580 or alstatz@exitstrategiesgroup.com.

Why boomer business owners should watch M&A cycles

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 time.

Right now we’re in a strong seller’s market. Despite the economic uncertainty, rising interest rates and world turmoil, mergers and acquisitions has not cooled down much. It’s economics 101, supply and demand, and there are just more buyers than sellers on the market.

Between private equity and corporate balance sheets, there is more than $8.5 trillion in “dry powder” waiting to be invested in corporate growth and acquisitions. That’s at least $6.84 trillion in cash and short-term investments on corporate balance sheets, and $1.8 trillion in uncommitted capital in private equity funds, according to reports from S&P Global.

Corporations have added 20% to their balance sheets since 2019, and private equity continues to up the ante with record fundraising year over year. All that cash drives up demand and increases value for business sellers.

At some point, though, supply and demand could flip. Right now, experts estimate 10,000 baby boomers are retiring daily. By some estimates, roughly 15% of them own businesses. That’s 1500 additional businesses looking for new ownership every day – and only a small fraction of those will get passed along to a second generation.

By the tail end of this cycle, we could end up in a buyers’ market with more boomers selling their businesses than buying.  Business owners who get ahead of the trend will be in the best position to take advantage of positive market conditions.

Take these steps to increase your chances of a successful sale:

Plan:

It’s tough to maximize value when you’re burned out, so aim to sell while you’re still energized by the business. The average sale takes nine months to a year, not including post-sale transition time.

Instead of planning your retirement around a certain age, you can often reap greater rewards by timing a sale around your business value. Get a regular valuation so you know what your business is worth in the current market.

If age is still your primary deciding factor, begin planning several years in advance. With enough time, your advisors can provide leadership, cash flow and tax positioning strategies that will help you net the most out of a sale.

Prepare emotionally:

Don’t underestimate the emotional impact of selling your business. Leaving an ownership role is hard, especially if you’ve built your business from the ground up.

Many baby boomers struggle to step away when the time comes. Decide how you will define the next chapter in your life. It’s important to have something you’re “retiring to” instead of just something you are “retiring from.”

Seek advice from mentors and peers who have made a similar transition. Talk through what it means to give up your identity as a business owner. For many, it’s easier to make that transition if they already have other strong plans and commitments.

Make selling part of your succession plan:

Don’t have next generation leaders ready to take over the business? Leadership team not prepared to buy you out? Consider how selling your business can play a role in your succession plan.

When selling to private equity, for example, you can often arrange for family members or other key managers to receive an ownership stake in the business. This can be a great way to set your next generation leadership up for success, with strong connections and financial backing behind them.

These arrangements can protect you both financially and emotionally – without the specter of money and debt hanging between you and your family.

Consider staying on after a sale:

Sellers can often negotiate a full-time or part-time advisory role and phase into retirement. Employment contracts can make your business more attractive (and more valuable) to private equity buyers who need experienced leaders in place to maintain operations while they fuel new growth.

The long-predicted seller tsunami is coming. Business was strong before the pandemic, but the crisis put everyone in a short-term holding pattern. With recession fears ahead, people are taking this opportunity to go out on a high note – while they still can.


For advice on exit planning or selling a business, contact Al Statz, CEO of Exit Strategies Group, Inc., at alstatz@exitstrategiesgroup.comExit Strategies Group is a partner in the Cornerstone International Alliance.

M&A Advisor Tip: Niche companies can bring top dollar

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 businesses with high profit margins are generally more valuable than businesses with lower profit margins – even if they have same total profit. Higher margins means more cash flow to pay debt service or reinvest in future growth. Low margins, on the other hand, can mean less operational wiggle room and increased risk. 


For advice on exit planning or selling a business, contact Al Statz, CEO of Exit Strategies Group, Inc., at alstatz@exitstrategiesgroup.comExit Strategies Group is a partner in the Cornerstone International Alliance.

M&A Advisor Tip: Employee retention adds business value

“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, age/retirement plans, employment agreements, location (working from home, not local?), and leadership potential.

Talk to us about how key employees can impact market value. We can share what we’re seeing in your industry and help you evaluate the ROI of certain retention strategies – such as providing critical staff with minority equity shares or retention bonuses.


For advice on exit planning or selling a business, contact Al Statz, CEO of Exit Strategies Group, Inc., at alstatz@exitstrategiesgroup.comExit Strategies Group is a partner in the Cornerstone International Alliance.

Market Pulse – Quarter 4, 2021

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 competition, is high. It’s amazing how fast we rebounded to record levels,” said Anthony Citrolo, managing partner of The NYBB Group. “This is the strongest upwarad swing we’ve seen in any 12-month period.”


For advice on exit planning or selling a business, contact Al Statz, CEO of Exit Strategies Group, Inc., at alstatz@exitstrategiesgroup.com. Exit Strategies Group is a partner in the Cornerstone International Alliance.

Small business values up in 2021

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 competition for quality deals.

Businesses with enterprise value of $5 million to $50 million earned an average multiple of 6.0x EBITDA (a survey peak), realizing an average final sale price at 113% of the internal target benchmark. Multiples remained at or near market peak throughout the Main Street and lower middle market.

Meanwhile, time to close shrank in nearly all market segments. Time to close was likely facilitated by the high rate of buyer competition as well as a push to get deals closed before year-end.

The year end is always a hot time to get deals done as buyers and sellers push to meet self-imposed deadlines. We also know a number of sellers entered the market in early 2021, planning to get ahead of potential increases in capital gains taxes. Many of those deals would have had accepted offers and been in due diligence by the time it became clear tax changes were not yet coming.

Main Street activity

In the Main Street market last year, individual buyers accounted for 71% of business transitions. Of those, 40% were first time buyers and 31% were repeat business owners or what we call “serial entrepreneurs.”

Another 26% of Main Street buyers were existing companies. These are the strategic buyers acquiring other businesses as a way to expand or eliminate competition. A small percentage, just 3%, were private equity acquisitions.

While market definitions vary, businesses are generally considered “Main Street” if they have an enterprise value of less than $2 million. The majority of the transactions that happen in this sector are small, less than $500,000.

In 2021, the most active industries trading hands in the Main Street market were personal services (15%), construction (12%), business services (12%), consumer goods/retail (12%), and restaurants (11%). This represents a small drop-in restaurant activity, likely due to ongoing fallout from the pandemic.

Of those Main Street sellers who went to market in 2021, 53% were preparing for retirement. Another 11% were selling as part of a recapitalization. In a recap, the seller (or sometimes their management team) keeps some level of equity stake in the business while a buyer infuses new capital for growth. Other reasons Main Street sellers went to market included burnout, health issues, relocation, and family issues.

Lower middle market activity

In the lower middle market, where businesses are valued between $2 million and $50 million, the buyer pool shifts. Here individuals accounted for a third (34%) of buyers in 2021, relatively on trend with past years.

The number of individuals buying businesses in 2021 is notable given the highly competitive talent market. It’s likely these buyers (and Main Street buyers, too) could have their choice of employment opportunities. And yet there remains a definite draw to being a business owner. People still want to build something of their own and control their own destiny, even in a job seeker’s market.

Existing companies accounted for 40% of lower middle market transitions in 2021. Generally, these companies have strong balance sheets and are looking to acquisition as a way to grow at a time when organic growth is difficult due to talent shortages.

Private equity continues to remain active in the lower middle market, accounting for 24% of all business transitions. Private equity buyers generate financial returns by acquiring businesses. They typically plan to hold a business for 5 to 7 years, often acquiring similar types of businesses to bolt on, before reselling a larger, more lucrative operation.

These financial buyers tend to focus their efforts on middle market opportunities of $50 million or more. But with competition for those larger deals running hot, we see many firms ticking their attention down to the lower middle market. Here it’s possible to find deals that are large enough to make a difference in their portfolio and yet small enough to go unnoticed by some of their competitors.


For advice on exit planning or selling a business, contact Al Statz, CEO of Exit Strategies Group, Inc., at alstatz@exitstrategiesgroup.comExit Strategies Group is a partner in the Cornerstone International Alliance.