The transportation industry on a whole has seen major opportunities for investment thanks to a myriad of technological advancements such as self-driving cars, ride sharing and alternative fuels. As technology permeates all global industries, the aviation industry has its own unique circumstances, and must turn to acquisitions and market share to create competitive advantages in the 21st century.

Major areas of focus include aerospace, defense, supersonic travel, artificial intelligence, robotics, cybersecurity, surveillance, and communications. The idea of space exploration has become more privatized. It is not just about commercial astronauts anymore, but about making it possible for everyday people to engage in space travel. Also, urban on-demand air transportation is redefining the possibilities for how people commute to work. This technological advancement is proposed to use three-dimensional airspace to ease traffic on the ground, save commuters time and money, and provide a safer yet still relatively quiet travel option.

Aerospace and Defense (A&D)

As global A&D spending increases, so does the opportunity for M&A activity. In our digitized world, threat and risk mitigation continue to take on more importance, resulting in more mergers and acquisitions within IT, cybersecurity, and space companies.

Commercial aerospace firms are stretching their aftermarket capabilities to gain repair revenue over the lifespan of an aircraft fleet and benefit from improvements within the areas of electronics and avionics.

Private equity investors are also becoming more attracted to this sector, looking to sink capital into targets that have high growth prospects and high margins.   

Aircraft Backlogs and the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) Market

Commercial aircraft order backlogs also drive M&A activity in the middle market, as equipment manufacturers within the supply chain must respond to the demand, and are sitting on a tall stack of orders. Over the next 20 years, around 40,000 new aircrafts are slotted for production. Major airlines have a tendency to prefer larger suppliers, so consolidation to create more efficient and reliable MROs is a tactic that ensures the orders can stay on pace without major delays. As this consolidation occurs, it becomes more difficult for smaller, independent MROs to compete, causing them to team up with larger original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in order to meet demand and avert delays.  

Pilot Training

There is an existing and growing pilot shortage that presents a major challenge for all airlines around the world. According to Boeing, it is estimated that 800,000 new pilots will be needed over the next 20 years. More pilots are reaching the mandatory retirement age at the same time that an increasing number of people around the world are booking flights. Plus, military expansion means a reduction in the pool of military pilots that are typically sourced by commercial aviation. These factors all combine to create new opportunities in M&A in the global aviation industry through the need for pilot training and the creation of new, more efficient flight simulators, as well as the development of autonomous piloting technologies.

A New Era of M&A

M&A activity is crucial to the many new types of developments in the global aviation industry. Private equity and venture capital are needed to keep the innovations coming, alongside the pursuance of new growth strategies and market retention by existing industry players. M&A in the aviation industry has become very much about bringing new services to new markets. This changes the way competitive companies must view each other, calling for more collaboration in order to drive innovation and create value.

It is strongly advised that anyone entering into the complex world of aviation M&A obtains an advisor that has the appropriate experience to conduct proper due diligence, navigate the intricacies of the industry, create the right connections, and be familiar with the industry-specific regulatory environments. 

Contact Us

At Benchmark International, we’d love to start a conversation about how we can help you grow or sell your company. Schedule a chat with one of our M&A experts today. Our global network of buyers and our innovative processes make us recognized around the world for getting great deals done.  

A Letter of Intent (“LOI”) is an expression of the buyer’s intent to acquire a seller’s business on specific terms and conditions.  It is considered a milestone in the transaction process, primarily because it is predicated on the concept that the seller and buyer have agreed upon the basic terms, assuming that due diligence supports assumed facts.

An LOI is generally non-binding as to substantive terms (price, transaction structure, and forms of consideration) but is often binding as to process items. These include access to seller’s information, cooperation by the parties, seller’s exclusivity obligations, seller’s obligation to conduct business in the ordinary course, governing law, confidentiality, and allocation of expenses.

Sellers need to manage their expectations and be aware that buyers can still walk away from the deal even after they have reviewed sellers’ sensitive information provided in due diligence.  If the buyer is a direct competitor, this can have unintended consequences for the seller, notwithstanding well-drafted non-disclosure agreements with limitations on use of the information.  For example, will a strategic buyer determine through due diligence that investing the purchase price in their own business is more cost-effective than paying an acquisition premium?  It is critical that the seller and his/her advisor carefully evaluate all offers and determine if the buyer has the actual intent and financial wherewithal to close the transaction before signing the LOI.

Here are some basic considerations for evaluating an LOI.

• Is the deal too good to be true?Reasonable business practitioners do not offer consideration or terms well above the norm.  Such offers often end in re-trades or worse, in a long period of failed efforts to secure acquisition financing, during which time the seller’s business is off the market because of exclusivity.
• How will the buyer finance the transaction? Cash at closing or bank debt. Third-party financing adds significantly to the complexity and timing considerations of the transaction.The seller should consider requiring satisfactory evidence of a financing commitment early in the process, with the ability to break exclusivity, and perhaps recover out of pocket costs if it is not provided in a timely manner. 
• How will the seller be compensated? Will the seller receive the full purchase price in cash at closing?What indemnification provisions (how much for how long) apply?  Is rollover equity a component of the deal?  Is stock of the buyer a component of consideration?
• Is the transaction cash-free/debt-free?If so, does the seller’s balance sheet indicate that a substantial portion of sale proceeds go to retirement of debt?
• Does the transaction include a working capital adjustment?Assuming that value is based upon a stream of cash flows, a “normal” level of working capital (that historically facilitated the income streams used to determine value) will be required at closing.  Careful attention must be given to how this issue is treated in the LOI, and in the asset or stock purchase agreement, because working capital adjustments (based upon factors determined in a quality of earnings review) are often used as an effective re-trade by sophisticated buyers.
• What post-closing involvement is required of the seller?Will the seller be required to continue in the business post-closing?  For how long and for what compensation?
• What non-competition requirements are required?Most acquisition agreements include a non-competition provision that lasts from two to five years.  The points for consideration include geographic location, limitations on the type of business precluded, passive investment versus active participation, and the overall length of time the limitations are effective.

It is crucial to understand that an LOI is not the end of the transaction process, but for legalities.  It is, in effect, just the beginning. Due diligence and quality of earnings review, drafting the asset purchase agreement, and financing the acquisition are all yet to come.  The terms of the LOI can have a serious affect on the seller’s ability to realize his expectations through this process.

Author
Don Rooney 
Transaction Director
Benchmark International

T: +1 813 898 2350
E: Rooney@BenchmarkIntl.com

1. “I can conduct the sale myself.”
You could. But you are likely to get a much better deal if you have the guidance of an M&A professional on your side. Not to mention, you are going to have far less of a headache if you do not take on this complex process on your own. It’s going to take a good bit of time and is going to involve meticulous details. The help of an M&A expert also allows you to remain focused on running your business instead of getting caught up in the sale process and being overwhelmed by trying to juggle both, just to get a smaller profit.

2. “I already know my buyer.”
You know your business better than anyone, so it is easy to assume that you will know your perfect buyer. But it is a competitive world and there are many types of buyers that could be a great fit. Fixating on one type of buyer limits your options. Exploring all of your prospects will allow you to maximize your sale potential. This includes buyers that may not even be in your same industry. You are more likely to find the right buyer with the help of an M&A firm that has global connections and vast experience brokering these types of deals.

3. “Selling will only take a few weeks.”
It is very rare that any merger or acquisition is completed quickly. It typically takes months to years to find the right buyer and iron out the details of the sale. Six months is a common estimated timeframe for small to mid-sized businesses.

4. “Asking price will be the purchase price.”
These are not the same thing. Following negotiations, it is common for the sale price to be lower than the asking price. A qualified M&A advisor can determine the fair market value of your business, help to maximize this value, arrange a better deal, and manage your expectations regarding the transaction.

5. “A buyer's financing is not my problem.”
A buyer's financing should surely concern you because they cannot buy your company without the capital needed to do so. You can play a role in moving the process along by boosting lender confidence through your testament as to how the business can continue to thrive under new ownership.

6. “I already have the advisors I need.”
As a business owner, you have skillful attorneys and accountants on your side that deserve credit for the fine work that they do in their areas of expertise. But it is unlikely that they are experienced in conducting complicated M&A deals. Even if they have a small level of experience with M&A, it probably is not enough to ensure that you get the best deal possible. Remember that selling your company is a monumental one-time deal that will impact the rest of your life. Consider how much you really want to risk your life’s work in the hands of someone who is not a consummate M&A expert.

7. “Next year, I can sell for more.”
Markets can be extremely unpredictable, especially in certain sectors. While timing is important to a sale, it is possible to wait too long and miss out on your best window of opportunity. Working with M&A professionals can help you make better decisions based on reliable data and knowledge, best determining when you should sell.

8. “My business is entirely different.”
It’s not out of the ordinary for a business owner to feel that their company is worth more than it actually is simply because of their emotional connection to it. While most businesses do have their own unique aspects, the reality is that unicorns are rare. You are better off to keep your expectations down to earth, because your business is likely not immune to middle-market norms.

9. “Selling means getting what I want.”
You deserve a deal that delivers on your goals for your future. But remember that a sale is going to have to work for both sides—otherwise you might as well not even consider selling. Many buyers are savvy and recognize when a seller is going to be unreasonable. The best way to fulfill your aspirations is to work with an M&A advisor that knows how to communicate with buyers and negotiate on your behalf while being mindful of how to make the deal enticing for them.

10. “I can wait to sell when I am ready.”
If you are seeking disappointment, this is the attitude to have. Waiting until you feel ready is a major pitfall. There are several factors regarding the economy, your industry, and the state of your business that must be considered into the timing of a sale. You might finally be ready, but you may not get what you could have if you went to market at a more suitable time. If you plan to sell eventually, the smart move is to start preparing your business sooner rather than later.

11. “Things are going great. So why sell now?”
Because when your business is trending upward, you are in a much more advantageous position to sell. You are more likely to see increased competition to buy and higher company valuations, and you will be under less pressure to accept any old offer.

12. “My company is ready to sell.”
Properly preparing a business to be taken to market takes quite a bit of work, time and energy. The level of detail that a business owner puts into compiling finances and business records, increasing marketability, planning for the transition, and crafting an exit strategy, directly impacts the salability of a company. If these matters are not in order, your company is not ready to sell.

13. “I must sell 100 percent of my business.”
There are some buyers that are content to providing capital for a minority ownership stake. This type of deal can give you capital to put back into the business and facilitate growth while you still remain the owner. Working with an M&A advisor can help you identify these buyers.

14. “Negotiating is over once I sign the LOI.”
Signing the letter of intent (LOI) is very important, but negotiations do not end there. There will be comprehensive due diligence leading up to the drafting of the purchase agreement. Negotiations continue until the purchase agreement is signed.

Let’s Talk
If you are considering selling your company and enlisting the help of passionate M&A experts like ours at Benchmark International, we are ready to become your partner in success

1) Discretion

Privacy and confidentiality are absolutely essential to any M&A deal. Anyone handling or involved with the sale of a business must be trusted implicitly to maintain discretion around all details of the business and any sensitive materials, including intellectual property.

Discretion is also important to ensuring that both employees and customers do not hear that the company is for sale before the intended timing. This can result in unnecessary panic and the loss of clients and valued talent. Sellers should seek out an M&A advisory team that has an established reputation of trustworthiness in such delicate matters. 

2) Passion

The best people in the M&A industry do not just like what they do—they absolutely love it. When you love what you are doing, it is easy to be truly dedicated and passionate about it. That kind of passion translates into the ability to deliver on the best interests of the seller and arrange a deal that helps them fulfill their aspirations for their business and their future. When your entrusted M&A expert is passionate about delivering life-changing choices for you, it will be evident in their actions and the options that they bring to you.

3) Analytical Thinking

M&A transactions are very complex and require assessment of a great deal of data and financials, knowledge of valuation techniques, the ability to market a company, and many other aspects. Navigating through so many details with precision is crucial to any lucrative transaction. A highly analytical mind is needed in order to process massive amounts of information and develop an accurate and error-free evaluation in every step of the process.

4) Experience-based Vision

In order to sell or grow a company through M&A, there must be a clear understanding of the seller’s industry, the market, the competition, and applicable geographic regions and their related nuances. An effective M&A strategy for maximum success comes with pertinent experience and the ability to define a clear path to creating value and reaching the best possible outcome. A quality M&A partner will have a proven track record with all of these aspects. 

5) Compassion

To be truly successful as an M&A advisor, there should be a compassionate understanding of the client being served. Business owners have worked so hard through their entire lives to build their companies and selling is a very personal, emotional journey. They are going to have fears and doubts that need to be mitigated. Empathy during the process is key to fully understanding a seller’s motivation and goals for their future. It also facilitates better communication and the ability to bring people together. A truly good M&A team will never force a seller into a deal with which they are not 100% comfortable. This requires a willingness to see everything from the seller’s perspective throughout the entire journey.

Contact Us

If you are ready to engage in a deal to sell or grow your company, please reach out to our esteemed experts at Benchmark International. As a passionate and compassionate M&A team, we take a personal stake in formulating the ideal path to achieving your goals and maximizing the value of your business.

How long after I learn of an opportunity will I be expected to submit an offer?

The timing that the offer is first seen does not really play a role in setting any timing expectations. The more precise question might be, “How long will I have to put in an offer before the opportunity is lost?”  Some opportunities come to market with a fixed timeline leading to a formal auction process. In this case, you would be notified of that deadline and, if you found the teaser early in the process, you would have plenty of time. This is unless you came across it later on that same timeline. In other cases, and what is more often the case for businesses in the lower-middle markets, no timelines are set. A business may be on the market one day and gone the next. There really is no way to make a prediction.

How long does a business spend planning to go to market?

Some sell-side advisors spend months or even years “grooming” their clients for the market. They attempt to ensure all the low-hanging fruit in terms of improvements to profitability is addressed before you see the business. Benchmark International’s approach is different. Our pre-marketing work focuses on getting to know our client’s business and preparing the information you need to make an informed decision rather than guessing what improvements you would like to see and then encouraging our clients to spend money on projects that you may or may not value highly. Our clients work with us for two to three months on average before coming to market. We would like to shorten that time period but our clients are typically owner-operators and, as they say, “They already have a day job.”

After I see a teaser, express interest and sign an NDA, how long should I expect to wait for the next data dump?

The next round of data should come in the form of a Confidential Information Memorandum, also called a private placement memo, a CIM, a PPM, or a “book.” The process of getting your NDA to a client and obtaining the client’s approval to share this information should take about three business days.

After receiving a Confidential Information Memorandum, what is my expected response time for expressing further interest or asking additional questions?

There is no set rule here. Buyers are typically looking at multiple opportunities, comparing one to the other and then prioritizing them. The sooner you reply, the lesser the chance the company has gone off the market and the keener your interest will appear to the seller, so sooner is better than later. Aggressive buyers typically reach back out to us within three business days of sending the CIM and, if we have not heard back within one week, we follow up.

How long should I have to wait to have a call or meeting with an owner?

Setting a date for an initial call or meeting should be almost instantaneous. When that exchange actually happens will depend on the parties’ schedules. Phone calls are typically held within a week of the buyer’s request. Timing face-to-face meetings depends on the distance between the parties, the time of year, and other factors, but is usually accommodated within two weeks of the request.

How long does a first call typically take?

These are generally scheduled for one hour.

How long does a first visit typically take?

This will depend on how much information has been shared prior to the meeting and where the buyer and seller are in the process at the time that the initial meeting occurs. These meetings tend to be much longer than calls, up to four hours, and often involve going to a meal together.

How long after speaking with or visiting with the seller do I have to put in an offer?

Unless a formal process has been put in place and announced, there are no rules here. As mentioned above, companies go off the market and quicker responses convey a stronger interest. It is more important that you have the right amount of information before submitting an offer. You need to be comfortable standing behind the offer, and the seller needs to be comfortable that you understand the business, otherwise the offer isn’t worth the paper its printed on. Unless there is a formal deadline, offers should not be rushed. Take as much time as you need and put forth a detailed offer that hits as many of the seller’s points of interest as possible.

How long does it take to get an offer (or letter of intent) signed?

Absent a formal deadline, we typically see letters of intent (or “LOIs”) go back and forth for about two weeks. Sellers rarely accept a first offer and, even if the terms were acceptable, there are always questions to be addressed and additional details to be added at the request of the seller. The seller should respond to your initial offer in a matter of days, perhaps three to five, but you should budget two to three weeks to get the details ironed out.

How long does it take from signing the LOI to closing?

This is almost always in the buyer’s hands. Working with a well-represented seller can help speed up the process. At Benchmark International for example, we run online data rooms for all of our clients, we hold weekly calls, we shepherd the diligence requests back and forth ensuing nothing falls through the cracks, and we push the seller for timely responses when necessary. As the buyer typically prepares the first draft of the definitive agreements, whether you decide to complete diligence first and then have the attorneys start drafting, or if you do the two simultaneously will be the single largest factor in determining timing. How much due diligence you have performed and how well you control your due-diligence providers and attorney will be the second most significant factor. All that said, we see parties aiming to close deals within 90 days of signing the LOI, though that timing sometimes slips.

I am using debt for the acquisition. What impact will my lender have on timing?

If you handle it well, run your offer by the lender before providing it to the seller, and are not asking them to do something they are uncomfortable with; they should not add time. Unfortunately, many buyers are unable to meet these expectations and the lender often becomes the long pole in the tent in terms of timing. A buyer’s inability to get the debt financing lined up can stretch on for months. These delays are what most often kill deals with our clients. If you have any concerns about timing, the most important step you should take is to get your debt financing relationship(s) in line early in the process— perhaps before you even start looking at acquisition targets—and keep your potential debt provider(s) in the loop as the process progresses, constantly obtaining reassurances from them that the deal you are working on is “fundable.”

Mergers and acquisitions in the global insurance industry carry their share of unique challenges. There is always the potential for increased regulation, and ever-changing technologies and infrastructures can make it expensive and difficult for companies to keep pace. When it comes to cross-border M&A, cultural integration is often overlooked. These factors make the world of M&A in the insurance sector complicated to navigate.

Key Drivers of M&A in the Insurance Industry

M&A activity in the global insurance sector becomes more dynamic as a result of several contributing factors and strategic objectives.

• Companies acknowledge the need for economies of scale and seek to expand by moving into global markets.
• Lower policy rates push industry players to consolidate to maintain profitability and find ways to remain competitive by uniting two synergistic companies and gain more value through scale efficiencies.
• Stagnant domestic markets result in cross-border targets.
• Organic growth cannot be relied upon to meet company goals.
• Heightened interest comes from a broad range of backers, from hedge funds to international investors.
• Low profitability results in low investment yields.
• Insurers need ways to spend large cash reserves.
• They need to integrate new technologies (such as mobile apps and big data) to revitalize flat business models, improve internal capabilities, reach customers, or gain market insights.

Due Diligence

As with all M&A transactions, meticulous due diligence in the insurance industry is critical to a successful deal. While many due diligence topics for an insurance company overlap with that of all types of M&A transactions (property, tax records, employee issues, etc.), the insurance industry is subject to some unique scrutiny, such as:

• Regulatory issues (licensing, permitted practices, regulatory filings, and interactions with government agencies)
• Assessment and adequacy of reserves
• Structure of investment portfolio
• Underwriting and claims administration
• Market conduct and producers
• Reinsurance collectability
• Intercompany agreements
• Data security
• Compliance with privacy laws

Crafting of the purchase agreement in insurance M&A transactions is also an important part of the process. If done correctly, it will address both the unique nature of insurance companies and the regulatory environment in which they operate.

Insurance-Specific Indemnities

Indemnification provisions within insurance M&A agreements are similar to that of other industries, with exception of a few differences. An M&A transaction can call for unlimited indemnity protection for specific circumstances in which the buyer asks the seller to assume the risk. Common areas for specific indemnities include:

• Policyholder claims for extra-contractual obligations or claims that exceed policy limits
• Litigation specific to the insurance industry (i.e., class action policyholder lawsuits or regulatory actions for improper business conduct)

Cultural Integration in M&A

Global insurance executives have reported that overcoming cultural and organizational differences following a deal has been a significant challenge.

In order for cross-border M&A to be successful, leaders must look beyond financial motivations and consider how cultural integration can result in improved synergy and innovation. This can happen in several ways:

• The acquirer can completely assimilate the culture of the target company.
• The acquired company can maintain its own identity and independence.
• The two can meld, creating an entirely new culture.

The route a company chooses to take depends on the size of the two companies, the post-deal organizational structure, and the advantages generated by different cultural traits.

When companies carefully take culture into account, they can greatly benefit from the positive outcomes and lower the risk of failure in M&A. A cultural assessment should be conducted alongside due diligence far before the deal nears completion. This assessment should study the geographic locations, management styles, work habits, and attitudes of both companies. Successfully uniting employees from diverse backgrounds calls for a customized process that should not be rushed and includes clear and honest communication.

Steps for Success

When insurance companies are considering M&A for financial growth, geographic expansion, and bolstered competitiveness, there are certain steps that leadership should take to find the right type of deal and ensure a positive outcome.

• Assess the future of the industry, the trajectory of the business, and where the two align.
• Plan for different scenarios that could trigger economic changes in the next one to two years.
• Craft an M&A strategy that aligns with ownership’s goals.
• Choose target companies consistent with leadership’s overall strategy and long-term goals. What seems like a good idea today may not make sense for five to ten years down the road.
• Remain cognizant of the changing tax and regulatory environments.
• Evaluate in-house corporate development and overall integration abilities.

Contact Us

If you are ready to grow your company, sell your company, find a new investment opportunity, or plan your exit strategy for retirement, give us a call at Benchmark International. Our esteemed M&A advisors will craft strategies that deliver outstanding results for your plans for the future. 

These are customary in bulge bracket deals. And the middle markets are growing more sophisticated to become similar to larger markets. However, not every tool used in larger markets warrants transplanting. Benchmark International clients rarely offer management presentations and we have no plan to change that practice. Here are reasons why we take that view, and why you should welcome the decision as a buyer.

• Management teams at bulge bracket companies have seen management presentations. They know what to expect and what is expected of them. Yet, this is rarely the case in the middle markets. As a result, presentations on these smaller deals require significantly more preparation time, tend to be derailed, and rarely make it to the end of the anticipated content.
• There is simply not enough to talk about. Middle-market businesses often have single lines of business and single locations. They tend to lack vertical integration, complex supply lines, and paths to market. They do not typically use complex financial engineering that must be understood by buyers. And they simply do not have a slew of issues that require a structured introduction.
• Many middle-market businesses are owner-operated businesses and their owners are driven by intuition, not data. For that reason, they do not collect much data and, accordingly, there is very little for management to analyze and summarize in a presentation.
• The management teams are smaller so the number of team members brought “into the know” when a management presentation is given is typically very limited—sometimes even limited to one person, the owner.
• These management teams do not have the bandwidth to set aside the time required to develop a quality presentation. Many of these businesses are selling precisely because the owners have not invested in overhead. Spending a few days to prepare for management presentations means key employees are taking their eye off the ball and no one is backfilling.
• Deals are done in the middle markets for a far wider variety of reasons than you see in larger markets. Because buyers are coming from so many different angles (and they themselves have a more diverse range of M&A sophistication), developing a standard presentation poses unique difficulties and results in the audience sitting through a higher percentage of unproductive dialogue.

Understanding these realities, as well as your interest in learning as much about our clients as possible and doing so in the most efficient manner, Benchmark International takes the following steps to compensate for the absence of management presentations.

• We frontload much of the material that would be in the presentation into the Confidential Information Memorandum (CIM). We believe our CIMs are far more detailed than what you typically see for businesses of similar size and this is a big reason why.
• We set up online data rooms early in the process. We strive to get as much raw data into your hands as possible through this approach. This is not a feasible approach for larger businesses that have too much data for you to sort through (a reason why they summarize their voluminous data in management presentations). But given how manageable the amount of data is for most middle-market companies, it makes sense for you to get to the unvarnished raw data sooner rather than later.
• We encourage early and frequent informal conversations with our seller clients. In cases where the CIM and the raw data do not cover everything, these less structured conversations allow you to get straight to the point and fill in the remaining gaps.

With all this in mind, we hope you will agree that our approach is actually the most efficient for you. If not, we invite you to comment below and we will reconsider our position as we are constantly attempting to give buyers the best possible experience.

As we approach the end of 2019, it’s a great time to take a look back at trends in mergers and acquisitions activity that emerged around the world throughout the year. Overall, there was an increase in the number of reported M&A transactions and total deal value worldwide.

Four industries experienced significant increases in deal value from the first half of 2018:

• Industrial (22.6%)
• Energy and power (11.2%)
• Health care (6.1%)
• High tech (2.8%)

New M&A Motivation

A growing trend that is permeating all industries is the deal activity that is occurring as a result of companies needing to integrate technology into their offerings, altering the business landscape. Companies are being compelled to work with a much wider scope of partners to accomplish their tech-enabled goals. For this reason, we are seeing more non-traditional partnerships with different depths of cross-industry integration. These nontraditional deals include joint ventures and alliances, corporate venture capital investments, and the purchase of minority stakes. An example of these types of alliances in 2019 include Uber Advanced Technologies’ (their self-driving car unit) raising of $1 billion in funds from Toyota, Softbank’s Vision Fund and auto components manufacturer Denso.

First Quarter

During the first quarter of 2019, we saw relatively few cross-border megadeals. This could be because of fluctuating geopolitical factors such as increased trade tension between the United States and China. Amid this year’s early cross-border megadeals was the acquisition of Canadian company Goldcorp by Newmont Mining Corporation, a U.S. company. The deal was a stock-for-stock transaction valued at $10 billion.

In the middle market, M&A activity remained robust through the first quarter. Transaction volume was up slightly over the previous year’s period. Private equity funding and a high level of strategic buyer activity continued to drive deals significantly. Foreign buyer activity increased to account for almost 16% of middle-market deals. 

Second Quarter

Megadeals heated up in the second quarter of 2019, especially in North America. Of the 21 megadeals announced in the first half of 2019, the highest in value included:

• AbbVie’s $62 billion buyout of Allergan
• Fidelity National Information Services $35 billion purchase of Worldpay
• Saudi Aramco’s $69 billion majority-stake purchase of petrochemicals group Sabic
• Bristol-Myers Squibb’s $74 billion acquisition of rival Celgene
• The $121 billion merger of United Technologies and Raytheon

The second quarter also saw an increase in deal volume in the middle market, up from the same period in 2018. Foreign buyer activity accounted for almost 14% of middle-market deals. 

Third Quarter

By the third quarter, global M&A activity dropped 16% year-on-year to $729 billion, the lowest quarterly volume since 2016.

In Europe, M&A activity reached $249 billion, up more than 45% over the same third-quarter time period in 2018. With a 6.4% share of global M&A and $177 billion worth of transactions, Britain was Europe’s biggest M&A market in 2019. This is due in part to the uncertainty regarding Brexit turning companies into bargain acquisition targets. Additionally, Ireland showed strong M&A activity through the first half of 2019 with deal value up 24% compared with the previous year, while later slightly slowing amid economic uncertainty.

Third-quarter megadeals in the U.S. included:

• The $24.6 billion merger of drug giant Pfizer’s off-patent branded drugs business with Mylan NV
• Media companies CBS Corp. and Viacom Inc.’s $20 billion merger in an all-stock deal

In the middle market, global third-quarter deals closed totaled $600 billion, remaining on pace with the first three quarters of 2018. The largest of these deals included Norwegian company Equinor ASA’s $965 million acquisition of U.S.-based Caesar Tonga Oil Field.

High Tech M&A

The technology sector continued to be ripe for M&A transactions in 2019. However, we have witnessed a softening in tech M&A activity in the second half of the year. This could be due in part to enhanced scrutiny that tech companies are facing around issues of consumer privacy, regulations, and misuse of market power. Such scrutiny can be the source of some apprehension to invest in these types of businesses.

Among the notable mega tech deals of 2019 were:

• Apple’s $1 billion purchase of Intel’s modem business
• Google’s $2.6 billion acquisition of Looker
• Nvidia’s $7 billion acquisition of Mellanox
• Salesforce’s $15.7 billion acquisition of Tableau
• Uber’s $31 billion purchase of their rival Careem

In the first half of 2019, the largest North American middle-market technology deals (each valued at $500 million) included:

• JPMorgan’s acquisition of InstaMed
• Envestnet, Inc.’s acquisition of PIEtech, Inc.
• Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. takeover of OneStream Software LLC

Globally, the largest middle-market technology deals included:

• Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Insight Venture Partners LLC’s acquisition of Switzerland’s Veeam Software AG
• GEMS Education’s purchase of Ma’arif for Education & Training
• TPG Capital/Insight Venture Partners’ buyout of Kaseya Limited

Is a Deal in Your Future?

If you feel the time is right to sell or grow your business, our team of M&A advisors at Benchmark International would love to hear from you. We look forward to partnering in your success and making extraordinary things happen for you and your company.

Not Knowing the Value of Your Business

As important as it is to know the value of your own business, the reality is that 65 percent of business owners do not know their company worth. Valuation is a crucial step in taking your business to market. Simply put, you cannot negotiate the best selling price for your company if you do not know what it is worth.

Selling at the Wrong Time

Market timing is important to a business acquisition because it can directly affect a company’s value based on competition, demand and economic factors. You do not want to rush to sell, but you also do not want to wait too long. Finding this delicate balance is crucial to maximizing your company value prior to your exit. Professional M&A experts can assist you in properly determining the right time for you to sell your business because they have a strong understanding of the markets and have exclusive access to opportunities that can play into the timing.

Lack of Preparation
The most frequent mistake made by business owners in sale is not properly preparing for it. Before taking a company to market, there are several factors that must be addressed. These include detailed documentation regarding finances and profitability, contracts, personnel, exit planning, and other issues that will affect both value and salability. Proper preparation can take anywhere from months to years, depending on the size and complexity of your business. It is smart to seek the guidance of a professional M&A advisor to help you with these details to ensure that nothing is overlooked. 

Misunderstanding Future Cash Flow

As a business owner, it is easy to focus on liquidity as a result of a deal and fail to consider how timing and proceeds will be factored into your retirement plan and how it conforms to your standard of living.

Studies show that 70 percent of business owners do not know what after-tax income they need to support their lifestyle. 

You need to have a clear and detailed understanding of your risk and liquidity profile to help you discern if and when you should sell your business. This includes the calculation of your net worth by comparing your financial assets with your financial liabilities, sources of cash flow, and income tax liability.

Not Having an Exit Plan

A staggering 85 percent of business owners have no exit strategy—something that every business owner absolutely should have in place. 

Exit planning is extremely important for several reasons. A solid exit plan will help you outline your goals for the future of your business as well as your financial retirement goals. It also helps you determine a timeframe for when you want to sell, can enhance the value of the company, gives you a blueprint for success, and protects you in the event of unforeseen circumstances.

Misrepresentation
Of course you want to portray your company in the best light, but you must be careful to not misrepresent it to prospective buyers. Avoid the urge to inflate numbers, exaggerate projections or try to hide issues. Providing inaccurate information can blow a sale and erode your reputation with other potential buyers, derailing any possibility of a deal. Your honesty and transparency will also earn the trust of investors, increasing the likelihood of a sale.

Breaking Confidentiality
When selling a business, even if only considering it, it is important to carefully handle who knows what—and when. It will not be a good situation if your staff hears about the sale from anyone other than you or your leadership team and they descend into a panic. You also do not want your customers or clients finding out and jumping ship. Another reason to be careful with confidentiality is because it can affect the sale if a buyer feels that you cannot be trusted or that they are getting damaged goods.

Not Addressing the Transition
Selling a business is a major undertaking and it is easy to get so caught up in the details of the sale that you overlook the transition process that will need to happen after the deal is closed. You will need to work with the acquirer to determine if you need to stay on with the company for a short time to help move the transition along smoothly, or if it will be an immediate exit. There are also other factors that will play into the transition, including how it will affect the management team and the staff. It is important to make plans for the transition completely clear to avoid confusion, frustration and fear of the unknown.  

Is it Time to Sell?

Enlist the expertise of the M&A advisors at Benchmark International as your partners in achieving the highest standards for the sale of your company. Our team will make sure you avoid pitfalls that you are not even aware may exist, and we are dedicated to arranging the very best deal with your goals and best interests as our top priority every step of the way.

Benchmark International has advised on the transaction between contract cleaning firm, Regency Cleaning Services, and national commercial cleaning contractor, Ecocleen Services.

Regency operates throughout Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, supporting more than 100 clients. The company’s team of 500 staff are responsible for delivering cleaning, waste management, porterage and maintenance services to a variety of private and public sector sites such as schools, nurseries, offices and car showrooms.

Ecocleen has more than 25 years’ experience of developing and implementing tailored commercial cleaning solutions. The franchise handles contracts of all sizes on behalf of more than 600 customers, servicing both single and multi-site operations on a local, regional and national basis.

Following the acquisition, Regency’s Managing Director, Darran Penny, will join Ecocleen as Commercial Director.

The successful takeover will enable Ecocleen to increase its presence within key sectors such as education and motor retail, while expanding its nationwide franchise network. Regency customers and staff also benefit with Ecocleen bringing its technological innovations and commitment to the environment to the combined operation.

The chemical manufacturing industry converts raw materials such as gasses and oils into chemicals such as ethylene, propylene, methanol, benzene, chlorine, and paraxylene. These chemicals are feedstocks for value chains that produce a wide array of intermediates, plastics, and performance materials that are used to create more than 70,000 registered productsaround the world. It is an extremely diverse and complicated industry. Because many of the industry’s products are intermediates, the customers of chemical companies are often other chemical companies.

M&A Strategies

Among the many factors that influence multi-billion dollar investment decisions include energy market trends, global economic growth, and regional trade dynamics. Investors seek sustainable competitive advantages regarding the costs of energy and feedstock, technology and scale, proximity to markets, and degree of integration.

Mergers and acquisitions have been a long-time tactic used among chemical companies to create growth, change strategic course, and consolidate segments. In an industry that has seen major expansion, certain factors can complicate M&A. This includes the substantial size of some transactions and merger-of-equals deals that are more complex to carry out.

Key drivers of M&A in the chemical manufacturing industry include:

• The pace of organic sales growthin sub-segments
• Consolidation driven by a need for innovation and fewer opportunities to differentiate from competitors in high-value and specialty-chemical areas
• The state of capital-markets returns and a campaign for higher valuations
• An abundance of capital and private equity interest and access to low-cost finance

Digitization & Optimization

Technology continues to transform all industries in the modern world, and the chemical manufacturing industry is no different. Data management through advanced analytics is enabling plant optimization across sites, improved supply chains, and infrastructure synergies. Digital solutions reduce downtime and costs as a result of maintenance and repairs. Sensors monitor plant and warehousing conditions, improving logistics. Also, a vast amount of field operator workload can be transferred to automation and robotics, allocating people resources elsewhere in the business and creating more opportunities for up-skilling. Implementation of these technologies results in revenue improvements.

The Circular Economy of Plastic Waste Recycling

Plastics production accounts for more than one third of the chemical industry’s manufacturing activities. But only a small percentage of these plastics are being recycled, resulting in resources that are lost forever into landfills. Global plastics waste volumes are expected to reach 460 million tons per year by 2030. Public outcry for sustainability is rising and raw material supplies are growing tighter, forcing the chemical industry to adapt on this issue. New plastic recycling methods offer new opportunities for value-creating growth for petrochemicals companies. Instead of focusing on the problem that plastic waste creates, companies are starting to recognize the billion-dollar profit pool it represents through new types of businesses, resulting in an entirely new landscape for M&A activity.

Activist Investors

Additionally, activist investors are playing a larger part in the chemicals sector. Activist investors attempt to create change within a company by purchasing a large number of shares or board seats. These players are emerging influencers of M&A activity and they have an ever-increasing role in the chemical industry through restructuring initiatives. This creates new challenges for industry executives because long-term strategic planning is not a typical priority of activist investors. Although activist investors are capable of delivering solutions that add value, they usually are more interested in shorter-term, higher valuations and results. This often results in cost-cutting measures, shareholder buybacks, and the splitting off of company divisions. 

Successful Chemical Industry M&A

Deals that employ proven M&A best practices will yield higher total returns to shareholders. Capturing the full value potential of a deal requires specific industry knowledge and expertise. To craft a successful deal in the chemical sector, sellers should enlist the advice and methodologies of dedicated M&A experts such as those at Benchmark International. They should also:

• Monitor the field to identify potential opportunities
• Review their portfolios to ensure current assets fit their core business
• Look for gaps that may need to be filled for fast action when opportunities arise
• Prepare non-core businesses in order to maximize value from a deal

Contact Us

Are you thinking about selling your business? Set up a time to quickly chat with one of our global M&A specialists to discuss your options and opportunities. Our expertise spans several industries and continents and our talented people are dedicated to achieving your personal objectives.