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Retirement Tips for Business Owners

Planning for retirement can be a daunting task, but if you follow some basic principles and seek the proper help, the process can be reassuring and even empowering. 

Start with the numbers.

The first step you will want to take in planning your retirement is to figure out how big of a nest egg you will need in order to live comfortably. Once you set your goal, you can assess your current position and determine how much time you will need in order to meet that goal, and any additional steps you’ll need to take to make it happen. Consider the amount of income you expect to earn over your remaining working years and how much you want to contribute to retirement plans. A quick Google search for online retirement calculators can give you an easy starting point. 

Determine your company’s valuation.

Before you can thing about selling, you need to know what your business is worth. Your company’s cash flow, market value comparable to other companies, and precedent transactions are all factors in business valuation. You’ve worked hard to build your business and you shouldn’t have to make compromises when you want to retire. Consulting a company broker such as Benchmark International will help you get an accurate picture of your company’s worth and take the next steps in selling your business in the smartest way possible and with the smoothest transition. After all, you want your freedom to retire, but you also want your employees to be taken care of and your core business values to remain in tact.

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

Invest early.

It’s crucial to start investing in your retirement as early as possible. Whether it’s a 401k or an individual retirement account (IRA) or both, investing sooner means earning more interest. 401k plans have higher maximum contribution levels and a preselected list of limited investment choices. IRAs allow you to invest in a wide variety of mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and individual stocks and bonds. 

Another option to consider is a Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) plan. It gives the business owner a vehicle to contribute to their employees’ retirement savings as well as their own, with easy setup and flexible options for funding. Annual earnings are not taxed and it grows tax-deferred, and there are no maximum contributions. 

Most importantly, all of these options allow your money to grow tax-free. If you have already begun to invest, take a step back to look at your investment plan and see if you need to make it more aggressive to achieve your goal within the expected timeframe. Consulting a financial expert can help you choose what type of retirement plan is right for you and create a blueprint to make the most of it. 

Strike a balance.

Saving and investing are not one and the same—and you’ll need to do both. Place money into a savings account that has slow but guaranteed growth. As a counterbalance, invest money in an investment account that carries some risk. While there’s always a risk you can lose your principal, the return may be quite high if invested wisely.

Diversification of your financial portfolio is also an important component of your retirement plan. Factor in goals, risks, and think about how to reduce vulnerabilities. The younger you are, the more aggressively you can invest. Consulting a financial planner can help you easily determine what is right for you.

Get exit planning advice.

You’ve put everything into building your business. When the exciting time comes to move on from that business, you’ll want to start planning your exit strategy sooner rather than later. Think about how you would like to see the business make a successful transition. Think about increasing the value of your business and selling at the right time. The smartest way to do this is to partner with a trusted M&A firm such as Benchmark International to help you make your dreams a reality. They will help with your company valuation and offer a winning strategy tailored to your specific needs, and even help you find the perfect buyer. Even if you only wish to partially retire, creating an exit plan opens up your options and gives you peace of mind for when the time comes for a transition.  

Take the next step.

If you are ready to plan for your retirement and create a successful company exit strategy, call Benchmark International today.

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Benchmark International has Successfully Facilitated the Transaction Between Elite Facades Ltd and Acuity Management Ltd

Posted on January 25, 2019 By in Deal completions + UK M&A + Dealmaking

Benchmark International has advised on the transaction between roofing, cladding and façade company, Elite Facades, and private equity company, Acuity Management.

Elite Facades specialises in all aspects of flat roofing, built-up composite and twin skin cladding systems for clients including BAM and Bouygues.

The company is to operate as part of the larger Elite Facades Holdings, a newly-formed subsidiary of Gibraltar-headquartered Acuity, an alternative private equity fund that acquires equity ownership in SMEs via intelligent buyouts, where the acquired entity retains its independence.

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

 

Under the terms of the deal, Patrick Feeney will remain as a director and shareholder of Elite Facades Holdings.

He said: "Elite Facades is very pleased to be part of the larger Elite Facades Holdings. The transaction will provide the business with greater stability and further access to additional investment, while helping to support the pace of rapid growth we are pursuing."

Benchmark International would like to thank all parties involved and we wish them all the very best of luck for the future.

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Benchmark International Successfully Facilitated The Acquisition of Jackson Galloway Associates LLC. by FGM Architects, Inc

Benchmark International has successfully facilitated the acquisition of Jackson Galloway Associates, LLC to FGM Architects, Inc. Benchmark International worked effectively with the sellers to ensure that their goals were met from a financials as well as cultural perspective.

Jackson Galloway Associates, LLC is a highly-reputable firm that provides full-service architecture and interior design for the Texas market.  The majority of their clients are churches, public and private schools, athletic facilities and non-profit organizations in the Texas market with a high focus in Austin, one of the fastest growing cities in the country.

FGM Architects is a professional service firm with an emphasis on design and service.  Since 1945, FGM Architects has specialized in the planning and design of environments for PK-12 Education, High Education, Municipal and Federal clients. They offer a unique combination of experience, talent and a collaborative design process.

 

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

 

Benchmark International was able to procure for Jackson Galloway Associates a buyer that met their goals in regards to financial terms as well as cultural fit and an aligned vision in regards to their design capabilities.  Benchmark International represented the sellers for over two years in a diligent effort to find the ideal buyer.

According to John Jackson, AIA, now Managing Director of the Austin Office of Jackson Galloway FGM Architects “'Our transition was assisted by the personal and professional team at Benchmark, International, who walked us through every step and helped us to stay on task to the very end.”

Benchmark International’s Senior Associate, J.P. Santos, commented “The Benchmark International team is very happy for John Jackson, Bob Galloway and the entire Jackson Galloway Associates team.  From the outset, the shared vision in terms of design and corporate culture between Jackson Galloway Associates and FGM was apparent and was helpful in coming to equitable terms.  Both parties were collaborative in their efforts to bring this deal together and we are excited to see what the combined firms can do going forward.”

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Benchmark International has Advised on the Sale of Space Age Building Products Limited to GJB Developments PLC

Posted on January 24, 2019 By in Deal completions + UK M&A + Dealmaking

Benchmark International is pleased to announce the transaction between Reading-based Space Age Building Products (Space Age) and GJB Developments (T/A GJB Window Systems), based in Essex.

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

Space Age is a wholesaler supplying plastic building products to trade and retail customers. The company supplies UPVC plastic fascia, guttering, windows, conservatories and associated plastic products. It additionally has a distribution network offering next day delivery to clients based in Berkshire, North Hampshire, South Oxford and Buckinghamshire.

GJB Window Systems has been fabricating and supplying market-leading window and door systems for over 25 years from its on-site factory in Essex.

The acquisition has allowed GJB to extend its geographical presence by opening a trade counter in Reading.

On behalf of everyone at Benchmark International, we would like to wish both parties every success for the future.

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Benchmark International has successfully facilitated the acquisition of Texas Engineering Solutions, LLC to Atwell, LLC.

Benchmark International has successfully facilitated the acquisition of Texas Engineering Solutions, LLC to Atwell, LLC.  Benchmark International worked diligently to find a Buyer that was an ideal candidate to ensure the goals of the sellers from a financials and corporate fit perspective.

Texas Engineering Solutions, LLC is a land development consulting firm providing a range of civil engineering, utility and infrastructure design, as well as planning and land development services in Central Texas.

Atwell, LLC is a consulting, engineering and construction services firm that delivers a broad range of technical solutions to clients in the real estate and land development, power and energy, and oil and gas markets.  They provide comprehensive professional services including engineering, planning, surveying, landscape architecture, environmental consulting, program management and construction services to a diverse blend of clients

 

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

 

Benchmark International was able to procure for Texas Engineering Solutions, LLC a buyer that met their financial goals while also being an ideal cultural fit and providing the additional resources that the buyer was searching for.  Benchmark International corresponded with numerous potential investors and the Owners of Texas Engineering Solutions had several in-person meetings until they met with the representatives from Atwell, LLC.  

Per Brian Wenzel, CEO of Atwell, LLC “We believe identifying the right opportunity with the right fit is critical for success in the M&A space.  In working with Benchmark International on our most recent acquisition, we realized they share that same vision.  Not only was the [Benchmark International] team helpful throughout the process, but their approach to this engagement was comprehensive, thoughtful and focuses while placing significant emphasis on the success of the combined firms.  We look forward to working with them on future opportunities.”

Benchmark International’s Senior Associate, J.P. Santos, commented “The Benchmark International team is excited for Texas Engineering Solutions as they join a firm in Atwell, LLC that aligns with their corporate goals.  As Texas Engineering Solutions enters this next chapter, the mutual respect and admiration amongst the two firms leaves little doubt that the combined entities will continue to thrive and grow as a business.”

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Benchmark International has Successfully Facilitated the Transaction Between Dial-A-Loo Limited and Universal Tanker Solutions Limited

Benchmark International is pleased to announce the transaction between two water and waste water logistics firms – Dial-A-Loo and Universal Tanker Solutions.

Based in Tyne & Wear, Dial-A-Loo has been operating for almost 30 years as a supplier of commercial and domestic water and wastewater logistics, alongside portable toilet hire, to clients across the North East that operate in the construction and shipbuilding sectors.

 

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

 

Offering similar services to Dial-A-Loo, Universal Tanker Solutions provides a waste water removal and non-potable water delivery service to domestic, commercial and industrial clients.

The combined entity will allow Universal Tanker Solutions to increase its geographical coverage, as well as its tanker fleet.

Benchmark International would like to thank all parties involved and we wish them all the very best of luck for the future.

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Benchmark International Wins Silver Addy Award

Benchmark International was awarded a Silver ADDY Award by the American Advertising Awards. The ADDY was awarded for Benchmark’s rebranding initiative.

The rebranding initiative revamped the look and feel of the overall Benchmark brand, including a newly designed logo. The new branding is very elegant and conveys quality, professionalism, and a high level of sophistication. You can see the refined branding showcased throughout the Benchmark website.

The American Advertising Awards is the advertising industry’s largest competition, with more than 25,000 entries each year in local AAF Ad Club Competitions. Its mission is to reward the creative spirit of excellence in advertising. Selection of the most creative entry in each category is determined by a scoring process, in which a panel of judges evaluates all dimensions of every piece.

Congratulations to the Benchmark marketing team for such a deserved recognition!

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M&A Mistakes to Avoid

The merger and acquisition (M&A) process requires careful planning, professional support, and an understanding of the deal dynamics involved in the negotiations. Completing a transaction is not easy. Many sellers only do a transaction only once in a life time. Companies that have not been engaged in many M&A transactions frequently make mistakes that can result in a less favorable price or terms. They can even potentially destroy the deal.

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Positive Year Ahead Anticipated for UK M&A

Posted on January 18, 2019 By in Brexit + UK M&A + Dealmaking + 2019

The UK is expected to be one of the most popular locations for deal activity in 2019, mirroring a successful year in 2018.

Megadeals boosted the value of transactions in 2018 as, while the volume of UK deals only rose slightly, deals such as Japanese-based Takeda Pharmaceutical’s acquisition of UK-based Shire for £62bn saw a 4% increase in transaction value from £291bn the year before.

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Benchmark International  Successfully Facilitated The Acquisition Of T3 Technologies, LLC (d/b/a T3 TigerTech) To Bluestone Government Solutions.

Benchmark International has successfully facilitated the acquisition of T3 Technologies, LLC (d/b/a T3 TigerTech) to Bluestone Government Solutions, LLC.  Benchmark International worked diligently to find a buyer that was an ideal candidate to ensure the goals of the sellers were met, from both a financial and corporate-fit perspective.

T3 Technologies, LLC  (d/b/a T3 TigerTech) is a diversified government contractor specializing in project management, predictive and big data analytics, program data management, and supply chain management for multiple government agencies. 

Don Zacherl, CEO of T3 said, “The Benchmark International team was very professional, responsive, and provided great guidance during our transaction process.  Having Benchmark on our side, and focusing on the details of the transaction process, allowed our management team to continue to concentrate on the day-to-day running of our business.”

 

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

 

Bluestone Government Solutions, LLC provides information technology, agile development, big data analytics and geospatial intelligence services to public entities.  It supports the federal  agencies within the intelligence community and the greater DoD, along with
civilian agencies. 
 

AudraFrizzell, CEO of Bluestone Government Solutions said “We are very excited about the acquisition of T3.  The company comes with an experienced management team that has been at the core of its success.”

Benchmark International was able to procure a buyer for T3 Technologies, LLC that met its financial goals, was an ideal cultural fit, and also provided the buyer the additional resources it had been searching for. Benchmark International corresponded with numerous potential investors, and the owner of T3 Technologies had several
in-person meetings prior to being introduced to the representatives from Bluestone Government Solutions, LLC.  

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Benchmark International has Successfully Facilitated the Transaction Between Pellings and RSK Group

Benchmark International has successfully advised on a deal between the group of Pellings companies (Pellings LLP, J & A Pellings and Pelling Limited) and RSK Group Limited, which marks RSK’s ninth acquisition in as many months as well as its largest acquisition to date.

Pellings, a group of companies which provide a complete spectrum of architectural services, building surveying, project management and related professional services for housing, education and healthcare projects, have 125 staff and four offices covering North, West, South and Central London.

RSK is an integrated environmental, engineering and technical services consultancy, which has 36 international offices, more than 2,700 employees and an annual turnover of £200m. It is currently actively investing in Europe, the Middle East, India, Africa and former Soviet Union countries, and has an active client base of 7,000 organisations spread across these regions.

 

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

 

The group of Pellings companies have significant synergies with RSK and the joint venture will expand their services to a wider range of sectors in a greater geographical area.

Post-acquisition, Pellings will become part of RSK’s geosciences and engineering division. The companies' current leadership team, including its managing director Richard Claxton, will join RSK and continue to drive the business forward.

RSK’s founder and chief executive officer, Dr Alan Ryder, said: “We are delighted to announce our partnership with the company [Pellings], a growing business that will enhance RSK’s service offering to its clients.”

On behalf of everyone at Benchmark International, we would like to wish both parties every success for the future.

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Is It Time To Sell My Business ?

Determining whether it is a good time to sell your business is one of the most challenging decisions a business owner has to make. There are innumerable factors that affect this decision and it’s important to not get overwhelmed. A few things to take into account are financial situation, the company’s future/outlook, the opportunity cost of time, and the type of deal structure being pursued.

Financial Situation

Usually, the first factor that business owners consider when making the decision to sell is the financial impact this will have on their lives. It’s important to analyze one’s current lifestyle and how a potential sale would change that – what the payoff would be. Unless a business owner is in a troubled situation, they’ll want to make sure that the decision to sell will not hinder their long-term lifestyle. A hasty decision here can have a catastrophic economic ripple effect. But, selling at a time that maximizes economic profit can potentially result in lifelong financial freedom.

 

Company’s Outlook

If an owner is at a point to even consider selling a business, there’s a high probability that they’ve put in a significant amount of time, effort, and capital into it. Pondering this decision generally stems from a plateau in company growth or changes in the industry landscape. When this stage is reached, one must determine if they are in a position to take the company to the next level or if it is better to move on after building it to this point. It’s important to understand that being aware of “when to get out” is not a slight on the owner. Rather, it is the recognition of an opportunity to pursue other goals. The business has been a large part of life, the employees are important, and the hopes of a successful future is why companies are built. So, the key is to make sure that the “hands” the company is going to be in moving forward satisfy the needs of all the key people that are going to be impacted by a
potential transaction.

 

Time

Letting go of something that has been such a large part of one’s life can be very daunting. The fear that this is “the end of the line” for a business owner is often what doesn’t allow an individual to make a decision with sound judgement. The opportunity cost of time needs to be taken into consideration – that is, what you can allocate time to in life that you were unable to do before. Perhaps an exit can allow more time with family or another business venture; all such options open up more once the full scope of a business sale is analyzed beyond the initial fear.

 

Deal Structure

The type of deal for a business sale is arguably the most important factor when making the decision to sell. The beauty about this is that deals can be structured in almost any way imaginable. Many owners think that selling a business is an “all or nothing” type of transaction. But the reality is that majority of business acquisitions are centered around partial sales and/or long-term seller incentives. It is perfectly reasonable for a founder/owner to retain ownership to “keep some skin in the game” or to have a management agreement that allows them to continue being involved in the company. Owners need to educate themselves on the kind of deal structures most suited for them and understand that the scope of deal types is far more customizable than people realize. 

 

As has been pretty clear, there is no cookie-cutter process behind making the decision to sell a business. Individuals need to take countless variables into consideration when doing something of this magnitude. A great way to begin this process is to narrow down what aspects of the decision are most important to the owner and then analyzing each variable individually. Most importantly, don’t forget that if a deal is thinkable, it is achievable.

 

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Is The End Near?

For the last several years, the saying has been “There’s never been a better time to sell.” Multiples have been high. Buyers have been plentiful. Debt has been cheap.  Optimism has run strong. The truth is, it is undeniably still a great time to sell; it’s never been better.  But …

It takes time to sell and for the first time since emerging from the Great Recession, certainty about whether or not the later part of the new year will be a good time to sell- the best ever – is down. Anyone who says they can predict these markets is a fool.  But the probability of a turn is certainly high and increasing as we begin this year.

The good news is that the signs indicate not an immediate downturn but rather one that can still be beaten to the finish line. Selling a business should take six months to a year. Thus anyone moving out now on a process should be able to take advantage of these good times – if they get started fast and, more than ever, move diligently and place a higher emphasis on certainty of close when selecting their winning bidder.

The change in the tea leaves really began in November and accelerated throughout December. Some of the key indicators include:

  • In a December Duke University poll, almost half of responding U.S. CFO’s stated that they believed a recession was likely to occur in 2019. Even more compelling, more than 80% of those CFO’s felt recession would strike by the end of 2020.[1]Right or wrong; the respondents to this poll are the key influencers of the amount of M&A activity generated by strategic buyers – and those most responsible for bad deals. If the economy does sour, or they simply believeit is going to sour, they will not be sticking their necks out for adventuresome acquisitions at record multiples.
  1. The public markets provide several signs.  The first is the relative comparison of the large caps, to the midcaps, and then to the small caps. The M&A market for privately-held companies can essentially be seen as a microcap extension of the public markets. While we all know the public markets did not do well last year, what most have not commented upon is that in the last four months of the year, according to the Wall Street Journal, (2) large caps were down 5.5%, midcaps were down 8.6% and small caps are down 16.4% going into the last trading week of the year.We’ve not yet seen the extension of this extrapolated line into the private markets but one must wonder how long the trickle-down effect will take.  Smaller companies tend to do well at the beginning of an upturn and larger cap companies do better at the end.
  • Debt is becoming a more attractive alternative for investors. This will be problematic to the sellers of businesses for various reasons. Most obviously, M&A buyers are large consumers of debt. They use it to buy companies. If they must pay more for their debt, they have less money left in their accounts to offer sellers. Less obviously but probably more significantly, the historically abysmal returns debt has offered for much of the last decade have led many typical debt investors, including insurance companies and pension funds, to provide equity to private equity funds. Flush with this extra cash, PE funds have been on a buying spree which is commonly stated to be the driving force behind today’s frothy valuations. As those investors shift back to the more normalized bond markets, private equity will have less energy and vigor for aggressive bidding.
  • The financial press seems to be of the mind that the artificial boost to strategic buyers provided by the recent tax cuts has run its course. Is this a fair assessment or simply “Trump-bashing”? We have no idea but we all know that in the markets, sentiment is often more important than reality. Perhaps the fact that 2018 saw increasingly attractive results for sellers was a result of those tax cuts carrying the bull market on around for one last lap. Again, we are not talking certainties here, just indications and probabilities.
  • The strong dollar has dampened the ability of foreign buyers to compete in the US markets.With yet another class of buyers lowering their activity levels, it may not be long before the laws of supply and demand kick in and the equilibrium point on the old supply and demand curves shifts down and to the left.
  • China has largely gone home. As 2018 proceeded, the Chinese government tightened its grip on the export of capital. In the last half of 2018, the US government began to make Chinese investors feel unwelcome as well. Numerous high-profile deals were killed in a very visible fashion as a result of regulatory interference on both sides of the Pacific. These included, most notably, the purchase of Recurrent Energy Developments operations by Shenzhen Energy in August and then Broadcom’s acquisition of Qualcomm.  According to CNN Money, Chinese investment in the US fell by 92% between the first half of 2018 and the first half of 2017 – 92% - and has been declining steadily since the second half of 2016.[1]Add to this the late 2018 US-China financial cold war and China’s slowly increasing realization that it has been splurging on debt that is now coming due and proving hard to pay down, and the spigot is now approaching the closed position.
  • Forecasted growth of companies in the US public markets has taken a definite downturn. The S&P 500 saw collective growth of 7.3% in sales and 8.2% in profit year-over-year in the third quarter. The Wall Street Journal has been consistently predicting over the last three months that those same figures in a year will have fallen to 5.4% and 4.1% respectively.[1]While the private markets are not the public markets, both are selling that intangible asset known as future cash flows and if buyers feel the big companies can’t continue to deliver outsized returns, they are likely to share at least some of that sentiment when it comes to the private markets.
  • Divided government might bring an end to the pro-business approach demonstrated over the last two years. The people that matter state that decreased regulation, lower taxes, and a more tolerant enforcement environment have benefited their businesses and increased the prices they are willing to pay for companies. But a period of more compromise is now inevitable and the uncertainty of the 2020 elections will likely only grow and bring with it a sense of increased risk that will affect valuations.
  • All good things must come to an end. We have enjoyed a ten-year bull market in M&A, both private and public.  That qualifies as “long in the tooth” to be as polite as possible.  It seems that 4% GDP growth is not sustainable. Unemployment can’t go any lower. Further tax decreases seem unlikely. The federal deficit and debt are growing. Interest rates are not likely to drop. Confidence and sentiment could not be higher than they were three months ago and are in fact a bit lower now than they were then.

The good news is that we’ve seen absolutely no indication that the market for private companies has yet been affected by these indications. Furthermore, changes in valuation, whether favorable or unfavorable, have not historically occurred rapidly. If there is to be a drop in multiples, it will be perhaps not gradual but at least measured. That said, the probability we now face is that we are more likely than before to look back from a spot twelve months in the future and say “I remember when it, was the best time to sell.”

Author:
Clinton Johnston
Managing Director
Benchmark International

T: 1-813-898-2363
E: Johnston@benchmarkcorporate.com

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Benchmark International has Successfully Facilitated the Transaction Between NRG Automation Ltd and Indutrade AB

Benchmark International has advised on the transaction between NRG, a supplier of motors and controls for gates and barriers, to Indutrade.

NRG is a specialist supplier of drives, motors and controls for industrial, commercial and residential doors and shutters, also offering a range of gate and barrier automation. Customers are manufacturers and installation contractors of doors, shutters and gates in the UK and Ireland.

Indutrade’s portfolio company, Ellard Ltd, has high synergies with NRG, as it is a specialist manufacturer and distributor of drives and controls for industrial, commercial, and residential doors and shutters. As such, there is a crossover of products/customers leading to opportunities to cross sell.

 

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

 

Post-acquisition, a new management group has been formed from both companies, ensuring Ellard and NRG can fully capitalise on the many opportunities the venture creates.

James Robinson, Transaction Leader on the deal, commented: “It has been a pleasure to work with Paul and Andy over the months and we are delighted that the sale has gone through to the most suitable acquirer and right home for the business. We wish Paul, Andy and the new owners the very best for the future.”

On behalf of everyone at Benchmark International, we would like to wish both parties every success for the future.

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Benchmark International has Successfully Facilitated the Transaction Between Intec UK Limited and NRL Group Limited

Benchmark International has successfully facilitated the transaction between Intec UK, a specialist recruitment business in the energy and power sector, to NRL Group, a recruitment company with a c£170M turnover.

Intec has more than 35 years' experience, placing both temporary and permanent candidates with an engineering and technical skillset in various industries, offering a full complement of recruitment services.

Intec’s services will complement NRL’s recruitment capabilities within the technical sector, increasing reach in associated sectors and taking the combined group turnover to about £180m.

 

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

 

Andrew Redmayne, chief executive of NRL, said: "NRL is delighted to announce the successful acquisition of Intec UK Ltd.

The acquisition is part of our strategic growth plan and we are pleased to welcome Intec’s employees, contractors and clients to the NRL Group.

We are excited about the future development opportunities that the acquisition will create for both NRL and Intec, to offer all our clients an unrivalled recruitment service experience."

On behalf of everyone at Benchmark International, we would like to wish both parties every success for the future.

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2019 is the Year to Put Your Exit Strategy in Motion; Here’s why:

M&A Activity has remained steady over the last year, but can the same be expected of the years to come? A closer review of the annual activity for 2018 indicates that the peak of the M&A cycle is slowly coming to a plateau. It’s time for business owners to reflect and decide whether riding out the next few years is truly worth it.  

Here’s what we know about M&A activity and what we can predict based on current trends. Year over year, the total number of completed deals has been on a slow and steady decline from 2015 to 2018. In 2015, there was a total of 16,566 deals completed. Whereas, in 2018, there have been 10,734 deals completed so far. Although there has been an impressive total deal value of more than $800 billion completed in deals so far in the US for the 2018 cycle, that value is a decrease from previous years.  

What business owners have to look forward to in the coming years is a bit of uncertainty, especially following the anticipated 2020 presidential elections. 2019 is expected to be another great year for M&A transactions, but it may very well be one of the last for this incredibly hot activity we have experienced recently 

Following the 2016 elections, there was a short pause in activity followed by a quick uptick and a wave of transactions. The 2018 midterm elections were an indication of the coming “blue tsunami” predicted in 2020, with the Democratic Party taking hold of the House of Representatives. A change in political leadership can unsettle the ship that so many have been sailing upon for the last four years. President Trump’s 2016 campaign was centered on economic surety, and that surety brought a wealth of support for M&A transactions to follow. Should a new leader be at the helm of the nation following elections, volatility in the market is certain 

In addition to an anticipated election, there is no denying that the successful economic swing that has taken place thus far has also had an effect on the current market standing. A fourth interest rate increase is anticipated before the end of 2018, and three additional hikes are estimated to take place in 2019. Buyers will be wearier of transaction decisions as interest rates increase. They will not want to pay high valuations as those seen in previous years because the purchase risk will increase as a result.  

Now is the time for business owners to act before the market shifts from a sellers’ market to a buyers’ market. Steadily increasing interest rates will give more power to buyers in transaction negotiations. Business owners should keep this in mind before they decide to wait a few more years to put their exit plans in place.  

Moreover, the market is predicted to become somewhat saturated over the next decade as more adults are coming to retirement age. Baby Boomers make up approximately 60% of privately-held businesses in the in the US, and this means the number of businesses on the market are going to increase a great deal.  

As a result, valuations for businesses will likely decrease. Buyers will have many options at their disposal for their ventures, so they will have a higher competitive advantage against sellers. Sellers can take advantage of the current market and get ahead of the game now.  

A transaction can take anywhere from one year to eighteen months to complete on average. Getting a business on the market sooner rather than later will give sellers the power to take advantage of lower interest rates and getting a deal locked in before the market is filled with a myriad of new businesses.  

A sell-side mergers and acquisitions firm helps business owners derive the most value for their businesses in a sale. Benchmark International is a firm with decades of experience and a wealth of dedicated professionals who are looking out for our clients’ best interests in a transaction from start to finish. If you want to learn more about where the market is headed and what your options are, we can help you formulate an effective exit strategy now. 

 

WE ARE READY WHEN YOU ARE. 

Call Benchmark International today if you are interested in an exit or growth strategy or if you are interested in acquiring.

 

Schedule A Call

 

Americas: Sam Smoot at +1 (813) 898 2350 / Smoot@BenchmarkCorporate.com

Europe: Carl Settle at +44 (0)161 359 4400 / Settle@BenchmarkCorporate.com

Africa: Anthony McCardle at +2721 300 2055 / McCardle@BenchmarkCorporate.com

 

ABOUT BENCHMARK INTERNATIONAL

Benchmark International’s global offices provide business owners in the middle market and lower middle market with creative, value-maximizing solutions for growing and exiting their businesses. To date, Benchmark International has handled engagements in excess of $5B across 30 industries worldwide. With decades of global M&A experience, Benchmark International’s deal teams, working from 13 offices across the world, have assisted hundreds of owners with achieving their personal objectives and ensuring the continued growth of their businesses.

Website: http://www.benchmarkcorporate.com
Blog: http://blog.benchmarkcorporate.com/

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Top Mistakes to Avoid When Selling

So you’ve made the big decision – you’re going to sell your business. This is likely a stressful time for you as have probably spent a lot of time and resource building up the company and may be nervous about seeing it pass over to new hands. So, from here on in, you would like to minimise the amount of stress involved by avoiding any mistakes which can easily be averted. The following are common mistakes to avoid and how Benchmark International can help:

Only Pursuing the Largest Acquirer

Surely pursuing the largest acquirer is in your best interests as they will be able to afford a premium for the company?

While they may be able to pay a premium for the company, they may not necessarily do so. An acquirer is likely to pay a premium for your company because there are synergies in place such as similar markets, products or customers that could be combined, but a large acquirer typically does not need to make the acquisition to enter these markets. An acquisitive party could also benefit from economies of scale and, therefore, will pay more for the target, but a large acquirer is unlikely to benefit from this. Even if a large acquirer is willing to pay a premium, they may absorb operations into their own company, which can cause complications for the handover, particularly if you are loyal to existing staff.

How Benchmark International Can Help: Look at all aspects of the deal and how it can benefit your company. Benchmark International can assist with sourcing the best fit for your company.

 

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

 

Not Looking at the Bigger Picture

You’ve just received an offer from a potential acquirer – on the surface of it, it looks good, surpassing your expectations. However, the structure of the deal as a whole needs to be considered, not just the total value. For example, the consideration could be deferred, or contingent on future earnings, meaning you are not receiving all cash upon completion. It is also important that if you do decide on a structured deal, that these elements are protected, ensuring you receive the consideration.  

How Benchmark International Can Help: Benchmark International will thoroughly analyse all offers received, negotiate earn-out protections and can assess any contingent targets to ensure that the seller is able to maximise the consideration received. 

Not Creating Competitive Tension

It can certainly be a benefit to enter into the M&A process with potential acquirers in mind, perhaps one of these has even approached you at some point. However, even though it may be tempting to dive straight into a deal with an acquirer that wants you and complements your company perfectly, it is still vital to create competitive tension by generating interest from other potential acquirers. If the acquirer in mind can sense that they are the only one with an offer on the table and that you are anxious to sell to them, they could take advantage of this with a low offer.

How Benchmark International Can Help: Benchmark International will employ an approach where all potential acquirers are approached and exhausted before accepting any offers.

Using an M&A Sector Specialist

This may seem like an odd ‘mistake’ to make – why wouldn’t you want to use an M&A specialist operating specifically in your sector, surely you don’t want a generalist?

The reasoning behind this is that a general M&A firm will be able to think outside the box and target a large pool of acquirers, not limiting itself to those just in your sector.

How Benchmark International Can Help: Benchmark International has a vast and growing number of contacts giving you the best chances of receiving multiple offers, as well as significant experience across a broad number of sectors, leveraging this to identify the areas where the greatest synergies can be exploited.

Leaving it Too Long

To obtain the best price and right fit for your company, it is crucial to enter the market at the right time. It is important to strike a balance between seeking to sell when the company is on a growth curve, but also not missing the window of opportunity in the market cycle. Equally, it is important not to sell when you become desperate (e.g. you are looking at retiring soon) as acquirers could become aware of this and lower their offer accordingly.

How Benchmark International Can Help: Look at selling earlier than anticipated, not when you want an imminent exit. Benchmark International can best advise on when the right time is
to sell.

Neglecting the Day-to-Day Running of the Business

M&A transactions can be time consuming, but it is important not to let it get in the way of running the business. If an acquirer is interested in the business because profits are increasing, or a new product is due to be released to the market, for example, and this does not come into fruition because  you have taken your eye off the ball, then this could lead a buyer to renegotiate, or call the whole deal off.

How Benchmark International Can Help: The pressure of selling your business can be alleviated by Benchmark International as it will handle negotiations, leaving you to focus on running your company.

Not Negotiating Effectively at Critical Stages

Offers may go back and forth between yourself and the potential acquirer and at this point you are in a good position to negotiate. It is not until the Letter of Intent (LoI) is signed that the advantage swings to the buyer. Although the LoI is not typically legally binding it does usually stipulate a period where the seller cannot pursue further leads in the market (an exclusivity period), so competitive tension is lost. It is important, therefore, that you are completely happy with the terms (which can include such things as price, length of the exclusivity period etc.) before the LoI is signed to avoid either having to back out of a deal that could have been lucrative or being tied to a lengthy exclusivity period.

How Benchmark International Can Help: In all stages of negotiating, Benchmark International will do this on your behalf with your best interests in mind.

Author:
Lee Ritchie
Senior Director
Benchmark International

T: +44 (0) 1865 410 050
E: Ritchie@benchmarkcorporate.com

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Taking Your Business to the Next Level

The art of starting a small business is a craft to which not every business person is well suited. It involves countless late nights, blood, sweat and tears, to turn an idea into a thriving small business. But, you’ve done that.  You’ve successfully turned a one-bedroom or small machine shop, and spark of inspiration, into a community staple with a name that will outlast your time in business.  But, you’ve also reached a point where your talents have been exhausted. And, you’re not sure what the next step is in taking your business to the next level.  Once again you have an idea, but this time you need outside help to turn that vision into a reality.

Many businesses reach this point at which they feel that they are unable to further increase the scope of their operations.  They find themselves turning away business or not able to expand into new and lucrative markets.  Perhaps, what is holding you back, it is a lack of cash on hand, or a deficit in managerial expertise.   Whatever the reason, bringing on additional investors is a key, and proven strategy through which a business is capable of gaining an infusion of needed capital and knowledgeable partners capable of taking a company to the next level.

Your passion is your business, and your clients have come to cherish your services.  Bringing in new partners with an influx of capital is an excellent way for you to continue doing what you love while growing your company’s client base and expanding the services you offer.  New partners may sound like dirty words you never thought you’d speak.  You might think of new partners as greedy investors who will come in and milk your business dry without care for the name brand and quality you are known for. 

That’s not always the case, and that’s where we at Benchmark International come in.  You can rest assured that Benchmark International will help you find new partners that care about your business as much as you do. Partners who can bring the capital and experience you need in order to keep your business growing and thriving. These new partners could bring in experience in managing larger organizations, or experience in advertising a small business to a new market, they might even have connections to customers who could grow your client base.

In engaging Benchmark International, you can expect our deal preparation and transaction teams to present your business to the market and find the perfect fit to take your business to the next level.  First, our deal preparation team will delicately craft marketing materials which accurately reflect the successes of your business and its potential for growth. After your approval of the marketing materials, the deal transaction team will take over and bring your company to the market.  Whether a trade buyer or a fellow competitor, the team will work tirelessly to find the right partner to help you grow your business.  This will ensure, that you take your business to the next level, without losing the heart of the business you painstakingly grew from an idea into a name synonymous with quality.

The process of staying onboard after a sale of your business or an injection of new capital is typically referred to as an elevator deal.  For more information on how elevator deals function, please see.

Author:
Patrick Seaworth
Senior Associate
Benchmark International

T:   +1 (512) 861 3314
E: Seaworth@benchmarkcorporate.com

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I Want to Sell My Business.  But How Can I Be Sure My Employees Are Taken Care Of?

As an owner of a business, there are often times when the employees of the business can become like an extension of the owner’s family.  Employees are often present during challenging times in the business owners professional and personal life and the owners of the business can often be a stabilizing presence in an employee’s life.  One of the biggest concerns of a business owner is what the welfare of their employees will be upon a successful sale of the business. Often times, the concerns can be placed into four broad buckets,

1.) Will the employees be keeping their jobs?

2.) Will the employees be keeping their same level of compensation?

3.) How will the insurance benefits change, if at all?

4.) How will our company culture change – do we still have team building events planned every    quarter and holiday bonuses we can count on?

The answers to these questions can go a long way in determining whether a buyer is the perfect fit for a business, outside of the fundamental valuation and transaction structure.  Mergers and acquisitions are complicated endeavors, involving an incredible amount of work and attention to detail.  While in the midst of an acquisition, HR Departments are the group tasked with managing perhaps the most valuable part of a company – the human capital.  Granted, some aspects of the transaction are unavoidable, including the letting go of employees in an underperforming division or in a role that will be redundant within the acquirer’s organization.  But, if both buyer and seller can get on the same page and formulate a plan for informing the employees of a change, this will ease the transition and mitigate the fear of the unknown. 

Now, to address the first question that will come to an employee’s mind upon finding out their firm is being acquired – am I going to keep my job?  In the vast majority of transactions, employees will retain their roles and often times an acquisition can be an opportunity for upward mobility within a larger organization.  Timing will be of the utmost importance when it comes to making any type of announcement regarding an employee’s employment status, whether positive or negative. One hurdle to avoid at all costs is raising alarms unnecessarily.  In order to avoid this complication, it’s best to announce a merger or acquisition upon execution of a Definitive Purchase Agreement and the transfer of funds. This ensures that the deal is closed and official and will eliminate the risk of pulling the rug out from under the employees of a recently acquired company.  

When the topic of compensation arises, there are numerous factors at play, including the performance of both the buyer, seller and individual employee as well as the defined compensation structure that already exists within the buyer’s corporate infrastructure.  Having a discussion regarding compensation can also take a different tone – perhaps a buyer can offer employees a more compelling work/life balance, an office space that offers the opportunity to exercise, eat healthy or be in a location that is convenient and offers easy access to post office hours entertainment.  Being able to pitch potential employees on all of the value that a buyer offers aside from the number on their paycheck can help bridge any perceived gaps
in compensation.

Beyond the importance of staying employed and maintaining the current level of earnings, individual employees will also be concerned with their benefits package and whether the buyer offers a more compelling insurance package or one that could be considered a down grade.  In any event, being completely transparent about the pros and cons of the new benefits package will be important in mitigating the fear associated with change.  A buyer who makes themselves available to answer questions that are both qualitative and quantitative in nature will be able to ensure a smoother transition.  This would include providing feedback mechanisms such as one-on-one interviews, focus groups and anonymous surveys.  In most cases, there is not a need to turn everything upside down immediately – buyers should not expect for all the new employees to join their new health insurance plan immediately, buyers should also consider letting the new employees keep their old PTO until the end of the year, if a new employees has already reserved PTO, a buyer can still honor that time and garner a little morale. 

 Ultimately, communication will be key - giving employees an opportunity to feel seen and heard will give them the sense of feeling valued by their new employers.  Additionally, this will bring a level of comfort to the seller that those individuals who helped them achieve success will continue to be taken care of and that the culture of a company that takes years to create will remain intact and continue to permeate throughout the new company.

Author:
JP Santos
Senior Associate
Benchmark International

T:   +1 (512) 861 3309
E: Santos@benchmarkcorporate.com

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Benchmark International Facilitated the Transaction of Fulfill Plus to The Balwa Group

Benchmark International has successfully facilitated the acquisition of FullfillPlus, Inc to a private group of buyers.  Benchmark International worked diligently to find a Buyer that was a good cultural fit for the business and would allow for the owners of FulfillPlus, Inc to achieve their personal and professional goals.

FulfillPlus, Inc offers a wide range of fulfillment, warehousing, order processing, kitting, assembly, and shipping services tailored to meet their client’s exact marketing needs. They are a single-source supplier for all services related to delivering clients’ products to their clients in a timely and cost-efficient manner. Centrally located on the Gulf Coast, near the Port of Houston, they are ideally situated to handle large and small clients that manufacture in the United States or import products from as far away as China and India to reach their clients efficiently.

The Buyers are part of a company with investment holdings in diverse market segments including hospitality, real estate development, and manufacturing.  With a large international presence, the firm was looking to diversify its holdings in both market segment and geography and had a particular interest in the logistics business. 

FulfillPlus, the Seller, and the Buyers are pictured together.

Benchmark International was able to procure for FulfillPlus, Inc a buyer that met their financial goals while also being an ideal cultural fit.  Benchmark International corresponded with numerous potential buyers and the owners of FulfillPlus, Inc had several in-person meetings and offers to choose from however once they had the opportunity to meet with the representatives from the buyers, both parties knew immediately that FulfillPlus would be a great fit for both.  

Benchmark International’s Senior Associate, J.P. Santos, commented “The Benchmark International team is ecstatic that Chuck and Michele, the owners of FulfullPlus, chose a buyer that is going to contribute to the continued growth of the company. Chuck and Michele were communicative, responsive, and collaborative through the Benchmark 360 process. Ultimately, the transaction will allow Chuck and Michele to reap the rewards of years of hard work while continuing to focus on the positive trajectory the company is on and enjoy more leisure time.  This was a great result and we couldn’t be happier for all parties.”

Charles Gleason, CEO of FulfillPlus wrote a beautiful letter to the Benchmark International team regarding his experience working with us: 

Dear J.P. and entire Benchmark Team:

Michele & I would like to thank you for the great job your entire team did helping us sell our company. We selected Benchmark because of the professionalism shown by all of your representatives as well as the breadth and scope of your company.

Being the founder of this business, it wasn’t easy for me to decide to sell it. We had been so focused on running the company for so many years, dealing with day-to-day issues, we never had time to even think about selling, and I wasn’t quite sure I really wanted to. But we knew we needed some sort of exit strategy for retirement and decided to at least sit-down and review the process with your team. Your team answered all of our concerns and made us feel comfortable enough to initiate the selling process. You re-affirmed to me that it would be my decision on who we sell to and there is no time limit on finding the right buyer. I was skeptical, but after going through the process, I now know it's 100% true. You didn’t pressure us to make decisions and focused your efforts on guiding us through the valuation and sales process at our pace. Nowhere along the way did we feel that you were pressuring us for time or a quick decision.

When it came to meeting prospective buyers, you allowed us to review each prospective buyer’s background before they were allowed to see our financials or meet us. You let us meet (on the phone & in person) with each buyer on our own, then scheduled calls to review the meetings and get our feedback on each prospective buyer. When offers were made, you offered insights into buyer tendencies and how we should respond. It was truly a team effort.

We are now 2 weeks past the closing date and have been working day-to-day with the new owners. We feel we made the right decision and are now finding ourselves looking at golf course communities around the country trying to decide where we eventually want to retire. We’re looking at Anthem, Arizona, Palm Spring, Ca, San Antonio, Tx (Hill country), Austin, Tx, and Greensboro, Ga (Lake Oconee). All areas with beautiful homes and golf communities.

Thanks again for all your help and good luck with future sales,

Charles Gleason
CEO
FulfillPlus, Inc.
 

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The Benefits of Data Rooms (VDRs)

The due diligence process for an M&A transaction can be very cumbersome for all parties involved. The usage of a data room is one of the most valuable ways to mitigate the headaches that arise from the motions of due diligence.  There are generally two types of data rooms: physical and virtual.  The former is not the most practical in most larger scale transactions with moving parts in varying geographies. Thus, you will almost always see the usage of a virtual data room (VDR) in an M&A transaction. These VDRs provide organization and security for sellers, buyers, and advisors. 

Organization is probably the most easily identifiable benefit that VDRs provide.  They provide a repository for all documents pertaining to the transaction.  From a Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment to the 2016 YE Income Statement to the buyer’s first draft of an Asset Purchase Agreement, it will reside in the data room. VDRs essentially eliminate the need to transmit documents through e-mail.  When there are 10+ individuals across parties needing to review documents, e-mail transmission is not practical in terms of time or organization.  Relying on e-mail may result in an organizational catastrophe, and many documents may quite simply be too large for e-mail transmission. Though it may be difficult to quantify in dollars, VDRs are undoubtedly a cost saver, particularly for sellers.  Many intermediaries such as Benchmark International use and administrate VDRs for their sellers at no additional cost, whereas many transaction advisors focusing on the legal or financial aspects of a deal are likely to charge additional fees for the usage and administration of a VDR. 

Security is a highly underrated and less thought of benefit to using a VDR.  E-mail isn’t the best vehicle to transmit sensitive employee information, tax data, or any other sensitive diligence documents.  While we all will use e-mail frequently to communicate over the course of diligence, it should be a last resort for the transmission of sensitive data.  One e-mail in the wrong hands could easily derail not just the transaction, but the going concern of the business.  Professional VDRs are also more secure than free or low-cost cloud hosted repositories such as Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive.  These repositories are excellent for personal use or small B2B transmissions, but they don’t provide anywhere close to the same level of security as a VDR.  VDR data centers provide physical security (people and cameras), backup servers and generators, and top of the line digital security by way of multi-layered firewalls and 256-bit encryption.  Another security benefit of a VDR is the ability to layer.  Layers or levels allow administrators to dictate which individuals or parties have visibility to certain documents.  It’s quite possible that certain information will not be accessible until diligence milestones are met.  Layering the data room helps provide accountability, but most importantly: security.  

There are countless other benefits, but these are some of the most crucial that impact all parties involved in an M&A transaction.  Benchmark International, through its vendor, provides a tailored VDR experience and service to all of its clients to help facilitate seamless due diligence processes and successful deal closings. 

Author:
Billy Van Buren 
Senior Associate
Benchmark International

T:   +1 (512) 861 3312
E: VanBuren@benchmarkcorporate.com

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When Is The Right Time To Retire And Sell My Business?

Over 88% of business owners think their business will stay in the family. In fact, only about 30% of family-owned businesses survive into the second generation, 12% are still viable into the third generation, and only about 3% of all family businesses operate into the fourth generation or beyond. As baby boomers are heading for retirement, who is going to take over the businesses the boomers are looking to sell? 

Today’s business owners are faced with multiple factors when deciding the right time to sell. The perfect time can be tricky to predict as several economic considerations need to be weighed. The majority of business owners begin this thought process when nearing retirement age, but is this too late? The most important considerations are current economic statistics, market conditions, and industry trends. These are good predictors of a sellers’ market and shows the types of buyers and private equity companies ready to invest. Buyers are looking for businesses in the growth and maturity stages of their business life cycles. During these stages, operational bottlenecks are becoming managed and demand, profits  and lasting customer relationships have been built. Business owners sometimes have the tendency to postpone selling until operations and profits begin to decline. This is a costly mistake for any business owner wanting to maximize their company’s value.

 

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

 

Sellers should strive to put aside personal feelings anchoring their decision-making process when considering their exit strategy. When considering selling, business owners should focus their attention on asking is my business in a financial incline, is my staff in place able to succeed without me, do I have a diversified client structure, and are my capital expenditures under control?Business owners need to consider these objectives now and determine if a sale is the right decision. Economic environments quickly change and in order to achieve a premium sales price, a favorable market is the key. Currently, multiples are at a historic high with limited quality businesses available for sale. Baby boomers are holding on to their businesses and aren’t willing to sell until they have to. 

This can be a hard-personal decision to make for owners who have built their companies from infancy. Owners are conflicted with their decision, asking did I do the right thing, did I maximize my company’s value, will my employees be taken care of, and what is next in my life.Before considering the sale of your business, define both the internal and external factors and remove any hidden traps that cloud your decision-making process and can result in missed opportunities. By having a written exit plan, an experienced team of advisors, and patience, business owners will realize the full value of their life’s work.

Here at Benchmark International, we understand the emotional and physical stress that accompanies the decision to sell. Our experienced advisors assist by providing an outside perspective to business owners and by identifying suitable conditions in the M&A sector. Our responsibility is to ensure our clients are presented with all the facts and strategies to move forward. Benchmark International values close relationships and ensures that our clients are fully prepared to make the right decision when the day comes.

Author:
Kendall Stafford
Managing Partner
Benchmark International

E: Stafford@benchmarkcorporate.com

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Understanding EBITDA

In arriving at a valuation for their business, many managers come across the term EBITDA.  For some this term is Greek and for others it’s a term they vaguely remember being mentioned during their days in business school. For many business owners it’s a completely new term, with no context, and why it is important is a complete mystery to them.  But to buyers, EBITDA seems to be an incredibly important term.  So what is EBITDA?

To begin let’s spell out the acronym.  EBITDA stands for “Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization,” that is, a company’s earnings before items which can be disassociated from the day to day operations of the business.  EBITDA is therefore a measure of the financial strength of the business, and presents a proxy for the total cash flow which a potential buyer could expect to garner from the purchase of your business.

Let’s break down each part of the acronym, beginning with Earnings. In the case of your business, Earnings is represented by the bottom line income, what is labeled “Ordinary Business Income,” on your tax returns.  This is the number arrived at by subtracting all expenses from Revenues and adding or subtracting any additional cost or income.  Distributions and dividends are items which occur after “Earnings” is calculated and are therefore not included in this equation.

Interest payments are associated with debt that the company currently holds.  Those interest payments whether they are on a Line of Credit to the local bank or for outstanding debt the company has taken on to purchase machinery or warehouse space, will likely be in some way included into the sales price of your business.  Meaning, that when a new owner takes over operations, or comes on board to help grow your business, the business will be starting fresh.  From the time of the sale going forward the new owners can expect all of the money previously paid to the bank, to flow through to bottom line earnings instead.  For this reason, in valuing your company it is important to add back interest payments to your bottom line earnings.

Next, we arrive at taxes. Each and every business pays taxes, but the amount is variable by state and subject to current legislation.  For that reason, we add back some, but not all taxes to your bottom line profits.  In most cases the only tax added back will be your Franchise Taxes. Franchise Taxes are those taxes charged by a state to a company, as the cost of a business in that state.  The tax varies based on the size of the business and the state in which the business is incorporated.  Because a company may be incorporated in a different state, or the size of the business may drastically change after an acquisition, these taxes are therefore variable and not a reflection on the business’ earnings.

Depreciation is a fancy accounting term for something we all know.  The amount of value your car loses the moment you drive it off the lot, is the most common form of depreciation we deal with during our lives.  Say you purchased new machinery ten years ago, and it is still running and in good condition, humming along each day spitting out all the widgets you can sell.  But your accountant may send you tax returns each year saying your machine is worth less and less.  This amount that gets deducted by your accountant isn’t an actual amount of cash leaving your business, but it decreases your bottom line earnings.  For this reason, we add depreciation back, to put back into your bottom line, an amount which was taken out on paper, but not out of your company’s checking account.  An additional note, as we are dealing with your company’s Profit and Loss statement, we ignore the total amount of accumulated depreciation which is shown on your Balance Sheet, in order to capture the expense associated only with one accounting period.

Amortization is Depreciations baby brother. If you purchased a business ten years ago, you may have paid more for that company than what it was worth at that very moment based on the amount of assets and business you were garnering by purchasing that company and its clients.  Let’s say that the business you bought was worth one million dollars, but you figured that the business’ client list and trademark was worth an additional half million dollars to you over the long run, and so you paid one point five million dollars for the business.  This additional half million dollars is sometimes referred to as “good will”. It’s a value which can be reflected on paper and then turned into cash over a period of time.  Just like your new car though, each year your accountant is going to take some part of this half million dollars and subtract it from your profits before he or she arrives at your bottom line net income.  Since this number is an adjustment made on paper, just like depreciation, adding it back gives a better picture of the amount of cash flowing through your business.

In sum, each of these components of EBITDA combine to create a clearer picture of your company’s true value to potential buyers, and is therefore something buyers are particularly interested in.  In order to understand Adjustments to EBITDA please see my coworker Austin Pakola’s piece on adjustments to EBIDA.

Author:
Patrick Seaworth
Analyst
Benchmark International

T:   +1 (512) 861 3314 
E: Seaworth@benchmarkcorporate.com

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A Seller’s Guide to a Successful Mergers & Acquisitions Process

The Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) process is exhausting. For most sellers, it’s a one-time experience like no other and a marathon business event. When done well, the process begins far in advance of the daunting “due diligence” phase and ends well beyond deal completion. This Seller’s guide summarizes key, and often overlooked, steps in a successful M&A process.

Phase I: Preparation – Tidy Up and Create Your Dream Team.

Of course, our own kids are the best and brightest, and bring us great pride and joy. Business owners tend to be just as proud of the company they’ve built, the success of their creation, and the uniqueness of their offering. Sometimes this can cloud an objective view of opportunities for improvement that will drive incremental value in a M&A transaction.

For starters, sellers must ensure that company financial statements are in order. Few things scare off buyers or devalue a business more than sloppy financials. A buyer’s Quality of Earnings review during due diligence is the wrong time to identify common issues such as inconsistent application of the matching principle, classifying costs as capital vs. expense, improper accrual accounting, or unsubstantiated entries. In addition, the ability to quickly produce detailed reports – income statement; balance sheet; supplier, customer, product, and service line details; aging reports; certificates and licenses; and cost details – will not only drive up buyer confidence and valuations, but also streamline the overall process.

Key in accomplishing the items above as well as a successful transaction is having the right team in place. Customarily, this doesn’t involve a seller’s internal team as much as his or her outside trusted advisors and subject matter experts. These include a great CFO or accountant, a sell-side M&A broker, a M&A attorney, and a tax and wealth manager. There are countless stories of disappointed sellers who regretted consummating a less-than-favorable transaction after “doing it on their own.” The fees paid to these outside subject matter experts is generally a small part of the overall transaction value and pays for itself in transaction efficiency and improved deal economics.

Phase II: On Market – Sell It!

At this stage, sellers that have enlisted the help of a good M&A broker have few concerns. The best M&A advisors are very hands on and will manage a robust process that includes the creation of world class marketing materials, outreach breadth and depth, access to effective buyers, client preparation, and ongoing education and updates. The seller’s focus is, well, selling! With their advisor’s guidance, a ready seller has prepared in advance for calls and site visits. This includes thinking through the tough questions from buyers, rehearsing their pitch, articulating simple and clear messages regarding the company’s unique value propositions, tailoring growth ideas to suit different types of buyers, and readying the property to be “shown.”

Most importantly, sellers need to ensure their business delivers excellent financial performance during this time, another certain make-or-break criterion for a strong valuation and deal completion. In fact, many purchase price values are tied directly to the company’s trailing 12-month (TTM) performance at or near the time of close. For a seller, it can feel like having two full time jobs, simultaneously managing record company results and the M&A process, which is precisely why sellers should have a quality M&A broker by their side. During the sale process, which usually takes at least several months, valuations are directly impacted, up or down, based on the company’s TTM performance. And, given that valuations are typically based on a multiple of earnings, each dollar change in company earnings can have a 5 or 10 dollar change in valuation. At a minimum, sellers should run their business in the “normal course”, as if they weren’t contemplating a sale. The best outcomes are achieved when company performance is strong and sellers sprint through the finish line.

Phase III: Due Diligence – Time Kills Deals!

Once an offer is received, successfully negotiated with the help of an advisor, and accepted, due diligence begins. While the bulk of the cost for this phase is borne by the buyer, the effort is equally shared by both sides. It’s best to think of this phase as a series of sprints and remember the all-important M&A adage, “time kills deals!” Time kills deals because it introduces risk: business performance risk, buyer financing, budget, or portfolio risk, market risk, customer demand and supplier performance risks, litigation risk, employee retention risk, and so on. Once an offer is received and both sides wish to consummate a transaction, it especially behooves the seller to speed through this process as quickly as possible and avoid becoming a statistic in failed M&A deals.

The first sprint involves populating a virtual data room with the requested data, reports, and files that a buyer needs in order to conduct due diligence. The data request can seem daunting and may include over 100 items. Preparation in the first phase will come in handy here, as will assistance from the seller’s support team. The M&A broker is especially key in supporting, managing, and prioritizing items for the data room – based on the buyer’s due diligence sequence – and keeping all parties aligned and on track.

The second sprint requires excellent responsiveness by the seller. As the buyer reviews data and conducts analysis, questions will arise. Immediately addressing these questions keeps the process on track and avoids raising concerns. This phase likely also includes site visits by the buyer and third parties for on-site financial and environmental reviews, and property appraisals. They should be scheduled and completed without delay.

The third and final due diligence sprint involves negotiating the final purchase contract and supporting schedules, exhibits, and agreements; also known as “turning documents.” The seller’s M&A attorney is key in this phase. This is not the time for a generalist attorney or one that specializes in litigation, patent law, family law, or corporate law, or happens to be a friend of the family. Skilled M&A attorneys, like medical specialists, specialize in successfully completing M&A transactions on behalf of their clients. Their familiarity with M&A contracts and supporting documents, market norms, and skill in selecting and negotiating the right deal points, is the best insurance for a seller seeking a clean transaction with lasting success.

Phase IV: Post Sale – You’ve Got One Shot.

Whether a seller’s passion post-sale is continuing to grow the business, retire, travel, support charity, or a combination of these, once again, preparation is key. Unfortunately, many sellers don’t think about wealth management soon enough. A wealth advisor can and should provide input throughout the M&A process. Up front, they can assist in determining valuations needed to achieve the seller’s long-term goals. When negotiating offers and during due diligence, they encourage deal structures that optimize the seller’s cash flow and tax position. And post-close, sellers will greatly benefit from wealth management strategies, cash flow optimization, wealth transfer, investment strategies, and strategic philanthropy. Proper planning for post-sale success must start early and it takes time; and, it’s critical to have the right team of experienced professionals in place.

The M&A process is complex, it usually has huge implications for a seller and his or her company and family, and most sellers will only experience it once in a lifetime. Preparing in advance, building and leveraging the expertise of a dream team, and acting with a sense of urgency throughout the process will minimize risk, maximize the probability of a successful M&A transaction, and contribute to the seller’s success and satisfaction long after the
deal closes.

Author:
Leo VanderSchuur
Transaction Director
Benchmark International

T:   +1 (813) 387 6044
E: VanderSchuur@benchmarkcorporate.com

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I want to buy a business, where do I start?

Many individuals or companies feel that the best way to either enter an industry or expand within an industry is through buying a business. While this is often true, it is hard to know where to begin the process of buying a business.

Define your search criteria?

The first step to buying a business is comprise a list of features that you are seeking in a business. Similar to the car buying process. Do you want leather seats, a certain brand, navigation, power windows, etc? Narrowing your search criteria will help save you time, resources, and frustration.

Here’s a few questions you will want to be able to answer as you begin your search:

  • What size business are you seeking? This question relates to both revenue and profitability.
  • Do you want the owner to remain apart of the business post-closing? If so, for how long?
  • What geographical areas do you prefer?
  • What industry and sectors are of interest to you? Be as specific as possible. If you are looking to buy a marketing firm, what type of end customers do you prefer? Do you want the business to cater to government customers, healthcare companies, etc?
  • What is your budget?

Begin your search

There are many ways to uncover businesses for sale. You can search various websites, reach out to a Mergers and Acquisitions’ (M&A) specialist, or network to try and find deals that have not hit the market yet. Some buyers will approach business owners directly to see if they are interested in selling their business directly to the buyer.

Websites featuring businesses for sale often can be overwhelming. If you search several websites, you may see the same listing on multiple websites.

There are M&A specialists that work with buyers to find businesses for sale and others that work with sellers to find buyers. Some M&A specialists represent both buyers and sellers. If you are working with a specialist that represents both parties in a transaction, you will want to understand the intermediary’s incentives. It is hard to keep interests aligned if there are conflicts between the parties. If you are working with a sell-side M&A specialist, often times they will have exclusive listings meaning that you can only have access to that specific deal through that specialist. Also, a sell-side M&A specialist may take a commitment fee. This will show the seller’s commitment to the sale process.

Some potential buyers build a network to look for opportunities to purchase businesses or build their own database of potential businesses they would like to purchase and begin reaching out to those business owners. While this sounds like an easy process, do not be fooled by the amount of time and resources you will use trying to speak with the business owners and convincing them to complete a deal with you. Typically, business owners that are open to exploring the idea of selling will entertain a conversation but they eventually want to go to market to test the valuation. Often times buyers will get close to the end of a transaction but then the seller will decide not to sale. If you are willing to pay an amount that is acceptable to the seller then they often wonder if there is someone that is willing to pay more and if they have undervalued their business.

Begin to review businesses

Sellers will want a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) in place prior to releasing confidential information. This practice is very typical in the lower mid-market. As a buyer, you will want to have the opportunity to speak directly with the business owner. They will know their business better than anyone, and you will have specific questions that only the business owner will be able to answer. You will also want to visit the business' facility. This visit will tell you a lot about the company, its culture, and what type of liabilities you may want to explore further during the due diligence process. Once you find the perfect business, you will want to move swiftly to the next stage of the purchasing process as there are probably other buyers looking at the same opportunity and you do not want to miss out.

I found the perfect business, now what?

After you find the perfect business, you will need to comprise a valuation for the business. The valuation will be covered in a Letter of Intent (LOI) as well as the structure (how is the valuation going to be paid to the seller) of the offer and other high-level details. In the LOI, you will want to include the seller’s involvement post close, an exclusivity clause allowing you the exclusive right to review the opportunity, the requirements of due diligence along with a timeline, if possible, and the anticipated closing date. A LOI tends to include many more details but above highlights some of the details a seller will want to understand prior to agreeing to move forward.

The LOI is executed. Where do we go from here?

After a LOI is executed, due diligence begins. As the buyer, you want to confirm that what you think you are buying is what you are actually buying. You will want to understand the risk associated with the purchase of the business. You will also want to engage your advisors to provide legal advice for the purchase agreement and tax advice for the structure of the transaction. 

While purchasing a business sounds like a quick and easy process, it can take months, if not a year or two, to make the purchase. There are a lot of factors that you will encounter and unforeseen obstacles that stand in your way. An M&A specialist can help you navigate these obstacles and help you purchase a business within your desired timeframe. Whether you choose to seek to purchase a business on your own or bring in a M&A specialist, we wish you the best of luck with your journey. 

Author:
Kendall Stafford
Managing Partner
Benchmark International

T:  +1 (512) 347 2000 
E: stafford@benchmarkcorporate.com

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Benchmark International is Set to Sponsor UK Mid-Market 2019 Private Equity Event

Posted on November 30, 2018 By in Mid-Market + Private Equity + networking + Real Deals

Benchmark International is pleased to announce that it will be returning as pre-eminent sponsors to the Real Deals Mid-Market event in February 2019 for the sixth year running.

The event is to take place at the America Square Conference Centre in London and is attended by the UK and Europe’s most influential private equity professionals, providing an opportunity to network with hundreds of dealmakers, drawing attention to the opportunities currently represented by Benchmark International.

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Benchmark International successfully facilitated the sale of Landtec Services, LLC., to RW Construction Services LLC DBA ERW Site Solutions (ERW)

Benchmark International has successfully facilitated the sale of Landtec Services, LLC., to RW Construction Services LLC DBA ERW Site Solutions (ERW).

Landtec Services, LLC., is an Austin, Texas-based business that provides commercial landscaping services to the Central Texas market. It provides a turn-key solution that includes the installation of landscape, irrigation, hardscape and retaining walls, and property maintenance.

ERW Site Solutions (ERW) specializes in building retaining walls and providing job site services such as fine grading, hardscapes, monuments, job site cleanup, and slope protection & erosion control. ERW offers unmatched quality of service at prices other subcontractors can rarely beat while utilizing state of the art equipment and technology.

 

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

 

In reference to the transaction, Brandon Parish, Managing Member and Partner of Landtec Services LLC., explained his experience with Benchmark International, “I was recommended to Benchmark International by a fellow peer in the industry. He spoke highly of Benchmark’s team. My experience with Benchmark far surpassed any expectations. I truly felt like they understood what my goals were and they were relentless in their approach to get a deal done. Larry Quinn, Partner of Landtec Services, LLC., mentioned that “Benchmark International team knew from the beginning that we had unique goals; they carefully crafted a strategy that would allow Brandon and I to achieve them.”

Transaction Director, Luis Vinals, added, “Brandon and Larry were excellent to work with. Benchmark International’s Austin team enjoyed working with Brandon and Larry and found a deal that was ideal for them. This deal reflects Benchmark’s dynamic market position and negotiation prowess as both of our clients had naturally opposing goals. Brandon was looking for a transition and growth deal with a value added acquirer. On the other hand, Larry, wanted a shorter transition period for his eventual exit. The Austin team did a formidable job at negotiating a deal that would fit both of these objectives. From day one, our clients collaborated with us which paved the way for our proven model to forge a deal that would meet their needs.

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Benchmark International has Successfully Facilitated the Sale of Enroute Networks, Inc. to Dynamic Quest

Benchmark International, has successfully negotiated the sale of its client, Enroute Networks, Inc. (“Enroute”) to Dynamic Quest (“DQ”), a portfolio company of Spire Capital Partners (“Spire Capital”), a New York based private equity firm.

Founded in 2001 and based in Marietta, Georgia, Enroute is a leading information technology services provider managing the IT needs and security challenges of small to medium sized businesses. The company focuses on being a value-added reseller and cloud provider of computer networking, telephony, and systems solutions, as well as a fully capable IT managed service provider (MSP) of all solutions it implements. Today, the company employs over 15 people serving customers across the United States with a focus on the Southeast.

Headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, DQ is a managed service provider offering IT and cloud services to enterprises and businesses. Founded in 2000, DQ’s services include hosted cloud services, disaster recovery, managed IT, service plans, software maintenance and development, application support, virtual CIO and IT security services. In 2017, the Company serviced over 225 customers across a wide variety of market verticals. Dynamic Quest currently has 119 full time employees and satellite offices in Winston-Salem and Cary, North Carolina and Clark, Philippines. Spire Capital has supported DQ’s strategy of pursuing acquisitions to broaden its geographic reach and scale, while complementing its strong organic revenue growth. The acquisition of DQ marked the seventh platform investment in Spire Capital Partners III, and the strategic acquisition of Enroute represents an excellent addition to this.

 

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

 

Founder & CEO of Enroute, David Hampson, stated, “Benchmark International played an instrumental role in identifying an acquirer whose vision aligned with our own. The team brought multiple offers to the table, and created a competitive bid process among some of the top names in the industry. A big thanks to the Benchmark transaction team for the extraordinary effort in making this deal a reality.”

“It was a pleasure working with David (Hampson) from the early stages of his relationship with Benchmark through to closing. We received excellent feedback from the market early-on and were able to orchestrate a process that resulted in multiple offers and ended with an ideal acquirer sharing many of Enroute’s same core values,” said Trevor Talkie, Senior Associate at Benchmark International. “Enroute is a compelling addition to DQ under Spire Capital’s growing managed IT services platform, and we are truly honored to have worked alongside Mr. Hampson toward this successful outcome.”

Leo VanderSchuur, Director at Benchmark International added, “It was a pleasure to represent Enroute in this transaction, and we’re extremely pleased with the outcome. On behalf of Benchmark International, I’d like to wish both parties the best of luck moving forward.”

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Five Ways to Increase the Value of Your Business

You have a business with a strong bottom line and you are considering selling to realise its value. As a general rule of thumb, you used a five times multiple of earnings to work out a valuation for your company and are happy with the price you could command for your business. You put the company on the market but the prices offered are nowhere near what you expected – so what went wrong?

Companies that find themselves in this position are likely to be lacking in transferable business value. Transferable business value is a company with internal characteristics that will continue once the owner departs. Without this, no matter how strong the bottom line is, acquirers are likely to be unwilling to invest, or drive down the price paid for the company.

So, does your company have transferable business value? The below details five features that acquirers look for in a business which could increase its value.

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Take some chips off the Table with an Elevator Deal

Many business owners come to a point where they are ready to “take some chips off the table,” and continue to run their business on a day to day basis while cashing in on some of their hard-earned growth.  In these deals a business owner sells equity in the company while staying on and maintaining a salary.  These deals are known as elevator deals.  An elevator deal consists of a buyer taking a stake in the business for an agreed amount of cash while leaving day to day management to the current owner.

Perhaps your children have reached college age and you now have tuition bills coming in twice a year. Perhaps you’re not quite ready to retire, but would like to cash-in on some of your business’ current market value, and invest that money in your retirement fund.  Or, perhaps you’re simply ready to take some chips off the table while continuing to earn a salary.  In these cases, an elevator deal would be the right fit for you.

Elevator Deals include the owner selling part of their business in exchange for partial ownership. In this manner of exchange, the business owner(s) will maintain a minority equity stake in their company, while new ownership takes on the majority position.  These deals often include prior owners staying on, working on their business in a day-to-day capacity, while earning a salary, with a percentage of the business’ bottom line passing through to new ownership.  In some cases, owners are able to step outside of their prior managerial roles while maintaining a stake in the company and its profits. 

The goal for new investors is to grow the business and the value of their stake in the company. These owners may have the goal of a resale several years down the road, and growing your business and its place in your community, be it regional or national, just as you have done is their goal. In maintaining the high standard you have set for the quality of your products or services, equity investors are growing the value of their investment.

Many business owners worry about selling part or most of their company.  They worry that the buyer’s intent is to take as much cash out of the business as possible and leave prior owners, those people who built the business from scratch, with a company they love left in tatters.  Benchmark International will secure equity investors in your business are the right fit.  Ensuring that they intend to increase the value of your company while maintaining its true identity.

In engaging Benchmark International, our team will diligently craft marketing materials to accurately reflect your business to the market.  Once you approve of those marketing materials, our transaction team will take over and begin marketing your company to potential investors.  At this point, many business owners begin to feel as though they are pressured to sell to individuals who don’t understand the heart and values of their company.  Benchmark International will work tirelessly to ensure you never feel those emotions.  We will work for you until we find the right fit, in order to ensure that as you continue to manage your company you’re not hand-tied to investors who are simply concerned with how much they can take out of your business’ profits each year.

If you are interested in selling a portion of your business to help grow your company while maintaining a portion of your business, please reach out to us and let us help you take the
next step.

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Investment Banker of the Year Winner!

On November 06, 2018 Benchmark International professionals attended the 17th Annual M&A Advisor Awards in New York City and walked away winners. The award ceremony is part of a larger summit hosted by M&A Advisor that is dubbed ”the country’s premier gathering of professionals engaged in M&A, restructuring and financing.” Industry leaders, watchers, and influencers travel from around the world to participate in this renowned professional-development summit and to be recognized for their accomplishments.

Benchmark International is pleased to announce that its Managing Director, Kendall Stafford, has been awarded with the title of “Investment Banker of the Year.” Stafford was one of eight finalists for this award, and went up against other outstanding individuals in the M&A realm. Stafford is an exceptional leader on mergers and acquisitions transactions, and Benchmark International is elated to say she is a prime example to the philosophy that we leave no stone unturned.

“The award recipients represent the finest in the M&A industry in 2018 and earned these honors by standing out in a group of extremely impressive finalists,” expressed Roger Aguinaldo, Founder of The M&A Advisor. “From lower middle market to multi-billion dollar deals, we are recognizing the leading transactions, firms, and individuals that represent the highest levels of achievement.”

The recognition of the 17th Annual M&A Awards hosted by The M&A Advisor is additional support to the claim that Benchmark International truly strives to provide the best service to its clients. Benchmark International was also recognized earlier this year at the Emerging Leader Awards and the 10th Annual International M&A Awards, both also hosted by The M&A Advisor; the leader in M&A recognition globally. Benchmark International’s Transaction Director, Luis Vinals, was named an Emerging Leader, and Benchmark International won Regional Deal of the Year for North America for the acquisition of Gasco Affiliates, LLC by Tech Air, and also won Financials Deal of the Year for the acquisition of Silexx Financial Systems by the Chicago Board Options Exchange.

When it’s time to sell your business, you want a team on your side that will bring you the most value for your business in every facet. Benchmark International works with clients on every front, from emotional needs, to monetary needs, to cultural needs for business owners looking to exit their businesses. Call today to find out how Benchmark International can help you.

Schedule a call to speak to an Analyst

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Four Trends in the US Private Equity Industry You Should Know About

Posted on November 19, 2018 By in US M&A + Private Equity

There has been a surge in US private equity (PE) dealmaking throughout 2018 – 3,501 deals worth $508.8B closed, with the majority of transactions occurring in the third quarter. But what have been the trends in this industry and what has caused the increase in dealmaking?

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Benchmark International Successfully Facilitated the Acquisition of Columinate (Pty) Ltd. to InSites Consulting (Pty) Ltd.

Benchmark International is pleased to have successfully facilitated the acquisition of Columinate (Pty) Ltd to InSites Consulting (Pty) Ltd.

Columinate (Pty) Ltd (“Columinate”) is a highly awarded marketing research agency that provides quantifiable information to businesses in order to improve decision-making. The brand conducts its work exclusively through digital means – a methodology pioneered by Columinate in South Africa and where the business continues to be a proven leader in the space. The company employs a highly skilled team of over 40 research professionals and boasts a loyal and well-curated client base consisting of a diverse collection of both local and multinational customers.

InSites Consulting (Pty) Ltd (InSites) is recognised among the top 100 largest and top 10 most innovative market research agencies in the world. The agency helps global brands to make better and faster marketing decisions, combining smart digital technology with contemporary marketing methodology. InSites is now present on four continents with eight client service offices in Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, the US, Germany, Romania, Australia and South Africa.

 

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

 

The transaction sets the groundwork for both businesses to leverage off each other’s mutually advantageous basket of services while instantly expanding InSites footprint and reach into South Africa and the broader African market.

Commenting on this, Andre Bresler of Benchmark International said: “This transaction evidences a defined trend whereby market leading businesses in all sectors have recognised the opportunities the African Market represents in the context of their own global clients and ability to service them internationally. Aside from the powerful synergies, the cultures of the two businesses are wholly aligned and we are equally delighted for Insites and Columinate both”.

On behalf of everyone at Benchmark International, we would like to wish both parties every success for the future.

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What Does the Draft Brexit Deal Mean for Business?

Posted on November 15, 2018 By in Brexit

Yesterday, Theresa May and her cabinet agreed to a draft agreement on Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union, and it is now pending approval from MPs and the other EU member states.

The agreement hasn’t come without its perils, with a series of resignations, but there are positives for business on the agreement so far.

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Tags: Brexit

Women in Power

Posted on November 12, 2018 By in US Election + Business Tips + Economy + business owner + Women

“If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation;” these words were spoken by Abigail Adams, First lady of the United States and wife to John Adams, one of the founding fathers and writers of the Declaration of Independence.  

There is no doubt that women have been aggressively challenging the status quo in their pursuits for independence, equality, and active leadership over the last couple decades. This past Tuesday November 06, 2018, women took their achievements to a whole new level and broadened the gamut of political representation to include the largest body of female members of Congress thus far.

The ladies deserve a round of applause after the turnout of this year’s US midterm elections. There were some notable historic voting records surpassed. So far, there will be at least 119 women serving in the 116th Congress. This number is up from the historic high of 107.

The central message being supported by both sides of the fence is that this turnout of elections was a huge success for this gender group as a whole. Women are playing a much larger role in law declarations than ever before, and their voice is being represented at a louder volume than ever before.

This group of elected women represents several firsts for this minority. The next Congress will have a record number of women of color, a record number of non-incumbent women, its first Native American women, its first Muslim women, and the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. Exit polls illustrated that 8 out of 10 Americans said it’s important to elect more women to public office.

Women are upending the idea that “men wear the pants,” and are taking the reins in corporate settings as well. According to the National Association of Women Business Owners, “more than 11.6 million firms are owned by women, employing nearly 9 million people, and generating $1.7 trillion in sales as of 2017.” Moreover, women-owned firms account for 39% of all privately held firms. These stats have been growing consistently for the last two decades as women start to play larger roles in business development and implementation, and they are only expected to continue growing.

Benchmark International supports women in their pursuits of their passions and their drivers for success, and this is highlighted by the success of one of our very own inspirational women. On November 06, 2018 Managing Director, Kendall Stafford, challenged the mainstream middle-market mergers and acquisitions sector when she was awarded the title of Investment Banker of the Year by The M&A Advisor.

The awards presented by The M&A Advisor are essentially the equivalent to the Oscars for the M&A world. Stafford is a key player in transactions completed by Benchmark International, and she is a valued team member. Stafford was among a list of eight finalists, and she was the only woman on that list, and she came out on top. Benchmark International believes in fostering success and supports our employees and our clients in all they wish to achieve.

When it’s time to sell your business, you want a team that is on your side. If you are a woman looking to get the most from a full or partial sale of your business, we are dedicated to facilitating an acquisition that gets you the best value for your business in every facet.

If you are ready to start your exit strategy, you can call the Benchmark International headquarters at (813) 898-2350 to speak with a professional who can get you on the path you seek.

Schedule a call to speak to an Analyst

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Midterm Elections: The Results Are In, What Do They Mean for M&A?

Posted on November 9, 2018 By in US Business + US Election + US M&A + Business Tips

The 2018 midterm elections have presented little in the way of surprises this go around. As predicted, the Democratic Party took hold of the House of Representatives for the first time since 2010. The growth of Democratic representatives taking hold in Congress and some changes in historically Republican districts could be indicative of what’s to come in the 2020 Presidential campaign. 

It might not be as easy as first anticipated for Trump to remain at the top of the pyramid. Amidst some talk of a coming “blue tsunami,” this election may not have brought an overwhelming surge of Democratic leadership taking the helm, but there is no denying that the political party is coming ashore. What does this new shift in power and presence of a check on the executive branch mean for business owners considering a sale? 

Not knowing what’s to come in 2020 presents a feeling of uncertainty. With the results of the midterm elections, this feeling is heightened. Uncertainty is one of the most hindering factors for M&A activity. Investors are hesitant to make significant investments if they are unsure about future changes to fiscal policy. Thankfully, low interest rates and the tax cuts have contributed to a healthy M&A market producing high valuations for exiting business owners the last few years. The now divided Congress reduced the chances of any changes in policies that would significantly impact the market conditions before 2020. Unless we see significant bipartisanship, the most likely outcome is gridlock, which is good for the markets in the short-term. 

However, as the 2020 elections get closer the uncertainty will increase significantly. Rising interest rates combined with uncertainty in 2020 will likely put a halt to the favorable conditions sellers have enjoyed. This makes waiting to see who wins the 2020 elections quite the gamble if business owners are considering a full or partial sale before 2024 or even later. Owners must think hard about their plans for the next several years to avoid entering the market at the wrong time, which would bring haunting memories for many business owners going through the process from 2008 to 2013. 

Benchmark International specializes in facilitating exit and growth strategies for business owners in the lower middle market. The most important factor in achieving a successful exit is going to market when the market is strong and the business is ready. If an exit is at all in sight, it is critical now more than ever for business owners to speak to an M&A advisor and begin implementing a strategy because the market conditions will be changing very soon. 

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Benchmark International has Successfully Facilitated the Acquisition of Mainplace Limited to Aquatronic Group Management PLC

Benchmark International is delighted to announce the sale of Southampton-based electromechanical engineer Mainplace, to Aquatronic Group Management (AGM).

Mainplace specialises in the distribution, installation and servicing of pumping equipment for a variety of clients operating in the commercial, industrial and retail sectors.

Do you have an exit or growth strategy in place?

AGM, a group of electromechanical engineering companies, comprises Aquatech Pressmain, Acorn, A & R Engineering, ESIS, PSI Inspection services, O.S. Locke, Renzland Powergates and Warmac. Together, the group of companies manufacture and maintain water booster and pressurisation equipment.

The acquisition enables AGM to improve its coverage in the South of England and expand into the South West. As well, AGM has scope to grow the business, fitting with its current strategy.

On behalf of everyone at Benchmark International, we would like to wish both parties every success for the future.

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Meet the Heroes Behind the Deals in the Latest Edition of The Mark

We have just released our latest edition of The Mark, a place where we share insights in the M&A industry and featured opportunities. 

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As we look back on activity in 2018, there have been upward trends in certain sectors for M&A activity, which have included healthcare and technology, which have, in turn, attracted interest from private equity firms. 

This issue also discusses the many decisions that arise for a seller in the M&A process, from the type of buyer to choose to when the optimum time is to sell, as well as the pitfalls that can occur in the M&A process and how these can be tackled or prevented. 

We hope you find this edition of The Mark insightful and informative, one day assisting you with decisions when selling your business, along with our friendly and helpful team at Benchmark International, who are here to help wherever you are in the world. 

Some Articles Included:

  • Looking to Buy a Business?  4
  • Top Mistakes to Avoid When Selling  6
  • The Winning Hit 10
  • When is the Right Time to Retire?  12
  • Five Ways to Value Your Business  16
  • If Business Valuation Was a Science  18
  • Why have interest rates been so low for so long?
          Why are they rising now? Why should you care?  22
  • Featured Opportunities  26
  • Meet the Heroes Behind the Deals  34
  • Preparing Your Business for Sale  36
  • How to Avoid Leaving Money on the Table When Selling Your Business 40
  • Why Now is the Time to Sell Your Company  50
  • Strategic vs Financial Buyers  58

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Thanks for reading. Please like and share! 

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What Type of Company Should I Sell To? Five Types of Mergers and Acquisitions

If you are considering selling your business, then you are more than likely contemplating what type of company you want to buy your business.

As mergers and acquisitions are, broadly speaking, categorised into five different types of merger/acquisition, varying on whether the two companies are operating in the same markets or have the same products etc., this means that you have a choice of acquirer – you do not, necessarily, have to choose a buyer in the same industry doing the same thing.

Below details these five types of merger, along with benefits and disadvantages, and real examples from the industry.

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Benchmark International Facilitated the Transaction of T.J. Baehr, Inc., D.B.A. Ground Hog Foundation Drilling to a Private Investor

Benchmark International has successfully facilitated the sale of T.J. Baehr, Inc., D.B.A. Ground Hog Foundation Drilling, to a private investor in Houston, Texas.

Since 1989, Ground Hog Foundation Drilling has been a specialty contractor that delivers foundation drilling and excavation services for commercial and industrial construction projects in the Houston market. The buyer, Guillermo G. is a private investor living in Houston, Texas with years of experience as a project manger for the energy sector. The buyer’s strong relationship with the seller, engineering background, and interest in specialized services and project management were factors that motivated the buyer to purchase his first business, Ground Hog Foundation Drilling.

 

Ready to explore your exit and growth options?

 

In reference to the transaction, Tom Baehr, President of Ground Hog Foundation Drilling, explained his experience with Benchmark International, “I was previously engaged with another brokerage firm and later decided to engage Benchmark International for their extensive market reach and successful track record. I found that Benchmark International immediately understood the excavation drilling market and was able to introduce numerous buyers into the mix. Not only did the Benchmark International team bring forth and negotiate an offer that satisfied my expectations but also a buyer that I know will facilitate the continued growth of Ground Hog Foundation Drilling for many years to come. I highly recommend using Benchmark International for your M&A needs.”

Guillermo G., acquiror of Ground Hog Foundation Drilling, described his experience with Benchmark International, “ I enjoyed working with Benchmark International. I felt that they truly cared about the deal and their constant communication allowed us to work through negotiations and ultimately helped me achieve my objective of business ownership”.

William Van Buren, Senior Associate at Benchmark International’s Austin office added, “Benchmark International’s Austin team very much enjoyed working with our client Tom Baehr, President of Ground Hog Foundation Drilling. The team found Tom to be very collaborative throughout the entire sales process and we were thrilled that he found the right buyer that will continue the business’ trajectory for long-term success. The team truly showcased its knowledge in the marketing of asset heavy businesses such as Ground Hog Foundation Drilling to broad marketplace and facilitated the flow of communications across several parties. Having both a client and a buyer such as Tom and Guillermo that are open to collaborating and communicating paved the way for the deal to come to fruition even when faced with uncontrollable challenges such as inclement weather that caused projects to be delayed. Ultimately, the teams on both the seller and buyer side did an incredible job at facilitating a successful business transaction.”

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