Benchmark International will sponsor ACG Intergrowth 2015, held at the Waldorf Astoria Resort, Orlando Florida, 13-15 April.

Benchmark International has advised on the successful sale of Formations Direct Limited to Xephyr Limited in an all-cash deal amounting to nine times the Company’s EBITDA.

‘Dry powder’, or the amount of capital committed to private equity firms, is frequently a strong indicator of future activity levels in the private equity industry.

On 6 February 2015 over 90% of UK Private Equity firms will gather at The Landmark Hotel in London and, once again, Benchmark International be in attendance to meet with them.

President Obama is set to use his State of the Union address - his largest television audience of the year - to propose significant tax increases, which will largely affect the wealthiest Americans.

Thoughts of selling are all too often put off by business owners until a major event demands that it be given due consideration.

Intact Pathways Inc and MyIOM LLC has been acquired by a high net worth individual. Benchmark International has advised the seller on the successful sale of Intact Pathways Inc and MyIOM LLC to a high net worth individual for an undisclosed sum.

After a long but successful year here at Benchmark International, we’re all looking forward to a hard-earned break over the festive period.

Benchmark International is pleased to have been named ‘International Corporate Finance Adviser 2014’ by Corporate Livewire at its ‘Business Awards 2014.’

Benchmark International has advised on the successful sale of True Lens Services Ltd to Procam Television Holdings Ltd for an undisclosed sum.

Benchmark International has advised on the successful sale of a 75% interest in Ball and Hoolahan Ltd to Empresaria Group plc for £1.5m.

Benchmark International is delighted to announce successful completion of the sale of Sterimedix Ltd to Synergetic USA, Inc. for an initial sum of £8.5m, with an additional gross profit margin earn-out through December 31, 2017.

Based in Redditch, Worcestershire, Sterimedix manufactures and distributes cannulas, needles and other disposable products for ophthalmic and aesthetic procedures. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013, Sterimedix generated total revenue of approximately £4.1m.

Synergetics USA, headquartered in Missouri, USA, with offices in France, Germany, Italy and Australia, specialises in the design, manufacture, and marketing of innovative surgical devices for ophthalmic and neurological applications.

Sterimedix’s Managing Director, Ronnie McFarlane, noted, “The Benchmark International team, led by Roger Forshaw, was left by us to negotiate the price entirely. We as a company did not feel adequate to start the negotiations with potential acquirers and, therefore, by using alternative quotes Roger managed to leverage a final offer price from Synergetics USA." He further added, "Roger became personally involved to try to keep the wheels oiled and to keep negotiations going when we became frustrated with the due diligence process. He suggested alternative routes to complete the process and that was certainly a significant benefit to us completing the deal at the end."

On the deal, Benchmark International Associate Director, Roger Forshaw, commented, “This is another great completion for Benchmark International. We were able to source a great buyer from the US, structure a deal that worked for all parties and tightly manage a cross-Atlantic deal to a successful completion. We wish both our clients and the buyer, Synergetics, every success in the future.”

With a general election now in sight, Chancellor George Osbourne delivered his Autumn statement last week to set out the plan he believes will maintain the country’s economic recovery and possibly enhance his party’s chances of retaining power.

Agreements regarding the sale of a business can be structured in many ways, typically involving cash, stock, financing and earn-outs in varying degrees.

After a number of slow years, US M&A has returned with a bang in 2014 as cash rich buyers have returned to a market, fuelling an explosion of high value deals.

Benchmark International would like to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Benchmark International has advised on the successful sale of Border Group, comprising Border (Disposable) Products Ltd and Lanes Garage (Ystrad Mynack) Ltd (trading as GTP Border Forest and Border Forest Products, respectively) to Premier Forest Group for an undisclosed sum.

Benchmark International will be in attendance when the annual ACG Capital Connection conference returns on November 18-19 held at the Grand Hyatt, Tampa Bay on November 18-19.

Benchmark International has advised on the successful sale of Betabite Hydraulics to Tesserrae Holdings for an undisclosed sum.

In a recent article, “10 surprising lessons learned from selling my company to eBay”, internet entrepreneur, Kristopher B. Jones, founder and former president and CEO of Pepperjam details the lessons he learned during the process of selling his company.

Many business owners, particularly those in the lower-middle market, will often attempt to reduce their tax liability. This practice is commonplace throughout SMEs, a perk that enables business owners the ability to keep hold of more of what they earn.

Benchmark International will return to RealDeals’ UK Mid-Market private equity event for the third year running in 2015, and next year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever before.

“Despite steep price tags, deal flow remains healthy, and is actually strengthening.” That is the summary from Private Equity data specialist, PitchBook from its latest middle market report, which should be music to the ears of business owners selling or considering a sale in the near future.

Time and time again, when discussing the potential sale of their business with owners, one question frequently arises: “Can’t I just sell the business myself?”

Benchmark International has advised on the successful sale of Cawkwell Engineering to T&G Engineering for an undisclosed sum.

Benchmark International has advised on the successful sale of PpTek Ltd to Parker Hannifin for an undisclosed sum.

For the second year in succession, Benchmark International has been invited to participate in Insider’s ‘How Much is Your Company Worth?’ breakfast, taking place Thursday 20^th November.

There was an interesting occurrence back in 2012: the first wave of baby boomers started turning 65. Today, with 76 million baby boomers due to turn 65 over the next 15 years in the US, and at least 600,000 individuals reaching retirement age each year up to 2018 in the UK, it’s reasonable to assume a good many businesses are set to put up the ‘For Sale’ sign in the coming years.

In a recent quarterly letter to clients, Jeremy Grantham, co-founder of global investment management firm GMO, discussed his view regarding an imminent boom in the global M&A market.

Benchmark International is immensely proud to announce its recent accreditation under the prestigious, widely recognised ‘Investors In People’ framework.

Thomson Reuters has released its M&A Mid-Market Financial Advisor Rankings for the first nine months of 2014 and, once again, Benchmark International is positioned amongst the leading advisors in global M&A.

Due diligence often throws up a broad range of issues that can threaten to scupper a deal. One of the biggest culprits, surprisingly, is an issue most business owners possibly wouldn’t consider to be a factor in this situation: HR.

Following the announcement of Benchmark International’s sponsorship of Cannock Town under 9’s, the team has gone on an undefeated run throughout September culminating in an emphatic 8-0 victory.

In further recognition of its efforts Benchmark International has been named ‘International Mid-Market Corporate Finance Advisory of the Year’ at the ACQ Global Awards 2014.

Regardless of political viewpoints, it is undoubtedly the case that many business owners will benefit greatly from the result of the Scottish referendum. As two years of campaigning has been drawing to a heightened conclusion over the past few months, M&A activity has stalled as a result due primarily to the very real possibility of Scotland becoming an independent country and all of the uncertainty that would have come hand in hand with that decision.

So the Scottish people have spoken, an astounding 90% of them in some areas, and they have decided that the Union will go on - for a decade or two at least.

The M&A specialist, Benchmark International has successfully negotiated the sale of Williams Testing LLC to Primoris Services Corp. (NASDAQ: PRIM).

Benchmark International has advised on the successful sale of Medical Services (North East) to ERS Medical for an undisclosed sum.

Benchmark International has advised on the successful recapitalization of G.W. Shultz Tool, Inc.(GWS) by Addison Capital Partners (ACP) in partnership with the management team of GWS in an undisclosed deal.