The Benchmark South African Office has experienced extraordinary growth in the ten months following the company’s investment in Cape Town in response to demand to grow the African operations. The team is therefore proud to announce the opening of its Johannesburg office, the largest city in South Africa and one of the 50 largest urban areas globally.

Strategically, this expansion positions the company’s additional operations near the heart of the country’s wealthiest province, a full three months ahead of schedule. The early establishment of an office in this node was a decision necessitated by the level of activity Benchmark is engaged in with clients and buyers alike, and demonstrates the company’s continued
commitment and growing presence on the continent.

As a country, and in the context of Emerging Markets, South Africa has unparalleled potential as a destination for direct investment and features as one of the most dynamic and rewarding emerging market economies across the globe. As an M&A target region South Africa was recently ranked as the 28th most attractive destination for inbound M&A transactions globally. (According to Zephyr, a product of Bureau van Dijk).

Benchmark International’s Johannesburg office is headed up by Johann Haasbroek who, having worked with many of the current Benchmark team in the past, has extensive M&A, Corporate Finance and Banking experience.

Benchmark International is pleased to announce the transaction between Droitwich-based FastSMS and London-based Esendex.

FastSMS is a web-based SMS text messaging system provider enabling organisations throughout the UK to send and receive text messages via web browsers, email or by integrating applications through its application programming interface (API).

Esendex is a provider of secure business SMS solutions, delivered via its online platform, email-to-SMS, or its API. The company has a global presence with offices in Nottingham, Barcelona and Melbourne which are served by a 140 strong team.

Benchmark International is pleased to announce it has successfully facilitated the acquisition of UBEO Business Services to Sentinel Capital Partners.

UBEO, Benchmark International's client, headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, is a provider of best-in-class document management equipment and related services. UBEO facilitates business technology integration by offering the newest, best, and most innovative ideas in hardware and software solutions to its customer base of approximately 6,000 mid-sized businesses, schools, and municipalities. With a team of more than 225 salespeople, technicians, and support staff, UBEO sells and services globally-recognized copier and printer equipment in major Texas metropolitan markets and operates seven sales sites serving the San Antonio, Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Houston metropolitan areas.

Jim Sheffield,President and CEO of UBEO, said "We are very proud of the reputation we have built. UBEO outperforms its competition in the service categories that our customers value most – technical capability, service quality, and on-time delivery. Partnering with Sentinel well positions us for our next phase of profitable growth."

Sentinel Capital Partners is a private equity firm that targets investments in middle-market companies with strong management and attractive growth prospects. Sentinel looks to invest up to $175 million of equity in companies generating EBITDA of up to $65 million. Sectors of interest include business services/outsourcing, consumer products and services, food and restaurants, franchising, and manufacturing. Prospective transaction situations include management buyouts, recapitalizations, corporate divestitures, take-privates, and growth financings. Their motto is to provide "private equity to talented executives and helping them to build great businesses and realize their boldest dreams."

Scott Perry, a partner at Sentinel, explained "We are very excited about the acquisition of UBEO and partnering with a regional market leader with a stable, highly recurring business model, high margins and strong free cash flow characteristics. As the largest independent dealer in Texas, UBEO is a scalable platform and ideal for consolidating its highly fragmented industry. We are very pleased to partner with a highly experienced, talented, and strongly committed management team that has a proven record of profitable growth."

Sentinel Capital Partners has made several notable acquisitions in the last 12 months. Besides acquiring UBEO, Sentinel has made four other platform investments – Altima Dental, a leading dental services organization in Canada; Captain D’s, the leading franchisor and operator of seafood quick service restaurants; MB2 Dental Solutions, a rapidly-growing regional dental service organization with a unique physician-centric ownership model; and Nekoosa, a leading manufacturer of specialty paper and film products used in the graphics and commercial print markets. During this same period, Sentinel sold Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, an iconic and innovative drive-thru restaurant chain; Huddle House, a leading franchisor of family dining restaurants in the Southeast; National Spine & Pain Centers, a leader in interventional pain management; Playcore, the leading North American designer, supplier of play, park, and recreation products; and WellSpring Consumer Healthcare, a portfolio of high-performing OTC healthcare brands.

Benchmark International is delighted to announce the acquisition of Builder Security Group is complete. Benchmark International, as the sell-side representative, was able to bring an ideal buyer to the table to close this sale.

The closing of the Builder Security Group acquisition marks the tenth US deal completion for Benchmark International in 2018. Benchmark International's Global CEO, Gregory Jackson, stated "This record-setting quarter looks to end on a high note, and quarter two is moving with great momentum as well."

Builder Security Group is a security installation and monitoring company located in San Antonio and Austin, Texas. It is an all-in-one resource for all finishing touches that go along with a new home, from security products and monitoring to home theater systems and networking. Its experience and reputation, along with the vast selection of products and services it offers, has helped Builder Security Group form a reputation in San Antonio and the surrounding areas as a premiere outlet for homeowner and homebuilder needs.

Builder Security Group was acquired by a buyer seeking to spread its national footprint, specifically its expansion in to the state of Texas. Builder Security Group will continue its business in security products and monitoring.

Managing Director, Kendall Stafford stated “The team and I enjoyed working with BSG [Builder Security Group]. We were fortunate that there were many options in the market and that BSG was able to choose a party that could provide it with a tax advantageous structure for a high multiple. The negotiations ended in a win-win for all parties.”

Clinton Johnston, Managing Director at Benchmark International's US Headquarters, explained the quarter's feats in more detail. "This year we've closed US transactions with private and public trade buyers, high net worth individuals, private equity funds, and management buyout teams," he said. "This continuing broad, but fairly standard, mix of buyers bodes well for the near-term market. In this case, the need establish a presence in the looming Texas markets drove value for this particular buyer and allowed us to negotiate for very favorable deal terms in areas of high importance for our client. We are seeing this as an exploding trend in the Lonestar State.

Benchmark International has successfully facilitated the transaction between Challenger Pools of Tampa,Inc., and Cody Pools of Florida, LLC, a portfolio company of Prospect Partners, a Private Equity fund.

Benchmark International Managing Director Dara Shareef stated, “We would like to congratulate our clients, Bruce & Carolyn Esquinaldo, on the sale of Challenger Pools. The proceeds will allow them to retire and enjoy the fruits of their labor.”

Challenger was the largest pool builder in the Tampa Bay area. Benchmark International has a relationship with Prospect Partners, which owns one of the largest pool builders in the country, Cody Pools. Benchmark ran a full marketing process that attracted both financial and strategic buyers, but ultimately utilized its relationship with Prospect to help secure a good exit price for the sellers.

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.

Benchmark International is delighted to announce that 3rd Millennium has successfully completed the acquisition of Database-Brothers, Inc.

Database-Brothers, Inc. is a developer of database performance tuning software located in Austin, Texas. 3rd Millennium, Inc., a publisher of software products located in Waltham, Massachusetts, was looking to expand its market reach and product offerings. An acquisition with Database-Brothers, Inc. was a viable option and made it possible to achieve this goal.

The Database-Brothers, Inc. CEO expressed “The greatest measure of a company is doing what they say they will. In the case of Benchmark [International], they not only did what they said they would, but also, did more. I would definitely use them again and would recommend them to anyone who asked.”

President and CEO of 3rd Millennium, Ousama Shamma, stated “Working with Benchmark [International] has been very productive and efficient. Throughout the process they were constantly engaged, followed up on all the issues, and provided a professional and courteous atmosphere that enabled the deal to complete in a timely manner.”

Database-Brothers Inc. will continue to operate under the name DBI Software as a division of 3rd Millennium. Employees from both companies will work on all combined software products and services.

Benchmark International analyst, Keegan Rinn said “Both our client and the acquirer were eager to close the deal quickly and efficiently. We streamlined the process as much as possible and tried to be proactive instead of reactive to any problems that could have occurred.”

Benchmark International has successfully facilitated the transaction between Solis Medical Laboratories (SML), Inc. and De Novo Diagnostics, LLC. SML is an independent medical laboratory that offers clinical laboratory testing, phlebotomy, and courier services. De Novo Diagnostics offers services in the field of companion diagnostics, therapeutic drug monitoring and molecular diagnostics in autoimmune diseases and cancer biology.

With experience in the field, De Novo Diagnostics, was looking for an opportunity to form a platform business in the Houston area, and SML presented that opportunity. Benchmark International worked alongside SML to obtain the best result.

Founders Cleve and Margie Stoy commented, “It was very important to have Benchmark International lead the deal for us. The team was very responsive to all our questions and would always explain everything in detail. They were involved every step of the way. The Benchmark International team remained conscious of the confidentiality of the transaction, while they were marketing the opportunity, to avoid creating any disturbances in our day to day operations.”

Benchmark International Senior Associate Luis Vinals stated “Cleve and Margie were wonderful clients to work with. They were engaging and always responsive to market enquiries. Our team’s market research, dedication, and effort resulted in sourcing a buyer that met our client’s expectations. Not only was the buyer able to meet our clients’ expectations, but the deal allowed Cleve and Margie to exit their business within their desired timeframe.”

Benchmark International’s Managing Director, Kendall Stafford, has been chosen as an International Advisory Expert Award recipient. International Advisory Experts is a global alliance of well-established and experienced legal, financial and consulting firms that are committed to providing clients with specialist solutions for their international business requirements.

International M&A specialist, Benchmark International, has successfully negotiated the sale of its client, FAST of Florida, Inc. (“FAST”) to Southern Air & Heat (“Southern HVAC”), a portfolio company of MSouth Equity Partners, an Atlanta-based private equity firm.

Based in Clearwater, Florida, FAST is a leading provider of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), plumbing and electrical sales, installation, and maintenance services to the residential and commercial markets. In 1972, the company was established as a small air conditioning repair shop by Eddie Vaughan. Eddie’s wife, Melissa, joined the company in the early 1980’s, assisting with administrative duties and bookkeeping. As the company grew, FAST evolved to expand its service offerings in order to remain competitive and add additional revenue streams. In 2005, Mr. Vaughan passed away after a long illness, and Melissa assumed ownership of the business. Under Mrs. Vaughan’s leadership, FAST has continued to experience tremendous growth while continuing to offer the same level of quality service the company was built upon. Today, the company employs nearly 50 people serving Pinellas County, Florida and the surrounding markets.

Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, Southern Air & Heat is a leading provider of essential maintenance, repair, replacement and new installation services for the residential and commercial HVAC markets. Currently, the Company serves over 100,000 homeowners across its target markets. Southern HVAC is financially backed by MSouth Equity Partners, a private equity investment firm that provides equity capital and expertise to support management teams of lower middle market companies. Founded in 2007, MSouth manages $1.3 billion with three active funds, and is the successor to Cravey, Green & Wahlen, which was founded in 1984.

President of FAST, Melissa Vaughan, stated, “Benchmark International played an instrumental role in helping me to exit my family legacy business gracefully. The team did an outstanding job of marketing my business toward motivated buyers, and ultimately finding the perfect fit in Southern HVAC. I would like to thank the Benchmark transaction team for the extraordinary effort in making this transaction a reality.”

“Our focus was to find the acquirer that shared FAST’s passion and commitment to providing a personalized level of service while retaining the culture that Melissa has worked so hard to preserve,” said Trevor Talkie, Senior Associate at Benchmark International. “FAST is a compelling addition to MSouth’s growing HVAC platform, and we are truly honored to have worked alongside Melissa and her team toward this successful outcome.”

Tyrus O’Neill, Director at Benchmark International added, “After the journey Melissa has been through, we’re happy to see the process reach an ideal end result. On behalf of Benchmark International, I’d like to wish both parties the best of luck moving forward.”

Worldwide mergers and acquisition activity will hit £2.4 trillion ($3.2 trillion) next year, as deal-making is elevated on an increasing global economic tide, according to recent forecasts.

A recent article in the Harvard Business Review made a perhaps surprising conjecture: that as far as mergers and acquisitions are concerned, those companies that focus on what they’re going to get from an acquisition are less likely to succeed, in terms of the deal outcomes, than those companies that focus on what they can give to the process.

Benchmark International is pleased to announce that a deal between Sui Generis and Milbank has been agreed.

We’ve recently been seeing at first hand the rise in medical and healthcare sector mergers and acquisitions both domestically and internationally, with Dublin-based Clanwilliam Group’s synergetic acquisition of Cheshire-based NHS technology provider Medisec (brokered by Benchmark International) the most recent example.

Benchmark International is pleased to announce that a deal between Levy Brothers & Knowles Limited (LBK) to NNZ has been agreed.

‘Green-washing’ is pretty much endemic in the business world, with every company worth its salt aiming to showcase its environmental credentials, whether rightfully or as a PR exercise.

Benchmark International has successfully facilitated the sale of Canaide, Inc. to Apprio Holdings, LLC.

Canaide, Inc., hereinafter referred to as Canaide, is a revenue cycle management firm located in Central Florida. They are a provider of outsourced, self-pay services to hospitals across the Southeastern United States. The acquirer, Apprio Holdings, is a provider of specialized technology solutions, particularly for the Health, Defense and Homeland Security markets. They are headquartered in Washington, D.C. and now have 11 total offices from coast to coast.

Art Seypura, owner of Canaide, stated, “Benchmark made the sales process timely and seamless. We went to market just a few short months ago and they quickly found a great cultural fit that would allow me to step away quickly from the helm while partaking in future growth under the guidance of Apprio.”

Benchmark International Director, Dara Shareef, stated, “We are really excited that we were able to successfully locate a buyer for Art Seypura and Canaide. Every facet of this process, from engagement to close, went smoothly thanks to the dedication and effort from both the sell-side and buy-side teams.”

Benchmark International has successfully facilitated the transaction between Silexx Financial Systems, LLC and Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE). Headquartered in Chicago, IL, CBOE is the largest U.S. options exchange in the nation. Silexx Financial Systems, LLC is a broker-neutral, multi-asset class trading platform in Sarasota, Florida.

Thomas Frey, president and majority owner of Silexx Financial Systems, LLC stated, “I would like to thank Benchmark International for their persistence, and focus during this transaction. As is often the case, this transaction faced numerous challenges during each stage of the process. The Benchmark team remained focused, and leveraged their experience to maintain forward progress during difficult times of the process.”

Benchmark International Director Dara Shareef stated, “We would like to congratulate our clients, Silexx Financial Systems, LLC, Thomas Frey, and Michael Williams, as well as the buyer, Chicago Board Options Exchange. This acquisition enhances the CBOE delivery model and provides its customers industry-leading data analytics and trade execution tools for more than three dozen global markets. The buyer truly valued our client’s existing OEMS platform and access to major global markets in North America, Europe and Asia. We feel this deal was a win-win proposition for both CBOE and Silexx, and we wish them both all the best in the future.”

There is still the chance for you to capitalise on the extremely low 10% capital gains tax rates which are on offer via Entrepreneurs’ Relief, whenever you fully or partially sell your company.

Technology-related mergers and acquisitions are set to remain robust over the next 12 months, according to the recent semi-annual leaders’ poll from law firm Morrison & Foerster’s global M&A team.

Health IT mergers and acquisitions are now gaining traction, and at a rapid rate. While there are a number of reasons for this, the ultimate driving force is the shift from fee-for-service to value-based care.

A fascinating report has been published by Intralinks who, in conjunction with Cass Business School in London examined 23 years of data from almost 34,000 companies worldwide to identify the factors that make companies attractive M&A targets.

In spite of the uncertainty surrounding the meat processing sector in Ireland, M&A activity involving participants within the sector has continued apace in 2017, with the conclusion of some notable deals.

Of all the obstacles inherent in the M&A process, something that’s often overlooked is ‘the people factor’ – that’s to say, understanding, planning and correctly valuing the HR and employment side of a business, as well as company culture – an aspect that’s crucial when two companies come together.

Benchmark International has successfully negotiated the sale of Central Florida Solar, Inc. (“CFS”) to Wayfare Impact LLC (“Wayfare”).

Based in Altamonte Springs, Florida, CFS operates as a multi-service solar energy provider that designs, sells and installs solar energy systems for water heating, pool heating and solar electric power. The company primarily services the residential sector across the Orlando, Florida market. The company’s owner, Bill Park, has been designing and installing solar energy systems since 1984 and has completed the Florida Solar Energy Center’s photovoltaic system design program.

Since 2000, CFS has been committed to providing clean energy options that are both cost effective for the consumer and environmentally friendly. Since inception, the company has grown from a small family business to a profitable venture. The company’s technical knowledge, experienced staff, and professionalism not only ensure client retention, but foster additional growth opportunities within the industry.

Headquartered in Miami, Florida, Wayfare is a privately-owned investment firm with a focus on U.S. investments. Wayfare pursues a multitude of sectors and markets from an investment standpoint; however, the group primarily focuses on growth companies with clear potential to be not only profitable, but to have a positive impact on the environment. Today, Wayfare is further expanding its portfolio of socially responsible and environmentally conscious companies with the acquisition of CFS.

President and Founder of CFS, Bill Park, stated, “Benchmark International played an instrumental role in bringing my exit strategy to fruition. The team did an outstanding job of marketing my business toward motivated buyers, and even lined me up with first-rate legal counsel as the deal entered more mature stages. I would like to thank the Benchmark transaction team for the extraordinary effort in making this transaction a reality.”

Benchmark International’s Senior Associate, Trevor Talkie, added, “We have really enjoyed working with our client, Bill Park, and bringing to the table an acquirer with many of the same core values. Bill has built an excellent business over the years and this acquisition by Wayfare is a testament to the value CFS provides. I’d like to take this opportunity to wish both parties the best of luck moving forward.” Tyrus O’Neill, Director at Benchmark International, stated, “It was a pleasure to represent CFS in this transaction, and on behalf of Benchmark International, we are extremely pleased with the outcome. A win-win for the buyer and the seller is always an ideal end result.”

In a much-talked-about piece in the New York Times recently, Hernan Cristerna, Co-Head of Global M&A at JP Morgan Chase, diagnosed the global mergers and acquisitions market as alive and very much kicking – in spite of ongoing Brexit anxieties and considerable political uncertainty around the Trump administration.

Due diligence by potential buyers takes up a serious amount of time in any M&A process. Essentially, it’s designed to make sure the buyer knows exactly what it is that they’re buying – and in other cases, ‘reverse diligence’ helps the target company understand whether a potential buyer or merger partner is right for them.

Benchmark International is pleased to announce that after an exciting year of growth, we are expanding our international reach to Ireland.

Benchmark International is pleased to announce the sale of Furlong Business Solutions to Volaris Group.

Irrespective of the outcome and the eventual deal Britain strikes with the EU, there will be greater uncertainty for businesses in the near-term.

International M&A specialist, Benchmark International, has successfully facilitated the transaction between Carl Amber Brian Isaiah and Associates Co. (“CBAIA”) and Whalen Strategies, Inc. (“WSI”).

Headquartered in Fredericksburg, Virginia, CBAIA is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) which was established in Partlow, Virginia in 2005 by Carl Lawson Sr. CBAIA’s main offerings include Logistics Management and Hardware Lifecycle Support with a primary focus on providing outstanding support to the Department of Defense. In 2005, CBAIA’s efforts were honored with the United States Marine Corps Systems Command (USMS MCSC) Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) Award and were highlighted for outstanding support services supporting the Marine Corp Logistics Command (Care of Supplies in Storage – Barstow, CA) in an official Marine Corp publication.

With over 30 years of experience in the defense contractor space, Kelly Whalen of WSI will be leading the CBAIA team as Chief Executive Officer. After spending his last 10 years in various executive positions in the life cycle logistics sector, Kelly will immediately take part in executing strategic initiatives to bolster CBAIA’s growth. The acquisition of CBAIA represents an excellent addition to WSI’s growing presence and further expands on its current footprint.

“Benchmark International played an instrumental role in marketing my family company, interviewing potential buyers, and properly cementing a deal that was beneficial to both parties, ultimately facilitating a successful acquisition,” said CBAIA’s Chief Operating Officer, Carl Lawson Jr. "From the beginning, the Benchmark team was diligent in identifying the perfect buyer for my business and brought multiple candidates to the table. Overall, WSI was the ideal fit from an acquirer standpoint and I’d like to extend a big thank you to Benchmark for the hard work and extraordinary effort that made this transaction a reality."

Trevor Talkie, Senior Associate at Benchmark International, added, “It was a pleasure working with the Lawson family from the early stages of our marketing process right through to the transaction closing. Given Carl Sr.’s vision for CBAIA and the strategic value that Kelly (WSI) brings to the table, we feel this deal was a win-win for both sides.” Director, Tyrus O’Neill, added, “Carl Sr. has built a tremendous business and we’re ecstatic to have brought his exit strategy goals to fruition. On behalf of Benchmark International, we wish both parties the very best moving forward.”

‘To err is human’, it’s said … but for sellers and buyers alike, the M&A process is surely not a good time to make mistakes.

It seems as though every other day, the headlines announce a new acquisition among major retailers. The giants in the industry are diversifying their products, sucking up more stock, and building mighty kingdoms that boutique and small business owners can’t even throw stones at. How can these smaller businesses possibly compete? First, take a look at what’s happening…

Disclosure schedules are an integral part of any merger or acquisition (M&A) transaction. They contain information required by the acquisition agreement—typically a listing of important contracts, intellectual property, employee information, and other materials as well as exceptions or qualifications to the detailed representations and warranties of the selling company contained in the acquisition agreement.

Timing is, without doubt, one of the most critical factors in mergers and acquisitions; a recent report found that it is, in fact, the single most reliable predictor in terms of creating real shareholder value.

Entrepreneurs, by nature, are people who spend a considerable amount of time looking for the next opportunity. And for them, 'the next opportunity' often includes a suitable time to sell their company.

Benchmark International has recently opened a new office in Cape Town, South Africa (see 3rd July blog post), headed up by Andre Bresler and Dustin Graham. This is an exciting development for Benchmark International, in a dynamic evolving market.

French rental car company, Europcar has made its fourth acquisition of the year in the form of Europe's largest low-cost car rental agency, Goldcar.

California-based Hewlett Packard Enterprise has been busy bolstering its portfolio to stay ahead in cloud computing, with even more acquisitions on the horizon.