Benchmark International is pleased to have advised on an agreed deal for the sale of Oakwood Technology Group Limited to Thermotech Solutions Limited.

Amid worldwide market uncertainty and unprecedented political upheaval, it’s reassuring to know that there is some good news in the world of mergers and acquisitions. We take a look at how FMCG M&A over the last year has brought strength to the market.

Benchmark International is pleased to have advised on an agreed deal for the sale of Freshwater Coolers Plc to Office Watercoolers.

There are few things the M&A market likes less than political uncertainty and, following the results of the EU referendum and Brexit shaking up global markets, there is more to come in the form of the upcoming presidential elections in the US.

Think healthcare M&A is on its way out in 2016? Think again.

The corporate industry world has borne witness to some of the mega deals being signed throughout the year. Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced as $160 billion merger with Allergan. A deal that was, according to Bloomberg, “the largest ever deal in the history of healthcare industry and second biggest deal overall on record”.

In today’s environment of global competition, growth from within your company can only take you so far. One strategy is to expand through mergers and acquisitions, to enter a market or acquire innovation capability. It is risky as making a deal a success is one of the hardest tasks in business. So, how can you reduce the risks and increase the chances of carrying out a successful merger or acquisition?

In just six months, China has already beaten its outstanding M&A record in overseas deals from 2015. Last year, Chinese investors put forwards $111bn within foreign M&A deals and have, so far, spent $111.6bn in 2016.

For a long time, big data has meant big business. In the first quarter of 2016, big data alone accounted for an estimated 70 per cent of M&A activity, according to a survey conducted by EY.

Regardless of which way the referendum goes this week, an end to speculation over the UK's membership of the European Union could pave the way for significant M&A activity across the FTSE All-Share.

In a corporate merger or acquisition, it is imperative to make sure that both companies involved are on the same page in the early stages of the process. M&A is complicated and require costly resources, therefore it is important to know what each party is prepared to offer before proceeding with the transaction. One method to make sure that both parties are on the same page is to draft and produce a letter of intent (LOI), which outlines the deal points of the merger or acquisition and serves as a type of “agreement to agree”.

When making decisions, most people tend to go with their gut feeling rather than relying on the accurate data available. People will not like to admit this, but as humans we find it very difficult to remain 100% objective. Inevitably, emotions become a factor when running a business which is natural as you must have some form of passion in order to run a company and make it a success. Particularly when it comes to a potential deal being made, emotions can outweigh cold hard facts.

M&A within the tech sector saw a relatively slow start to 2016. However, analysts predict that the recent announcement of Microsoft’s intention to acquire professional social network LinkedIn for $26bn could trigger a tech M&A boom. So far, $209bn worth of deals have been announced, placing 2016 back on track to match last year’s record deal making.

With the tech industry in the midst of a takeover boom, Microsoft’s $26bn purchase of professional social platform LinkedIn could be a turning point.

It is true that the start-up businesses of today are likely to shape the M&A deals of tomorrow. In this blog, we take a look at the top industries for start-ups in 2016 and why investors should be keeping an eye on how these up-and-coming businesses develop.

Lack of Urgency - Now, while the parties to a merger or acquisition cannot exchange commercially sensitive information prior to being under common ownership, there is more than enough critically important, legally permissible prep work to keep an integration team occupied for a few months before day one. However, the majority of chief executives are unaware of this and wait for clearance from the regulatory authorities. Speed is essential in the M&A game.

For those who regularly engage in M&A, a large majority of them have begun to make technology-driven data analytics a crucial part of their toolbox, whether in the initial search for potential targets or other elements of the due diligence process. The term is one that is widely used for technology solutions to aid businesses interpret data as well as analyse business trends. Additionally, it provides a level of both sophistication and precision that was previously not there.

Activision recently completed its acquisition of King Digital, the company behind the highly popular mobile app Candy Crush Saga. $5.9bn was spent on an acquisition that is being deemed as a way of “accelerating Activision’s move into mobile gaming”. On paper this deal makes perfect sense, as both are highly successful and profitable. Complementary products and prowess, good income, what could go wrong?

As one of the world’s largest companies and home to what is arguably the most successful consumer electrical product of all time, Apple which has forged a name as a technology giant, comfortably sits on a cash stockpile of $233bn. So, what does a company in this position do to continue on their path to technology and media world dominance? Recent rumours have surfaced that Apple is seeking to expand their empire through the acquisition of original content, breaking specifically into the television market.

The merging of two companies can, in any instance, create a significant amount of upheaval, worry or concern for the parties involved. Successfully integrating two organisations without any teething issues is by no means a simple process and, according to professional services giant PWC, the flurry of activity surrounding a deal means that good communication is often overlooked.

This article has been produced to give the reader, some insight to developments within the mergers & acquisitions industry, as well as tips when considering funding.

The looming EU referendum has undoubtedly created much discussion and debate. While headlines have predominantly focused on two issues. Firstly, whether a Brexit would cause a dip in rates of employment and secondly, the position of influential figures and celebrities in the discussion.

Benchmark International has successfully facilitated a common ownership transaction amidst NISSCO Restaurant Dealer Group and Excell Marketing and Procurement Group.

Over the last few years, television has gradually lost its dominance as a source of entertainment, news and information. Viewers, and in particular the millennial generation, are now looking to digital platforms to access their favourite television shows, films, news broadcasts and sports fixtures. With this, television sets are slowly but surely becoming a thing of the past, as viewers increasingly turn to laptops, tablets and other mobile devices.

The M&A Advisor has announced the winners of their 7th Annual Emerging Leaders Awards. Kendall Stafford, Managing Director, located in Benchmark International’s Texas region has been named an Award Winner of this prestigious honor. Kendall was selected as an Emerging Leader in the Dealmaker category amongst other dealmakers from companies such as Raymond James, Deloitte, and PWC.

Benchmark International continues to rake in awards in 2016. Benchmark International gained recognition in Tampa with the Best of Tampa Award for Business Services and won the 2016 Corporate LiveWire M&A Award Corporate Exit Strategy of the Year for the Fingerprint document while Kendall Stafford, a Managing Director for Benchmark International, won the M&A Advisor Emerging Leaders Award. The company continues to strive for excellence within the industry and 2016 should be no exception.

At first glance, business owners are best-placed to oversee the sale of their company. After all, they are the ones who have been at the helm since the very outset and are likely to have an encyclopedic knowledge of the business’ history, finances, employees past and present and all of the key ingredients that have gone into its success.

We often hear about the significant and market-changing deals that take place, however it is important to remember that there are those that don’t succeed. A study by the Harvard Business Review (HBR) showed that the average rate of M&A failure is at a substantial 80 percent.

When it comes to M&A, the food and beverage sector has seen some interesting activity in the first quarter of 2016. This follows a record breaking 2015 which notably saw H.J. Heinz Company merge with Kraft Foods Group in a deal which is expected to result in the company posting revenues of around $28 billion.

As M&A activity increases worldwide, unfortunately so does cyber-crime. Now whilst the two are in no way related, there is no hiding the fact that there has been a number of high profile incidents in recent times, with major companies such as eBay, Target and Yahoo! all being the victims of such crimes.

When businesses consider the possibility of a merger or acquisition, the benefits of the change are examined; improved profitability, availability of new markets and enhanced/strengthened competitive position. Now, while it is difficult to argue that these aspects of M&A can be extremely good for a company’s bottom line, the same may not be true for the business’ employees.

While there is much focus on large M&A deals, as well as a vested interest in start-up acquisitions, the middle market can at times be overlooked.

2015 was recording breaking year for M&A healthcare, with over 1,400 transactions taking place and amounting to roughly £389 billion globally. We take a look at the recent surge in healthcare acquisitions and whether they are set to last.

A company's accountant plays a pivotal role in determining both the strengths and aims of their client, as well as being a trusted adviser. Their importance is highlighted when compiling a company’s exit/growth strategy, as they act as a point of contact during any M&A process.

Benchmark International is pleased to announce the sale of the Osprey Management Company Limited to Reit Plc.

As a small business or start-up, the prospect of undergoing a merger or acquisition can be daunting. However, this need not be the case and it can, in fact, bring positive results to your company.

You may have seen or heard about the latest buzzword for a phenomenon currently causing ripples in the M&A world: Fintech. A contraction of ‘financial technology’, Fintech is shorthand for financially innovative companies, usually start-ups, utilising technology to help make financial services more efficient. It is a growing sector and expected to reach around £5.55 billion by 2018, with firms in Europe experiencing the highest growth. Fintech firms offer a range of financial services including loans, currency exchange and payments, as well as portfolio and wealth management.

Start-ups have increasingly become a sought-after prospect, with major global players such as Apple, Facebook and Google competing to buy their way into new markets and to ensure they have the competitive edge.