It’s time to dispel the myth that it’s better to use an industry expert versus a mergers and acquisitions expert for the sale of a business. At times, sellers are apprehensive about engaging with a mergers and acquisitions firm that doesn’t specialize in one specific industry, and they say they would rather use an industry expert instead. This isn’t the best strategy for a seller who hopes to gain the most value for his or her business.

The mergers and acquisitions cycle is constantly changing. That’s why it’s important for mergers and acquisitions firms to stay on top of industry trends and stay abreast of any new developments. At Benchmark International, we are M&A professionals who work in all industries. Our business is selling businesses, and we understand the industry specifics.

Engaging with a mergers and acquisitions firm is a huge emotional decision. It may feel like making a commitment to sell, and you aren’t sure if this is what you want. At Benchmark International, our purpose is to help our clients achieve their personal goals whatever they may be.

‘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.

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.

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.

Following on last year’s impressive 26 closings, Benchmark International’s US offices represented sellers on 14 transactions in the first six months of 2017. This was due in no small part to a 30-day span in which Benchmark International closed ten deals globally, with six of those being for US-based sellers.

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.

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

‘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.

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.

It appears many buyers are once again attempting to bag bargain acquisitions by exploiting business owners blinded by multi-million pound cheques and disadvantaged by a lack of advice from a seasoned M&A professional.

Benchmark International is taking full advantage of the strength in the M&A middle market. We are delighted to announce the closing of 10 deals in just 30 days; and, our clients are thrilled with the results.

Within M&A there will always be a winner and, ideally, the deal will be a resounding success for both parties. However, more often than not there will be someone who loses out, and the road towards successful M&A is not always straightforward.

The team at Benchmark International is often approached by business owners with questions about M&A and what the typical process looks like. As with most things in the business world, one merger or acquisition is rarely the same as the last, but there are some key areas that you need to be aware of if you are thinking of buying or selling a business.

Business culture is one of the most influential factors when it comes to mergers and acquisitions. Unfortunately, it is also often one of the most overlooked.

Rumours will typically run wild when M&A is on the horizon, which can create an atmosphere of fear and unsettling instability within an organisation. We take a look at the challenges facing businesses when trying to keep a potential deal under wraps, why timing is everything when it comes to a deal announcement and the tactics businesses can use when controlling their M&A story.

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 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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

Many mistakenly think of an acquisition strategy as the only strategy, leaving the business to ‘float’ while all hands are on deck to steer the company into the hands of another captain. But then what? Rather than be a substitute, M&A should be seen as an enabler putting the wind in the sails of a business.

In the high-stakes world of M&A, discretion is the one of the most important elements, as all parties involved are under an ethical and contractual obligation to keep details private until the time is right to announce the deal. During this period, acquisitions are often given cryptic codenames to avoid drawing unnecessary attention.

In many cases, mid-market business owners and entrepreneurs, like you, only go through the mergers and acquisitions process once in a lifetime. It’s difficult to know what to expect from a transaction, and business owners often, unknowingly, limit their chances of achieving an ideal outcome for what will likely be the biggest deal of their lives.

According to PwC’s latest Global Family Business Survey, only 16% of the 2,378 businesses interviewed had a documented succession plan in place.  It is particularly important for those involved in a family business to consider an exit strategy at the earliest possible stage, especially as the Business Families Foundation reports that only 13% of family businesses make it to the third generation.

Best practises for classifying and producing due diligence materials

The biggest fear for any buyer in an M&A transaction is purchasing a problem rather than a solution.

This is the first of three blogs that will give you, the business owner looking to sell your company, an insight into the art of due diligence and its important in the M&A process.

Throughout our 10 blog series, we have discussed the different processes and stages recommended for you, a business owner, to take that could make your company more valuable and saleable.

In our penultimate blog we will discuss legal issues in your business, and the importance of tackling them.

In the final three instalments of our 10 blog series, we will discuss running your business as though selling is not a necessity, tackling problems that may lead to legal disputes and the importance of first impressions of your company. 

You, as a business owner, need to be aware of the vulnerabilities faced by your business if the products and services you offer are easy to replicate.

At the halfway stage of our 10 blog series we’ve already discussed removing owner dependence, demonstrating growth in sales, profits and cash with good projections, reducing customer and supplier dependence, adding depth in staff, and making sure your business’ brand values are clear, attractive and resilient.

In this instalment, the fourth of our 10 blog series, we will discuss the importance of brand values.

In the third instalment of our 10-blog series about the steps business owners may wish to consider when working toward maximising value and saleability, we look at some of the external and internal factors at play: