Benchmark International is pleased to announce the transaction between Gillingham-based Rainham and London-based REL Capital.

Rainham is a coach and minibus hire company, operating several contracts alongside private hire and tour work. It has a modern fleet of vehicles and two sites in Gillingham.

REL Capital  is a UK private investment company that purchases, invests, and operates a number of businesses across a variety of sectors.

Post-sale, Rainham will be operated by REL Redwing, which REL Capital took over in February 2022.

Representing a retirement sale for former owners, the Graham family, the Rainham business will be led by Tom Maidman, director of REL Redwing, and his team.

Benchmark International is pleased to announce the transaction between peoplewise and Firebird Capital.

peoplewise is a business psychology specialist that combines a range of bespoke technology-led solutions, with a proven understanding of best practice techniques, to develop strategies enabling the long-term sustainable growth of organisations. 

Firebird Capital, founded in 2003, is a family-owned private investment company based in the UK and is focused on partnering with UK headquartered businesses that have ambitious management teams and a desire to grow. Firebird Capital’s client base spans the technology, healthcare, business services and financial services sectors.

Going forward, Firebird Capital's investment will be used to embark on a new phase of growth for peoplewise.

Benchmark International is pleased to announce that it has been ranked 7^th in the top 10 by Mergermarket for the number of deals it has conducted in Ireland. KPMG, Deloitte, Goldman Sachs, and PwC are amongst the companies to also rank in the top 10. An Acuris company, Mergermarket delivers M&A intelligence, data, and research. 

On 23^rd September, Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng delivered his mini-budget, announcing comprehensive changes to tax in a bid to boost economic growth.

Ultimately, the changes are designed to improve the ability of British companies to raise money, attract talent, and grow and succeed.

With increased incentives to invest introduced in one go, as well as a number of tax breaks – what are the changes and how do these directly affect business owners and investment?

PitchBook has released their Q2 2022 Global League Tables, and Benchmark International has once again received several impressive rankings. The firm remains ranked as the #1 Privately Owned Sell-Side M&A Advisors in the World and is ranked as the 10th Most Active Investment Bank in the United States. This ranking puts Benchmark International ahead of other well-known firms, including Morgan Stanley, Deloitte, Woodbridge International, and Bank of America Securities.

Benchmark International is also ranked as:

• 17th Most Active Investment Bank Globally
• 11th Most Active Advisor & Accountants (PE Deals Only) in the US
• 12th Most Active M&A Advisors in the US
• 13th Most Active M&A Advisors in Europe
• 14th Most Active M&A Advisors Globally

The U.S. Senate recently passed the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, titled the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), to improve the country’s roads, bridges, and utilities. The bill does face an uncertain future in the House of Representatives, where its support is more limited. Still, the Democratic Party could use the reconciliation process to get the bill passed into law. 

The bill includes:

• $73 billion for electric grid and power infrastructure
• $66 billion for passenger and freight rail
• $65 billion for broadband investments
• $55 billion for water systems and infrastructure
• $50 billion for Western water storage 
• $39 billion for public transit 
• $25 billion for airports
• $21 billion for environmental remediation projects 
• $17 billion for ports and waterways
• $15 billion for electric vehicles
• $11 billion for road safety

So, what might this all mean for M&A? 

Decentralized finance, also known as DeFi, makes financial products available to anyone on a decentralized blockchain network. Through this relatively new software system, all parties can interact directly through applications, eliminating a need for middlemen such as banks or institutions to facilitate transactions. It also eliminates a need for proof of identification or age requirements that banks typically require. There is no need for anyone to know anyone else’s identity. Everything occurs over a public blockchain, using smart contracts, which are bits of code that execute specified actions once certain criteria have been met. It’s based on mutual trust and strict privacy.

Many business owners are already aware of the myriad loan programs offered by the Small Business Administration (SBA). The lower market is saturated with buyers who frequently and successfully turn to the SBA for financing a transaction. For all its benefits, however, the SBA’s maximum check size can prove restrictive in how much a company can sell for. Additionally, the SBA requires that sellers exit their business within one-year post-close, which can shut out sellers who want to be part of the company for a longer period and watch it grow.

To bridge the gap between buyers and the broader market of sellers, the SBA created a robust, multi-billion dollar lending program designed to motivate the acquisition of lower-middle market companies. To meet their objective, the SBA began licensing a new class of buyers: the Small Business Investment Company (SBIC).

SBICs are committed-capital funds that start by raising money from limited partners before deploying it via a series of investments in lower-middle market companies with less than $6 million in net income and at least 51% of their employees in the United States. These investments can come in the form of either debt financing or straight equity purchases, with the latter being commonly used to help SBICs build a portfolio of companies that they own and help operate on a day-to-day basis.

The traditional SBA loan instrument is famous for providing buyers with up to $4.5 million in debt financing on the condition that buyers lose access to other important transaction instruments, such as seller notes, earnouts, and equity rollovers. Commercially speaking, these instruments typically play a major role in facilitating transactions by providing a more equitable outcome for all parties involved. Losing access to these instruments can, at times, interfere with deal completion. Unlike SBA loan-based buyers, SBICs have access to debt up to $175 million for the purposes of acquiring companies and have comparatively few limitations on other tools that help get a deal done. As a result, SBICs experience superior flexibility in pushing a deal over the final ten-yard line. Sellers are likely to be better compensated for their companies and on more mutually acceptable terms. The low cost of debt associated with SBICs translates to more cash on their balance sheet post-close—leaving more cash available for growth, fostering a stronger buyer-seller relationship, and helping to secure the seller’s legacy.

The success of SBICs goes beyond financial capacity, however. To become a licensed SBIC, its founders must undergo SBA scrutiny that will question their experience, background, industry knowledge, and fortitude to run an investment firm—which is a much higher barrier to entry than is faced by many buyers. Furthermore, the incentive to help their acquisitions succeed is heightened for an SBIC because, if they make poor choices, they will not only have to deal with angry shareholders but also will face ramifications from the SBA. As a result, starting an SBIC can be as difficult as opening a federally chartered bank. A final, critical requirement for becoming a licensed SBIC is that the founders must have significant experience either investing in or running small business investments; meaning, as buyers, an SBIC manager is more likely to relate to the daily highs and lows associated with running a company and can provide valuable insight based on lived experience.

When it comes to selling your business, choosing the right buyer is crucial. If you’re looking for someone to take your company to the next level, to help it grow, to set you up for a better exit, then the capabilities of an SBIC are hard to match.

According to the SBA, top brands such as Under Armour, Chipotle, Staples, and Apple benefited in their youth from SBIC funding. If your small business meets the eligibility requirements for an SBIC investment, this buyer class could substantially improve your company’s growth and help build a strong, recognizable brand.

Benchmark International is pleased to announce that Derbyshire-based Woodall Group has secured a £4.25m investment from BGF.

Woodall Group, the owner of Woodall Homes, is an independent housebuilder, specialising in mid-market homes and providing a turnkey service from identifying brownfield sites, securing purchase options, and applying for planning permission, through to construction and fit-out.

BGF is the most active growth investor in the world, providing growth capital for small and medium-sized enterprises in the United Kingdom and Ireland, making initial investments between £1m and £15m. It has 16 offices across the UK and Ireland including London, Edinburgh, Belfast, and Dublin.

Known for its strong emphasis on premium finishes, build quality and a housing design that complements local surroundings, with sustainability embedded in the construction process, the funding will support Woodall Group deliver more high-quality properties and create further job opportunities.

October was a fantastic month for Benchmark International and we are proud to announce that our teams in the UK and US have completed deals with an overall, combined transaction value of $160,000,000.