How will running a competitive bid process help me?

The lower middle market remains very active, and we anticipate that this trend will continue for the foreseeable future. If you are a business owner, you have probably received unsolicited interest and perhaps even offers for your business. There is a lot of money chasing few deals, so buyers are looking to find off-market deals to build their pipeline and purchase a business below market value to boost their investors’ returns. Having additional buyers at the table tends only to benefit the seller.

When a buyer uncovers an off-market deal, they are often in a better position to buy the business at a discounted price than what they would pay in a formal auction or open bid process. Buyers seek acquisitions to help solve a problem or hit an ROI benchmark. If the buyer can purchase a business below market, then the buyer ends up winning both in the current transaction and future transactions. The business owner is the one who tends to have seller’s remorse. Our team commonly speaks with buyers who will not participate in auction processes because they do not want to pay top dollar, and those buyers know that they are not willing to do what it takes to win the bid.

If you have ever watched an episode of Shark Tank when all the sharks are bidding on an opportunity, you have seen how a competitive bid process can benefit the company pitching to the sharks. When Lori Greiner, Barbara Coroan, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John, Kevin O'Leary, or Mark Cuban share an interest in an opportunity, it often piques the interest of another shark who wants to jump in and try to win the bid. Sometimes, the sharks even go into the deal together. This process also happens for deals within the lower middle market. When two buyers go into a deal together, they are called co-investments. In this case, two can be better than one. However, you will not know if co-investments are an option until you go to market and run a process.

When a seller receives an offer from an unsolicited party, the offer only reflects one party’s view of the value of the business. Businesses are comprised of both tangible and intangible assets. That is, the value of the business lies not only in its tangible assets like machines and inventory but, perhaps more importantly, in the quality of its people, process, customer base, and intellectual property. Acquirers buy businesses for many reasons, including for geographic expansion, product line development, talent acquisition, and competitive advantages, to name a few. Why is a business worth 5x to one buyer but 7x to another? A business's real value is the opportunities an acquirer has post-closing. Ultimately, the only way to know if the offer in hand is a representation of the market or even the best option for the business owner is to explore multiple views of the value of the business.

If you move forward with the one offer available, what will you do if the deal falls apart during due diligence? Due diligence can be a time-consuming and overwhelming process. If you go through the due diligence process and the deal is unsuccessful, what? You will not have a second or third option. The sale process can be very emotional. Often, when a deal closing is not successful, a firm that ran a bid process will typically have a handful of bidders that they are able to re-engage to work toward a successful closing. The deal team can utilize the initial data request and due diligence process to make the workload lighter the second time around. An experienced M&A deal team will be able to craft a strategy to target active buyers from previous efforts and bring them back to the table. However, if you only have one option, you must start over from the beginning. By the time you start over, you are at risk of missing the market, which might cost you tens of millions of dollars.

The other great aspect of running a bid process is that you have leverage during due diligence. Typically, when a letter of intent is signed, the negotiation power shifts from the seller to the buyer. If you have other suitors waiting in the background, an experienced M&A deal team can use that competitive tension to help a seller secure the best deal on the market and keep the buyer in check. The buyer who ultimately wins a formal auction process knows that there were other suitors competing for the bid.

It is crucial for any seller considering a sale to hire a capable sell-side M&A firm to take them to market. A dedicated sell-side team virtually assures you that you will have multiple suitors and bids. You will be able to see several different views on the value of your business and be able to determine the optimal deal structure. The process will allow you to explore other partnerships and understand what competitive advantage various firms can bring to the table. If you compare the company sale process to dating, it is good to know what other suitors offer so you can pick the best one for you! Having an experienced M&A team take you to market to uncover your best options will give you the peace of mind that you have the information you need to make the best decision for you and your business.

  Author
  Kendall Stafford
  Managing Partner
  Benchmark International

  T: +1 512 347 2000
  E: STAFFORD@BENCHMARKINTL.COM

The seller, Impact Communications, is a Cleveland, OH-based full-service production company specializing in in-person and virtual event experiences, video production, museum and exhibits, and interactive applications. With over 40 years of providing services to some of the largest brands in the country, Impact Communications has established a stellar reputation for delivering quality projects.

Benchmark International is delighted to announce the acquisition of Glasgow-based Hydrogen by London-based PA Media.

Established in 2016, award-winning Hydrogen is the largest social media agency in Scotland, specialising in social media management, B2B and B2C content creation, community management, paid advertising, research, and insights.

The company has delivered significant year-on-year growth since its formation and has worked with clients across the publishing, utilities, FMCG and hospitality sectors, including The Economist, Highland Park, SSE and Magners.

PA Media is the UK's leading provider of multimedia content and services. The group comprises a diverse portfolio of specialist media companies, spanning news and information, technology, and communications services.

PA Media Group has 20 shareholders, who are mainly UK news and media businesses. The largest shareholders include DMGT plc, Informa plc, News UK plc and Reach plc.

Benchmark International has successfully facilitated a transaction between Florida-based Central Hydraulics, Inc. (“Central”) and SBP Holdings of Houston, Texas. Founded in 1983, Central is a distributor of hoses and other products that also operates full-service hydraulic sales and repair shops. Central maintains five locations in Daytona Beach, Cocoa, Leesburg, Ocala, and Tampa. SBP Holdings, the country’s no. 2 hose and accessories distributor, maintains a footprint of approximately 85 locations and 1,000 employees.

The digital advertising sector is also often referred to as online marketing, Internet advertising, and web advertising. The market includes revenues gained by advertising activities conducted by organizations targeting consumers via Internet-enabled mobile devices and personal computers.

Benchmark International was named International Gamechanger™ Progress Champion for Race and Culture Equality in the 2022 ACQ5 Global Awards.

Benchmark International is pleased to announce the successful transaction between A Janitor's Closet and Envoy Solutions.

Global Big Data Security Market

The global big data security market was valued at $24 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach $115 billion by 2030. That is a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19% over the forecast period of 2022 to 2030. North America led the global market and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 17.5%.

Benchmark International is pleased to announce the transaction between Mellasat Wine & Fruit and a consortium of private investors.

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. 

The global green industry is forecast to grow at a significant rate between 2022 and 2026. Over the past decade, the green economy’s market capitalization grew from $2 trillion in 2009 to more than $7 trillion in 2021. It also nearly doubled its share of the global investable market from 4% to more than 7%. Last year, the market grew at a steady rate and is expected to continue to do so with the growing adoption of strategies by key players.

Benchmark International is pleased to congratulate Ernst and Young Advisory Services (Pty) Ltd (“EY”) on their acquisition of Parity Software (Pty) Ltd (“Parity”).

Benchmark International has successfully facilitated a transaction between Bone Daddy’s, a Texas barbeque joint, and The Island Spot, a Jamaican restaurant with multiple locations.

The seller, Neil Dornbusch and Associates, located in New Prague, Minnesota, has been providing pumping and fluid handling solutions since 1988. They fabricate and custom-build food processing plants, specializing in sanitary and stainless-steel applications. They also assist with the design of fluid handling systems.

The global business analytics market was valued at $76.5 billion in 2021 and is forecast to reach $122.5 billion by 2027, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.1%.

Industrial robotics is now critical across many sectors for the automation and manufacturing of many tasks, including loading, packaging, labeling, and inspection. They are commonly used in the automobile and heavy engineering sectors and are becoming more common in many other sectors. In the past, robots were mostly only used in the automotive and manufacturing industries, but more sectors are adopting them today. These sectors include defense, healthcare, aerospace, food & beverage, education, and electronics. There is also an increase in demand for telesurgery and elder care, as well as bomb dispersal, monitoring, and mine detection. There are currently around 2.7 million industrial robots in use worldwide, a number that is quickly rising. 

Benchmark International successfully facilitated the transaction between Access Truck Parts with Summit Hydraulics, backed by North Branch Capital.

Benchmark International has successfully facilitated a transaction between Mills River, NC-based Dover Foods, Inc. and Translyvania Vocational Services, Inc. (TVS) of Brevard, North Carolina. Dover is a manufacturer of high-quality dry mix consumer packaged goods (CPGs), including a high-growth private label business. TVS is a mission-oriented manufacturer of dry packaged goods, selling its products largely through USDA and USAID hunger assistance, food bank, and other programs.

Benchmark International is pleased to announce the acquisition of the Fastway Couriers’ National Master (Fastway South Africa), Fastway Johannesburg, and Fastpost businesses by City Logistics (Pty) Ltd in partnership with Clearwater Capital (Pty) Ltd.

Benchmark International successfully facilitated the transaction between Dallas Plumbing Company and Air Pros USA.

Iconic Media Group and The Mayo News today announce that an agreement in principle, subject to normal regulatory approvals and clearance, has been reached to purchase the Westport-based local newspaper.

The Mayo News is one of the longest established newspapers in the country, having been established in 1892. The paper has a proud history of serving the local community with its efforts being recognised by a host of awards including the prestigious European Local Newspaper of The Year prize twice, in 2007 and 2014.

The Mayo News has been in the ownership of the Berry family for a number of decades.

Iconic Media Group is Ireland's largest independently owned regional newspaper and media group. Should the sale be approved, it would increase the footprint of the company, which already owns over 15 local weekly titles. These include The Donegal Democrat, The Limerick Leader and The Leinster Express.

In 2021, the global space market was valued at $388.50 billion and is expected to reach $540.75 billion by 2026. The sector has expanded by an impressive 70% between 2010 and 2020. The space economy is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.84% between 2022 and 2026. Analysts also predict that the space industry will reach $1 trillion in annual revenue by the year 2040, with launch costs lowered by 95%. As the cost of accessing space falls, opportunities for expansion and innovation will increase. The fastest growth is predicted to stem from new space applications and industries.

Deal activity continues to heat up in the cryptocurrency space as the adoption of crypto becomes more mainstream. Last year was a huge year for cryptocurrencies. In 2021, the price of bitcoin was up 49%, Ether was up 390%, and Dogecoin was up a whopping 1,600%. The M&A market for cryptocurrency soared by nearly 5,000% last year. But this is nothing compared to the activity for M&A of crypto companies.

There are two types of buyers: strategic buyers and financial buyers. Commercial lenders, family offices, private equity funds, mezzanine funds, independent investors, and other capital providers are all financial buyers. Strategic buyers include everything else. It can be beneficial to entertain both financial and strategic buyers when you are selling your business. Still, it is important to understand how financial buyers think and what you’re dealing with as you work through conversations and negotiations.

Metaphase Design Group, Inc. is a leader in applying the science of human factors engineering and ergonomics to product design. Metaphase incorporates various areas of specialization in their User-Centered Design Innovation Process, combining them with extensive expertise in Industrial Design and Human Factors research and support.

In the world of small to mid-market mergers and acquisitions, a number that is very important is a company’s adjusted EBITDA. The adjusted EBITDA is meant to find a company’s true normalized earnings by taking away any outside influences or ownership influences on the company’s bottom line. Some companies do not have to make many adjustments in order to find adjusted EBITDA, while some companies may need many adjustments to arrive at adjusted EBITDA.

Benchmark International represented A to Z Insurance in the company’s sale to Acrisure. A to Z Insurance, headquartered in Corpus Christi, Texas, is an independent insurance agency specializing in commercial trucking policies. The agency also offers a variety of personal and commercial insurance policies and represents many of the nation’s leading insurance providers. A to Z Insurance has four locations throughout Texas.

Hexagon Electrical (Pty) Ltd (Hexagon Electrical) designs, manufactures and re-conditions a large range of flameproof and non-flameproof motors, switchgear, transformers, flameproof and non-flameproof enclosures, flameproof auxiliary equipment, and standard and flameproof motors for ventilation fans and dust control systems.

Benchmark International has successfully facilitated a transaction between Pennsylvania-based Arora Engineers and Jacmel Growth Partners, a New York-based private investment firm. Arora is a leading professional services firm that provides infrastructure-focused planning, design, program/construction management, facilities management, asset management and technology services primarily to state, local, and federal government customers.

Benchmark International is pleased to announce the acquisition of Middlesbrough-based Doocey North East by Swedish group Netel.

Doocey North East is a specialist utility services provider delivering contract services for telecommunications and fibre-optic networks. Works include the installation of ducts, micro-ducts, access chambers, street cabinets, fibre optic cable installation for local authorities and major private clients. Employing 15 people, in 2020/21 the company recorded net sales of approximately £6.5m.

Founded in 2000, Netel is a leading specialist in critical infrastructures in Northern Europe, carrying out projects as well as services and maintenance for the industry's largest players in power, telecommunications, heating, and water and sewage. The business has a strong local presence via 18 offices and has approximately 660 employees. In 2021, Netel had sales of more than SEK 2.4 billion.

The acquisition marks Netel’s second in the UK within two months as the group rapidly continues its expansion in the growing British fibre market.

What Is the Metaverse?

The metaverse is an immersive digital online environment that links social and commercial activities through technologies such as virtual reality and augmented reality to create 3D virtual spaces that mimic reality. Its use is quite broad and can be applied to gaming, work meetings, e-commerce, socializing, or entertainment. The term “metaverse,” which was first introduced in the 1992 novel Snow Crash, is today considered a way to truly redefine the Internet. It is a concept that is still being shaped, but the vision is rapidly evolving. There is not necessarily one single defined metaverse, as various companies are working to shape the idea in their own ways. For example, blockchain tech such as cryptocurrency and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are being used to support digital transactions in the metaverse. Video game makers are shifting their online worlds to resemble social networks with a market opportunity to expand to include live entertainment such as concerts and sporting events. With this transformation comes a battle for the share of social media ad revenue. And as the metaverse continues to evolve, it continues to represent a huge business opportunity.

Benchmark International successfully facilitated the transaction of a Therapeutic Optometrists and Optometric Glaucoma Specialists clinic to MyEyeDr., managed by Capital Vision Services, LP.

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

Last month, small business sentiment in the U.S. fell to its lowest level in nearly 9-1/2 years due to concerns surrounding inflation. Yet, at the same time, demand for labor remains more substantial than expected as companies continue to pursue growth.

Benchmark International is pleased to announce the acquisition of Carlisle-based AndiDrain by Glasgow-headquartered Denholm Energy.

Established in 1990, AndiDrain is a liquid waste management and industrial services company offering a range of services such as tinkering, CCTV pipework surveys, waste segregation and recycling, sewer/culvert renovation, and relining.

Denholm is an international services provider supplying leading edge services across industry sectors including oil and gas, marine, defence, petrochemical, renewables, utilities, and distilleries. Employing over 4,500 people, the company has operations in the UK, USA, Caspian, and Middle East and has an annual turnover in excess of £190m.

The move by Denholm Energy's subsidiary, Denholm Environmental Services, further strengthens Denholm’s waste management and industrial services offering. It also expands the geographic footprint of Denholm Environmental from the Scottish Highlands down to the Midlands and adds a comprehensive and market leading range of equipment to the portfolio.

Andrew Little, managing director of AndiDrain, said this about working with Benchmark International:

“I would like to thank Roger, James, Charlotte, Nick and the rest of the team for a job well done with the sale of the company. I can highly recommend Benchmark to anyone who requires a M&A specialist to guide them through what can be difficult times when dealing with due diligence.”

Join us for the complimentary webinar: What You Need To Know About Selling Your Business To A Strategic Buyer.

Benchmark International is delighted to announce the acquisition of Manchester-based Hargreaves Jones by London-based CCi.

Established in 2005, Hargreaves Jones is a consultancy providing commercial and project management services to clients primarily in the large-scale infrastructure sectors including nuclear decommissioning, electricity generation and distribution, oil and gas, green energy generation, transportation, and manufacturing both in the UK and internationally.

CCi, a Rimkus company, is an independent consultancy with an international reputation for expertise in the insurance and construction industries. Operating from over 17 locations worldwide, CCi has a dedicated team of 115 experts helping to resolve some of the world’s largest and most complex insurance claims and construction disputes.

Rimkus has been established for over 40 years and now operates from more than 110 offices worldwide. It is a provider of engineering and technical consulting services to corporations, insurance companies, law firms, and government agencies. Rimkus also provides architecture, engineering, and construction services for the built environment, including restoration design, facilities risk assessments, and due diligence property condition assessments.

The acquisition will support the advancement of CCi’s expertise to deliver commercial and project management services to clients engaged in capital construction and engineering activities on both large and small infrastructure projects.

Several elements play into a successful merger or acquisition, from finance to sales and from operations to HR. Leading up to a transaction, it’s not uncommon for business owners to focus more on these elements and not the area of marketing as an essential part of their M&A strategy.

Marketing is an incredibly important part of ensuring the success of a deal and the integration of companies in the agreement. In addition, effective marketing strategies can help the company create value and growth in several capacities.