5 Deal Points from the Trenches

I’ve been an M&A advisor for many years. Today I work with clients of Business Transition Strategies who are implementing Growth Through Acquisition strategies. Here are a few observations from working on a wide variety of projects.

  • Transactions should not be adversarial. It’s not about winning or losing. Both parties should win. Both parties need to be satisfied with the transaction.
  • No deal is perfect for everyone.
  • Both parties need to appreciate that the business will be different post close. The risk currently for the seller will be different for the buyer.
  • The seller needs to understand that the buyer in most instances will not benefit from the same net cash flow because the buyer has to service the debt used to purchase the business.
  • The purchase price needs to reflect the ability to repay any notes and still earn a decent profit.

What our clients are saying...

“New Image Coatings, owners of Seal-Once, retained Business Transition Strategies in April of 2015 to locate a strategic buyer for the company. This was successfully completed during April of 2016 when we were acquired by UC Coatings of Buffalo, New York. Working at our side throughout this process were John Howe director, and Ken Schaefer, deputy director, of Business Transition Strategies. From the start of the project, where the information memorandum was developed, to helping us create the management presentation to acquirers, through negotiating the letter of intent and then the definitive agreement, they were there with me and our professional team every step of the way. It took nearly one year to the day to complete the project, but they never lost focus on my best interests and helped me keep my eye on business. This sale was very complex. It included transfer of trade secrets from the product developer, …as well as the transfer of a manufacturing and licensing agreement we had with the core compound producer… John and Ken marketed the company to a range of strategic acquirers, including a number of private equity groups and their platform companies, which ultimately resulted in an agreement with United Coatings… BTS’s level of expertise in the process and close attention to detail enabled us to successfully navigate the deal. I would recommend John Howe and Ken Schaefer to any company owner considering selling.”

- Hank Croteau

New Image Coatings