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The seller, Christian Network International, is one of the largest independent Christian product fulfillment and distribution companies in the world. CNI represents various book, music, and film publishers and ministries from around the USA to the retail, church, and consumer end markets. Their award-winning service and state-of-the-art computer networking systems enable them to attract and retain customers.  

In the world of mergers and acquisitions, the adage, "knowledge is power," holds particularly true. This essential process involves meticulous investigation, analysis, and assessment of various aspects of the target company. It is critical to conduct thorough due diligence for multiple reasons, as it helps ensure buyers are making an informed decision and mitigating potential risks. Asking the following seven questions will help assess if the business is the right fit and potential synergy:

Strategy is crucial to any merger or acquisition (M&A) for many reasons. Any deal should have a specific plan to accomplish a company's objectives and produce successful results. Making strategic choices can achieve targeted desired outcomes. It involves finding the right company to merge with or purchase, how to approach the negotiation of a deal, evaluating the synergies that may be possible, how the culture aligns, and what integration will look like after the deal closes. M&A strategy is how an organization's goals become actionable.

The seller, Worldwide Technologies, LLC (WWT), was founded in 2006 by Mike Jones and Kenny Whitworth out of a small facility in Franklin, KY. Under Mike and Kenny’s leadership, WWT expanded operations through continued investment in people, cutting-edge new technologies, and an unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction.

Benchmark International is pleased to announce the transaction between Z Consulting, LLC and The Bridge.

Benchmark International is pleased to announce the acquisition of TMCADD Consulting & Services, LLC dba myBIMteam by NV5 Global, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVEE).

Benchmark International has successfully facilitated the transaction between Fredericksburg, VA-based Fredericksburg Machine & Steel, LLC dba Viking Steel Fabricators and Norfolk, VA-based SRF, LLC dba Chesapeake Bay Steel, Inc.

Benchmark International is pleased to announce the successful sale of DBox, Inc. to CBS Property Management Inc.

Benchmark International has successfully facilitated a transaction between Fishkill, NY-based Computer Systems Integrators, Inc. (“CSI”) and Albany, NY-based Acture Solutions (“Acture”). CSI is a trusted hybrid information technology (IT) services partner primarily for K-12 schools, providing IT solutions, security, and support for schools’ IT networks.  

Benchmark International is pleased to announce the transaction between Talent Framework, LLC and Savard Labor and Marine Personnel.

Benchmark is pleased to announce the transaction between Tygra Industries, LLC and Fugue Capital. The transaction represents a significant opportunity for Fugue Capital to help a long-established company enter a new era of growth.

2024 is on pace to be a record-breaking year for retirement in the U.S. This year, an average of 11,000 Americans per day are expected to celebrate their 65th birthday. Now through 2027, we will see the most significant surge of retirement-age Americans than ever before. Yet, at the same time, data from the Pew Research Center shows that one in five people over the age of 65 are choosing to continue working, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics is projecting that Americans over the age of 65 will continue to rise in labor force participation over the next ten years. This trend is being mirrored around the world. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, over the past 25 years, labor force participation at older ages has increased significantly.

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.

Reps and warranties insurance is a policy secured for corporate transactions such as mergers and acquisitions. In recent years, the amount of this type of insurance sold has increased significantly. It covers the indemnification for certain breaches of the representations and warranties in transaction agreements, either partially or in full. Reps and warranties insurance usually doesn’t cover losses for breaches of covenants (other than pre-closing tax indemnification) or purchase price adjustments. 

Now that you have found the perfect business for you to acquire, the question is, how do you finance the transaction? Most buyers will use a mix of debt and equity, but if you are a first-time acquirer, you may need help on where to go for the debt piece of the equation.If you have never acquired another business before, the process of securing a loan for the acquisition might be challenging. Here are some things to consider when looking at your debt options.

While you may be hearing that the M&A market is currently active, numbers speak volumes. A recent article from U.S. News cited that private equity (PE) has inked more than 2,300 deals for the first five months of 2021. Year-over-year, this is just over a 21% increase in deal volume. In fact, according to Pitchbook data, in the first half of 2021, PE firms closed on 3,708 deals worth a combined $456.6 billion. That’s almost two-thirds of the $711.6 billion deal value recorded in the entire year of 2020, and the two years prior. It is estimated that there is roughly $3 trillion of dry powder—also known as available funds—on hand for investment, with even a large amount of assets under management.

Financial buyers are the companies we work with that are typically labeled as private equity (PE), a family office, a hedge fund, etc. In the traditional sense, a financial buyer is primarily concerned with the cash flow generated by a company or asset that they acquire. They think about investment opportunities (clients to us) through the rate of return they can obtain from years of bottom-line enhancement and an eventual resale of the asset at a premium, or much higher valuation, than when they bought it. Like trading stocks, but with more hands-on involvement, they wish to “buy low and sell high.”

When financial buyers think of HVAC contractors, they see an industry ripe for consolidation. The trend of HVAC consolidation started a few years ago and has not slowed down.

Benchmark International’s industry agnostic approach has proven to be informative during the Covid-19 epidemic. Interest in most of our client base has not declined and we are receiving queries from a wide range of parties.

Many first-time buyers acquiring businesses in the United States are unsure of how to structure their offer in terms of a deal to buy the equity of the business (i.e., the stock, membership interests or partnership interests) or the assets of the business. The below FAQs should help point you in the right direction or at least allow you to have a meaningful conversation with your advisors.