There are many reasons why people have to sell companies – retirement of the business leader, demise of the owners, need to realise funds to invest elsewhere, change of strategic direction etc.
But there are very few reasons why people have to buy companies.
Thus, when a Client asks us to help them acquire a company, we start right at the beginning and work to understand why the Client has chosen the acquisition route, and the criteria of what they want to acquire. Sometimes the driver is the need for more capacity, or routes to market, or buying out a competitor. Sometimes it is diversification – to spread their risk across a wider range of industry sectors.
Our involvement can be either:
or
or
In an acquisition search, our first task is to clarify the acquisition criteria. We then mount a thorough search for potential acquisition candidates based on our own knowledge and industry contacts, and on detailed research. We can then play any role that the Client may need - from merely identifying targets to working alongside the Client all the way through to Completion.
Typically, Clients involve us fully in all the various stages including: Valuation, recommendations on Price and deal structure, advice on funding strategies, assistance with negotiations, Heads of Agreement, and Contracts. We can also help with Due Diligence and Post-acquisition plans.
Our fee structures are flexible and, again, we identify our success and our reward with the achievement of the Client's objectives.