For companies looking to expand through strategic acquisitions, Starmont Advisors can bring its extensive resources into play to locate, evaluate suitability, and negotiate the purchase of attractive acquisitions.
We can provide clients with intensive insight and assistance in such areas as:
- General market availability of various types of businesses
- Defining and refining specific acquisition criteria
- Development of an M & A strategy and plan with owner/senior management
- Screening the prospect universe of available acquisition candidates meeting buyer requirements
- Identify and make initial contact with acquisition candidates meeting buyer requirements
- Getting acquisition targets “in play”; execute Confidentiality Agreement
- Value of the acquisition to the buyer and its Fair Market Value (Price)
- Attractive sources of financing to fund an acquisition. Click Here
- Negotiation strategies
- Post acquisition integration
- Structuring the acquisition to maximize buyer’s tax advantage while minimizing current and future taxes
- Gathering detailed information and financial records that our clients need to make informed decisions
- Structuring deals that get done
- Coordinating financial due diligence
- Coordinating operational due diligence
- Coordinating legal due diligence
- Coordinating closing(s)
The hardest part of making an acquisition quite often is finding an attractive acquisition candidate. This is another area at Starmont Advisors where we excel. We take the burden off of our clients by locating acquisition targets that meet the clients’ criteria. Acquisition targets that have demonstrated a serious willingness to be acquired along with a reasonable expectation of the value of their business. We never waste our clients’ time dealing with acquisition targets that have unrealistic expectations.
To find suitable acquisition candidates, we utilize a number of techniques
- Starmont can access a large number of websites that post businesses listed for sale. Most are not accessible by the general public. They are only accessible to those in the Trade / Industry.
- Starmont networks with a substantive number of professionals in the industry: Investment Bankers, M & A Professionals, Attorneys, CPA’s, Business Brokers of Substance, Lenders, etc. We send them a profile of an ideal acquisition candidate and ask for referrals.
- Starmont using its own proprietary systems and databases, will contact all entities identified as meeting the clients’ criteria. This is done by mail, fax, and email followed up with a phone call. In this manner we identify acquisition candidates, that even though they are “not for sale”, they would seriously consider an overture from a serious and quality suitor. These types of businesses quite often make the most valuable and attractive acquisitions.
- For clients seeking to acquire smaller, main street type businesses, Starmont Advisors through its captive affiliate, Sunbelt Business Brokers of Louisiana, can access the Sunbelt Business Brokers Network of 250 plus offices nationwide and worldwide with over 5,000 businesses listed for sale. Starmont has access to the proprietary information on the listings not available to the public. Also, Starmont will also send an acquisition candidate profile to all the Sunbelt Network offices so they may canvas all the potential businesses in their respective communities. For more information go to www.sunbeltnetwork.com.
- Once the search is complete and acquisition candidates are identified, each is profiled for its’ strengths and weaknesses. These profiles are then presented to the client to determine which they would like to pursue and in what priority. Once established, Starmont then makes all the arrangements to obtain financial and other information on the business desired by the client. Starmont also arranges and setups all meeting between the parties.