Our firm’s team of M&A advisors continually strive to improve our understanding of current market conditions and the latest industry trends. In mid-October, the M&A Source (www.masource.org) held their annual conference in Houston, Texas. Due to the pandemic, it had been two years since the last in-person event was held so this was a great event to reconnect and network with over 150 individuals representing firms throughout the US. Both Rob Amerine and I came back with the following key take-aways.
- Despite some pandemic set backs and delays, the rate of business acquisitions remains healthy as more buyers have entered into the market seeking businesses that have survived and thrived over the past few years.
- Buyers have more cash reserves than before the pandemic. Available cash estimates were $1B pre-pandemic and now these estimates top $2B post-pandemic.
- The largest challenge for acquisitions is not due to the price/terms of the sale but properly identifying the non-economic hurdles in the ownership transition which is why using an experienced intermediary firm is crucial.
These insights are important for business owners who have not yet considered all that is involved in selling their business and who may believe that this is not a good time to sell due to economic conditions. Having completed over 1000 transactions, our firm understands that selling a business is not an event but a process that can take up to 3-5 years of planning along with proper execution to help maximize the liquidity of the sale and help ensure a smooth ownership transition.
The majority of our business comes from referrals, and we look forward to working with you.
Ronald V. Chernak
Director
Inspiring business relationships since 1982!