SUCCESSFUL ACQUISITIONS
M&A Insights from David Braun and Other Experts
Latest Articles
Capstone Strategic Promotes Anna Kochkina to Manager
As Manager, Anna Kochkina will now lead more client engagements, leveraging her expertise in valuation and prospect evaluation and prioritization to help clients execute strategic mergers and acquisitions. Capstone Strategic, Inc., a leading advisory firm specializing in not-for-sale, strategic mergers and acquisitions (M&A) for the middle market, announced today the promotion of Anna Kochkina to […]
Serving “overlooked” populations: An opportunity for credit union growth
It’s not uncommon for credit unions to work with non-traditional industries and financially-vulnerable populations. In fact, offering financial services to unbanked people such as recent immigrants and other disadvantaged groups dates back to the credit unions’ beginnings. The first credit unions were formed in Germany in the 19th century and were based on principals of self-help, equality, social responsibility […]
What Do You Do When an Owner Says “No” to Acquisition? 3 Tips for Buyers
One of the most challenging aspects of “not-for-sale” deal making is that more often than not owners initially are not interested in selling. Owners say “no” all the time and it can be discouraging, especially to first-time buyers who are unfamiliar with the M&A process. Here are three steps a buyer should take after hearing […]
Are You Ready to Beat the Odds? 10 Questions You Should Ask Before Buying a Company
About 70% of acquisitions fail. Either the deals don’t result in the expected synergies or worse – they detract from a company’s existing value. The good news is that you can beat these terrible odds by preparing before you begin pursuing deals. In our experience, here are ten questions we ask our clients before embarking […]
What Makes a Compelling Acquisition Offer?
“I have found that the most attractive offers from buyers go beyond a simple dollar figure.” I could not agree more with this statement from Frank Williamson’s article on Axial. This concept that price is not the ultimate selling point is something we talk about a lot on the Successful Acquisitions Blog. We call it […]
Renault – Fiat Chrysler Merger Collapses: Lessons for Strategic Acquirers
It became clear discussions could go no further and so the Fiat Chrysler-Renault merger collapsed just barely a week and half after it was first announced. A peak behind the scenes reveal a number of lessons to learn from this failed merger. Pay attention to cross-border issues Many reports note that Fiat failed to win […]
Should You Acquire or Make a Minority Investment in a Startup?
Not every buyer will or should require complete control to invest in a company. Some buyers will look at a technology or product segment and invest in four to five startups or up and coming businesses at various minority interest levels with options in the future to increase their stakes once the technology is proven. […]
Global Payments to Buy TSYS for $21.5 Billion as Fintech Consolidation Continues
Global Payments is buying TSYS for $21.5 billion, bringing Global Payments’ annual transaction volume to $50 billion across the world. The deal will vertically integrate many of the steps required in payments processing by combining Global Payments’ core competency of helping merchants process card, mobile and online payments with TSYS’s capability of helping card issuers […]
5 Reasons Why Credit Unions Should Consider Partnerships with Big Data Companies in 2019
Big data is exactly what it sounds like – a vast amount of structured and unstructured information, collected from an increasingly diverse set of digital and traditional sources. For credit unions, every interaction with members, every loan processed, fee collected, call center, or branch interaction is an opportunity to collect data which when aggregated, becomes […]
A Merger of Equals? Fiat and Renault Consider Combining in Deal Worth $39 Billion
As demand for electric and self-driving cars increasing, traditional automotive makers are starting to take notice. The latest are Fiat Chrysler and Renault who announced yesterday they are considering a “merger of equals” in which shareholders on each side would receive 50 percent of the combined company. The deal would create one of the largest […]
3 Ways to Mitigate Risk with International Expansion
Many leaders shy away from international expansion because they are afraid of the risks associated with it, but going global can be an excellent opportunity for reaching new markets and achieving your company’s growth goals. If you’re considering new growth options, here are three steps to minimize these liabilities when expanding internationally. 1. Find the […]
What Strategic Investors Want: Secrets to Making Your Startup Stand Out
If you’re like many entrepreneurs, thinking up new ideas and comes naturally, but persuading someone to invest in your business may be a bit more challenging. Join this webinar with Vasilios Rousso, Managing Director of the DCU Fintech Innovation Center, and John Dearing, Managing Director of Capstone to learn how to secure funding and find […]
3 Things You Should Know About Doing Business Internationally in Today’s Climate
The US may be the largest economy, but the 15 fastest growing economies are in Africa or Asia with Ethiopia topping the list with a projected GDP of 7.9% for 2019. For comparison, the US GDP was 2.2% in 2018. Access to these fast-growing markets is one of the primary drivers for international expansion. In […]
CFO Focus: How To Boost Your Credit Union’s Non-Interest Income
Four tips for investing in credit union service organizations as a solid way to build your bottom line without increasing fees. Credit unions are relying more on non-interest income to grow. Over the past 10 years, non-interest income as a percentage of gross income has risen from 19% in 2008 to 27% in 2018, according […]
Why Due Diligence Should Be Forward Looking
If you look at a due diligence check list, you’ll commonly find 3-5-year financial statements, employment agreements, leasing contracts, and past litigation on the list. While reviewing these documents is important, they only reveal part of the picture because they focus heavily on past performance. Thorough due diligence involves both looking backward and forward and […]
CUbroadcast Interview: Capstone on Disruptive Innovation at the NACUSO Network Conference
Data analytics, artificial intelligence, member experience – these were a few of the exciting ideas discussed at the NACUSO Network Conference this year. Edelweiss Harrison, Vice President at Capstone, had the opportunity to exchange ideas with innovative credit union and CUSO leaders at the conference this year in San Diego on April 14-17, 2019. She […]
5 Due Diligence Questions to Help You Consider the Future Impact of an Acquisition Prospect
Reviewing a company’s past performance is only worthwhile when you apply your findings to future results post-acquisition. With this future perspective in mind, here are five questions to help you consider the impact acquiring a prospect may have on your company moving forward. What do the past 3-5-year financials tell you about the company’s growth […]
David Braun to Lead AMA’s Course on M&A in New York City May 15-17
Learn what can make or break a deal I’m excited to be leading the American Management Association’s Course on Mergers & Acquisitions on May 15-17 in New York. I have been teaching this course for 26 years (since 1993) and it is a comprehensive, three-day course designed especially for CEOs, CFOs, owners, and other senior-level […]
New Webinar – How to Pick the Right International Markets and the Online Tools to Engage with Them
Join us to learn how to pick the right international markets for your business and how best to engage with those markets using online tools. Capstone Vice President, Matt Craft, will be presenting a webinar with Susanna Hardy, Chief Content Officer at IBT Online. Learn how to grow your business internationally. Insights and opportunities: Choosing […]
Capstone Talks M&A at PSCU Member Forum with CUbroadcast
Capstone’s Managing Director, John Dearing, had the opportunity to attend the PSCU Member Forum in Austin, Texas. During this event PSCU’s CEO Chuck Fagan spoke about the CUSO’s values, growth trajectory and strategic plans to “deliver unparalleled member experience.” He also highlighted the acquisition of CU Recovery, which Capstone guided PSCU on in 2018, and […]
