SUCCESSFUL ACQUISITIONS
M&A Insights from David Braun and Other Experts
Latest Articles
Why Credit Unions Are Investing in Fintech Today
Credit unions are increasingly interested in using fintechs to expand product offerings and provide enhanced member experience. Join our webinar to hear how fintechs can help your credit union grow membership and assets. The webinar will include: Why credit unions pursue fintech partnerships What it takes for credit unions to make this type of investment/decision […]
Uber to Buy Middle East Rival Careem in International Push
Uber plans to buy Dubai-based rival Careem for $3.1 billion, the largest acquisition for the ride-hailing company. The acquisition ends Uber’s costly rivalry with Careem over market share in the Middle East. In the past, Uber has taken similar action with rivals, most notably forming a joint venture with local rival Yandex in Russia in […]
Capstone Strategic Promotes Edelweiss Harrison to Vice President
As Vice President, Edelweiss Harrison will continue leading strategic mergers and acquisitions and external growth programs for middle market companies while expanding her role in business development. Capstone Strategic, Inc., a leading advisory firm specializing in not-for-sale, strategic mergers and acquisitions (M&A) for the middle market, announced today that Edelweiss Harrison has been promoted to […]
Credit Union Membership Growth Reaches Record High – 3 Ways to Build on This Success
Credit unions continue adding members at a record pace. Membership grew by a record-high 4.5% as of end-2018 (up from 4.1% in 2017)], fueled by strong U.S. economic performance, an optimistic outlook on the U.S. economy, low unemployment rates, and high levels of consumption. With 116.2 million members across all 5,375 federally-insured credit unions in […]
Why Companies Buy (Rather than Build) New Technology
It’s typically much quicker to acquire rather than build your own solution. When it comes to technology, acquiring can help you leapfrog the research and development cycle to purchase a solution that has already been developed, tested and not only proven to be superior, but is already widely used. Large tech companies like Google, Amazon, […]
Approaching an Owner about Acquisition? 5 Don’ts
Finding the right company to acquire can be a significant hurdle for many strategic acquirers. In our State of Middle Market M&A 2019 report, 41% said they faced this challenge. Buyers must not only identify a company that fits their strategic criteria, but one that is willing to sell, which is not an easy feat, […]
David Braun Shares Keys to Integration Success with William & Mary’s EMBA Program
Did you know failing to move quickly during integration is one of the top reasons why deals are unsuccessful? Last week I had the opportunity to guest lecture on this topic at Professor Jeanne Wilson’s Executive MBA class at the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at the College of William & Mary. Many companies […]
Robust Middle Market Mergers & Acquisitions Activity in 2018, But Some Caution Moving into 2019
Capstone Strategic’s survey shows mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity remained robust with 52% executing deals in 2018 up from 44% in 2017. While 38% observed more activity in both 2018 and 2017, fewer (11% vs. 27%) are 100% certain they will pursue M&A in 2019. Leaders from various industries generally reported a positive picture of […]
Capstone Helps Credit Unions Add Rocket Fuel to Growth at NAFCU’s Strategic Growth Conference
We all know growth is vital to the success of credit unions, but achieving growth in today’s environment can be challenging. This week Capstone’s John Dearing has been discussing new ideas with forward-thinking credit union leaders at the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Union’s (NAFCU) Strategic Growth Conference in Greenville, South Carolina. Today, March 21, […]
3 Ways to Build Trust with Owners in Mergers & Acquisitions
“It’s the funny thing about all these deals, though. Yes, you can get a banker involved. But a lot of it comes back to relationships.”
How to Find Qualified Acquisition Prospects
Generating a list of companies to acquire is easy. Simply call up an investment banker or visit a broker website like BizBuySell and you’ll find dozens of for-sale companies. The problem with this approach is although these owners are willing to sell, many of these companies may not be what you are looking for in […]
Need a Place to Stay Tonight? Airbnb Has You Covered with HotelTonight Acquisition
Ahead of the company’s IPO, Airbnb has agreed to purchase HotelTonight, a booking service for last-minute travelers. While the purchase price is undisclosed, HotelTonight was valued at $463 billion two years ago. The acquisition was made to capture the growing demand for same-day bookings, according to Chief Executive Brian Chesky. HotelTonight will be kept as […]
Capstone Speaks on Finding “Smart Money” Partners at the DCU Fintech Innovation Center
Are you a startup looking to launch your idea? Securing funding and the right partner is a critical component to succeeding as a startup, but it can be challenging to convince someone to invest in your idea. One important way startups can have a greater chance at success is by understanding what factors strategic investors […]
3 Phases to Successful Mergers and Acquisitions
In my last post I explained why following a process is critical to M&A success. If you haven’t had a chance to read it yet, please check it out. This post will further detail our systematic acquisition process, the Roadmap to AcquisitionsSM developed from first-hand experience working with strategic buyers. There are three main phases: […]
The Secret to Successful Mergers & Acquisitions
I’m often asked, “What is the key to a successful acquisition?” I have one simple answer: Have a process. You can compare the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) process to the hiring process. Before we even begin interviewing candidates, we develop a job description, whom the employee will report to, when they will start, performance metrics, […]
Why Do Owners Really Agree to Sell?
How many of you would say your most recent hire agreed to join your organization purely for financial reasons? Most employees take other factors into consideration including benefits, location, job description, your company’s mission, and “fit” with your company’s culture. The financial side is certainly important, but leveraging these other factors is critical, especially when […]
Looking to Acquire a Company? Start with Markets First
One of the first questions people ask me about M&A is, “Do you have a list of companies interesting in selling?” But this is the wrong question to be asking. By the nature of our role as third-party M&A advisors we do hear of for-sale companies, but from experience we have found using list is […]
Common Misconceptions About M&A Explained – Part 3
This post is part of a series on common misconceptions about acquisitions I’ve encountered over the years as an advisor. Read parts one and two. Misconception #3: Only the CEO and CFO Should Be Involved Because of the confidential nature of acquisitions, naturally most company owners do not disclose their acquisition plans to the entire […]
Common Misconceptions About M&A Explained – Part 2
This post is part of a series on common misconceptions about acquisitions I’ve encountered over the years as an advisor. To read the first post, please click here. Misconception #2: You Can Execute an Acquisition “On the Side” Many underestimate the level of effort required to complete a transaction. An acquisition is a significant undertaking […]
Common Misconceptions About M&A Explained
Throughout my over 25 years’ experience helping companies grow through strategic mergers and acquisitions, I have seen many different types of transactions and while each deal is unique, there are a few common themes that run through them all. In this series I will be answering some typical questions and clarifying a few common misconceptions […]
