SUCCESSFUL ACQUISITIONS
M&A Insights from David Braun and Other Experts
Latest Articles
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 […]
Be Specific About Price In the Letter of Intent
Don’t rush to get a signed letter of intent (LOI) by kicking the can down the road on price. A signed LOI is a significant milestone in the M&A process, indicating mutual interest in an acquisition. The document covers the basic parameters of the deal that both buyer and seller agree to including what will […]
Is Your Credit Union Ready for the Next Recession?
2018 was a banner year for credit unions…but will a recession follow soon? Credit unions recorded a stellar performance in the first nine months of 2018, adding more than 4.2 million new members, the fastest pace in credit union history. Rising demand for loans driven by the low unemployment rate and strong economic growth underline […]
Three Common Due Diligence Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
In October 2017, four months after closing its $4.48 billion acquisition of Yahoo, Verizon announced that all three billion Yahoo accounts had been hacked in 2013. On October 23, 2018, Yahoo agreed to pay $50 million in damages to affected users. As the acquirer, Verizon will shoulder half the costs. Obviously, most of us would […]
M&A Update: Full Year 2018 – M&A Surpasses $4 Trillion
Despite economic and political instability throughout the year, global M&A value surpassed $4 trillion in announced deals in 2018, a 12% increase from 2017. M&A value in 2019 fell short of 2015’s record high of $4.3 trillion. The number of deals worldwide declined by 4% when compared to 2017 to 47,585 announced deals. Buyers and […]
How to Recession-Proof Your Credit Union – CUbroadcast Interview
If the recession hit tomorrow, would your organization be ready? While this may be a scary thought, rather than panicking or ignoring the issue, you should focus on proactively seizing opportunities today to ensure the success of your credit union and your members in the future. John Dearing, Managing Director at Capstone, discusses this important […]
Fintech M&A Heats Up in 2019
Fintech startups are disrupting traditional financial institutions as consumers rely more and more on technology for everyday activities, including banking. Robust M&A activity is expected to continue in this space. It’s not only banks and credit unions that are acquiring or investing in fintechs, established technology firms like Amazon are snapping up these startups in […]
Unlocking Your Company’s Potential for Growth
“At our last strategic planning session, we realized we needed to do something else in addition to organic growth to meet our company’s five-year goals,” Dan* recently shared with me on the phone. Like many middle market companies, organic growth was stagnant, and the company’s progress had plateaued. Dan saw the gap between where the […]
Happy New Year from Capstone – 2018 Charity Survey Results
Happy New Year! Last year we asked you to help us give back by voting for your favorite charity. We are very excited to announce the results from the survey and have made a contribution to each of the charities in proportion to your selection. Each of the charities noted above have made a significant […]
