M&A
Compliance Risk Management
Getting High on Marijuana RTOs
Marijuana-related reverse mergers carry significant legal and regulatory risks, including SEC warnings and shell company restrictions. Learn why cannabis RTOs
September 5, 2014Insights
M&A insights & market research
Perspective on valuation, deal structure, and sector dynamics across the middle market — written for founders, owners, and investors.
M&A
Private Equity
The Bleak Future of Private Equity
Examines the growing challenges facing private equity firms in a seller's market, where increasing PE competition and a limited supply of quality acquisition
September 4, 2014M&A
Compliance Risk Management
When Will You Need a Full Proxy Statement
Learn which corporate changes during a reverse merger require a full proxy statement and shareholder vote, including private placements, officer elections, and
September 1, 2014M&A
Private Equity
Dilution: No Money with It, No Money without It
Equity dilution is nearly inevitable when raising venture capital. Learn how VC term sheets, financing rounds, and anti-dilution provisions affect founder
August 30, 2014M&A
Business and Operations
How to Take a Company Public
Explore the methods and costs involved in taking a company public, from traditional IPOs to alternative routes, and how to build investor confidence before
August 27, 2014M&A
Valuation
409A Valuations � Employee Stock Option Plan Solutions
Understand how 409A valuations apply to employee stock option plans, covering exercise timing, departure scenarios, and the valuation requirements that protect
August 25, 2014M&A
Valuation
409a Valuations: Background & History
Learn the background and history of 409A valuations, including the IRC provisions, IRS enforcement context, and why startups must obtain independent fair
August 19, 2014M&A
Personal Growth Career
Startup Business & Personal Audit: A Complete Entrepreneurial Assessment Guide
Provides a comprehensive self-assessment framework for aspiring entrepreneurs, helping them evaluate personal readiness, lifestyle fit, and business
August 11, 2014M&A
Financial Services
Common Problems with PPMs and Angel Investors
Angel investors and private placements are popular startup funding options, but most entrepreneurs fail to meet investor criteria. Learn what angels look for
August 10, 2014M&A
Tax Strategy
Two Certainties: Death & Taxes
Examine corporate inversions as a tax strategy U.S. companies use to escape the world's highest statutory corporate tax rate, including how they work and the
August 9, 2014M&A
Business and Operations
Timing Considerations When Selling Your Business
Evaluate the key timing factors that affect the outcome of a business sale, including market cycles, company performance trends, and realistic expectations for
July 31, 2014M&A
Valuation
Reasons Your Business Ain't Worth 10X + A Few Ways to Get a Higher Multiple
Most businesses don't command 10x EBITDA multiples. Learn why lofty valuation expectations often miss the mark and what steps owners can take to realistically
July 16, 2014M&A
Business and Operations
How Do I Sell a Business? Consider an ESOP
Employee Stock Ownership Plans offer business owners a structured exit that preserves company legacy and rewards employees. Learn how ESOPs work and when they
July 4, 2014M&A
Case Studies
G.E.'s Bid for Alstom: Getting a Mutually Agreeable M&A Deal Done
General Electric's acquisition of French power and rail company Alstom required months of negotiation and government approval. This case study examines how a
June 27, 2014M&A
Technology Software Development
The Impact of Blockchain on Investment Banking
Examines how blockchain technology is beginning to reshape investment banking operations, improving efficiency in capital markets while navigating regulatory
June 21, 2014M&A
Valuation
Improving the Perceived Value of a Business
Discover how M&A advisors and investment bankers assess perceived business value, and which qualitative and financial factors drive higher sale prices.
June 13, 2014M&A
Business and Operations
What are the disadvantages of a stock deal?
Examine the key disadvantages of stock deals in M&A transactions, including shareholder coordination challenges, dilution risk, and complications that arise
June 11, 2014M&A
Valuation
How to Project Cash Flow When Doing a Deal?
Accurate cash flow projections are the foundation of buy-side M&A valuation. Learn how to build defensible assumptions and reduce subjectivity in deal analysis.
June 2, 2014M&A
Case Studies
A Bidding War for Hillshire Brands
Analyze the bidding war for Hillshire Brands, examining how competing offers from Tyson Foods and Pilgrim's Pride reshaped deal dynamics for this consumer food
May 30, 2014M&A
Valuation
You Can't Sell Potential
Buyers pay for proven performance, not future potential. Learn why historical earnings drive business valuations and how sellers can make realistic adjustments
May 27, 2014M&A
Business and Operations
"That Question Can Wait Until Due Diligence"
Explains why M&A sellers should defer certain buyer questions to the due diligence stage, protecting deal momentum and avoiding premature disclosure that
May 26, 2014M&A
Compliance Risk Management
HR 2274 & the SEC No Action Letter--The Pros and Cons of a Little M&A Industry Deregulation
HR 2274 and the SEC No Action Letter are reshaping M&A industry regulation under JOBS Act 2.0. This post examines the trade-offs of deregulating broker-dealer
May 22, 2014M&A
Marketing
Why I'm Always Blogging
Consistent blogging builds authority, expands reach, and drives deal flow for M&A advisors. Learn how content marketing and social platforms like LinkedIn can
May 17, 2014M&A
Valuation
Average Industry Multiples Were Meant to Be Shattered
Average industry valuation multiples are a starting point, not a ceiling. Discover how a structured M&A strategy can systematically push company value beyond
May 16, 2014