David Braun
Author's posts
Two Key Points for Strategic Buyers from 3M’s Latest Acquisition
3M, the maker of Post-it, will acquire Scott Safety from Johnson Controls for $2 billion to build up its safety division. This is the second largest acquisition for 3M after its purchase of Capital Safety, a maker of fall protection equipment such as harnesses, lanyards, and self-retracting lifelines, from KKR & Co. for $2.5 billion …
Acheiving Your Goal with Multiple Acquisitions
One of the most effective ways for strategic buyers to grow through acquisitions is to “take frequent small bites of the apple,” or to conduct a series of smaller, strategic acquisitions in order to achieve a growth goal. Even those these deals might not be as “exciting” as mergers between two huge competitors, they can …
Is My Company Big Enough to Do an Acquisition?
There’s a myth that acquisitions are only executed by huge, publicly-traded, Fortune 500 companies, but that’s simply not the true. In reality, there are many acquisitions conducted by small and middle market firms that are private transactions and are not reported to the media. There are many reasons to consider acquisitions, regardless of the size …
M&A: Third Party or Do-It-Yourself?
You do not need an M&A advisor to pursue acquisitions. You might think I’m crazy for saying this, after all, we are M&A advisors, but the truth is you can pursue acquisitions on your own. In fact, for those of you who are so inclined to take the do-it-yourself approach, I lay out a step-by-step …
Media Consolidation: Acquiring to Stay Relevant
The media industry is going through a wave of consolidation as traditional players try to adjust to changing consumer habits. Demand for traditional media like print newspapers, cable TV, magazines, and landline phones, has decreased as streaming, mobile and digital media becomes more popular. As this trend continues, businesses will continue acquiring to capture consumers, …
Are You Struggling to Find the Right Acquisition Targets?
Not finding the right company to acquire is the top challenge for middle market companies seeking to grow through mergers and acquisitions. According to Capstone’s survey of middle market executives, 28% noted lack of suitable companies as the strongest reason for not considering acquisitions as a tool for growth. Finding the right company to acquire …
Bigger Is Not Always Better – Hudson’s Bay Approaches Macy’s About Acquisition
We usually think acquirers are big, multinational companies that gobble up their smaller competitors. However, that’s not always the case. Hudson’s Bay, which has a market value of $1.5 billion, is interested in acquiring Macy’s, which has a market value of $9.4 billion. This transaction challenges common perceptions about acquirers and sellers and demonstrates that …
Sears Is Dying a Slow Death – How You Can Avoid It
Sears, which was once a thriving department store, is dying a slow death and the company is grasping for cash in order to stay afloat. Last year, Sears borrowed $200 million from CEO Eddie Lampert’s hedge fund and most recently Sears agreed to sell Craftsman to Stanley Black & Decker. Under the terms of the …
Why Not Buy? 5 Common Objections to Acquisitions
Many company owners and executives know that M&A could hugely accelerate their growth. But they hold back for several common reasons. Let’s take a look. 1. “There Are No Suitable Companies to Buy” You’re probably right—almost. There are no suitable companies for sale. That does NOT mean there are no great companies to buy. You just have …
