“I always take control, but I did not buy 51 percent. Control doesn’t have to be 51 percent. I think people get confused by that.” Marcus Lemonis comments about minority investment on Squawkbox are spot-on. When asked to elaborate, he explained, “I just document everything: full financial control, full operational control. I can have 10 …
Tag: External Growth
“Why Did You Sell Your Not-for-Sale Business?” – A CEO Explains
CEO Paul Villella of HireStrategy recently shared why he sold his company ─ despite not actively looking to sell ─ and the results one year after the acquisition. Paul addressed a packed room of CEOs, CFOs and senior-level executives from the Washington-DC area at “Grow or Die: A Panel Discussion on Middle Market M&A” hosted …
Why Explore Adjacent Markets?
When thinking about the best market for acquisition, many tend to focus on the market (or markets) in which they already operate. People feel very confident about what they know, for good reason– experience, past success, existing relationships, etc., but sometimes focusing on only one market means your perspective is myopic. There is little harm, …
Is Everyone on the Same Page? Gaining Clarity on Your Company’s Vision for Growth
“We have a strong vision and a clear plan for growing the company in the future,” Sarah, the CEO, told me with complete confidence during a recent strategy session. Her CFO disagreed: “We have no vision.” Various members of her executive team shared similar sentiments privately with my team and me. Many expressed anxiety; they …
Buffett Expands in Europe, Acquires German Motorcycle Company
Berkshire Hathaway has agreed to buy a German maker of motorcycle apparel and accessories, Detlev Louis Motorrad-Vertriebs, for approximately 400 million euros ($456 million). Despite the current market conditions, Warren Buffett, once again demonstrates that opportunities can be found in any market. He sees Europe as an opportunity for growth, calling the purchase a “door opener” …
5 Tips for Meeting with Owners about Acquisitions
“I felt so vulnerable. I didn’t know what to do or what to talk about,” Dan told me. As the CEO of a food manufacturer who was pursuing acquisitions, he had a first meeting with an owner of a packaging facility before he engaged Capstone. When we met he expressed feelings of uncertainty and how …
Buyers to Focus on Strategic M&A in 2015 [Infographic]
Next year will be a strong one for strategic acquirers. A KPMG survey reports 82% of executives expect to execute at least one acquisition in 2015, up from 63% in 2014. This is consistent with what Capstone has been seeing in the marketplace. Our survey of midmarket executives earlier in 2014 revealed that, 60% of …
Why Did Buffett Buy Duracell? Finding Growth in Mature Markets
At first glance you may ask, “Why in the world would Warren Buffett buy Duracell?” One explanation is financial. Through a bit of fiscal engineering Berkshire Hathaway is able to avoid triggering significant taxes. The Duracell transaction, is essentially a merger through a stock swap. Berkshire will give P&G $4.7 billion of the shares it …
What Do Credit Unions Need to Know About Mergers and Acquisitions?
Many credit union leaders are taking a closer look at strategic M&A as a way to accelerate company growth. Capstone Managing Director John Dearing spoke to a packed room of credit union CEOs and board members at the “Reaching Your Members in the 21st Century” Conference hosted by CU Conferences in Las Vegas on November …
Credit Unions Growing Through Mergers – Why You Should Too!
Credit unions increasingly are using M&A as a growth strategy. According to NCUA data, 90% of mergers in recent years have been voluntary and have realized greater success than involuntary mergers. “Properly planned and executed, mergers can continue the core mission of your credit union,” said Dominic Carullo, NCUA Economic Development Specialist on NCUA’s recent …
