Blog Posts in 2018
Posted on Dec 1, 2018 By Davis Blaine
As an investment bank, the most critical part of our job is the first interview. This meeting is a two-way street, meaning that each party is there to determine if the prospective engagement is right ...
Continue reading "SELLER: IS YOUR MOTIVATION CLEAR?" »
Posted on Nov 1, 2018 By Davis Blaine
This headline is not intended to dissuade any committed business owner from selling. It is a warning that a deal may go sideways or crater at any point in time, even just before the cash is wired to ...
Continue reading "SELLING YOUR COMPANY: ANTICIPATE THE WORST" »
Posted on Oct 1, 2018 By Davis Blaine
For different but similar reasons, some buyers and sellers choose not to employ an investment bank (IB). When a trusted advisor strongly urges their client, buyer or seller, to hire an IB, that ...
Continue reading "WHY NOT USE AN INVESTMENT BANK?" »
Posted on Sep 1, 2018 By Davis Blaine
As opposed to startups or early stage companies with little to no revenues, there is a vast market for raising growth capital. This market is buoyed by the explosion of non-traditional capital ...
Continue reading "RAISING GROWTH CAPITAL" »
Posted on Aug 1, 2018 By Davis Blaine
The middle market and lower middle market for M&A transactions has been somewhat of a roller coaster for the last two years. The booming economy set in motion in early 2017 has both helped and ...
Continue reading "M&A ROLLER COASTER" »
Posted on Jul 1, 2018 By Davis Blaine
We often write about M&A from the prospective of the selling company. But the opposing side to those conundrums are the issues facing even the most astute buyers. The risks of making a bad ...
Continue reading "BUYER BEWARE" »
Posted on Jun 1, 2018 By Davis Blaine
We expected that the 2017 Tax Act would spur increased multiples for buyouts. At the same time, we did not expect some of the pricing we have heard of or experienced. One recent example was $11 ...
Continue reading "THE SUPERCILIOUS MARKETPLACE" »
Posted on May 1, 2018 By Davis Blaine
How does a professional investment banker (IB) create his brand or reputation? At the end of the day, he/his firm are judged by the client successes: type, size, industry, and niches within those ...
Continue reading "WHAT'S IN A REPUTATION?" »
Posted on Apr 1, 2018 By Davis Blaine
There are many consequences of the 2018 Tax Act, especially for M&A. Perhaps the most evident affects of the new law are the following: With the reduced rate for C corps from 35 to 21%, after-tax ...
Continue reading "M&A PRICING UNDER TAX ACT" »
Posted on Mar 1, 2018 By Davis Blaine
In addition to selling companies, Mentor Securities provides financial advisory to buyers. These engagements involve a monthly retainer and a success fee, usually a percentage of the purchase price. ...
Continue reading "BUYER ADVISORY SERVICE" »
Posted on Feb 1, 2018 By Davis Blaine
Nearly every investment banking client takes us on an interesting journey, with numerous twists and turns. The progression of a beginning, middle, and (potential) end is very akin to a courtship. Our ...
Continue reading "LIFE OF A DEAL" »
Posted on Jan 1, 2018 By Davis Blaine
The new Tax Act, along with the burgeoning economy, portend exciting and fruitful 2018 for M&A activity. The Act specifically creates incentives for faster depreciation write-offs and expensing of ...
Continue reading "Prognosis for 2018" »