Mergers & Acquisitions

An acquirer spots your business, gets the deal book from your investment banker, and then—all of a sudden—there’s a rush of conference calls.

There was already a steady low-boil of M&A activity in early 2020. But then, last November, fuel was thrown on the M&A bonfire.

When you get an offer for your company, the first thing your eyes will jump to on the letter of intent is the TEV, the Total Enterprise Value, a.k.a. the amount that the buyer is offering for your business in sum total.

This is true whether someone is selling a pickup truck or multi-million-dollar lumber dealerships. The seller names a price, and it goes only down from there, never up.

In most deals, the seller believes their company is worth more than the buyer wants to pay.

The reduction of sales has seen a coincidental reduction in operating expenses (OPEX), as reduced operations demand less cash.

It's human nature to wonder how you stack up against competitors. Are you as profitable? How does your profit as a percent of sales revenues affect your company’s value?

Most companies seek acquisition when they are on an upward trend, putting up numbers each month that are higher than the previous month.

For LBM companies that are now in the process of seeking acquisition—indeed for almost every company—the COVID-19 pandemic has suppressed sales revenues and resulting EBITDA.

For successful, growing companies, there is simply no need to allow an acquirer to pay you with your own money.