Client description: Engineering services firm

Practice area: Mergers & Acquisitions

Geographic scope: US

Industries involved: Engineering services

Services applied: Mergers & Acquisitions; valuation

Business challenge: Multi-discipline engineering firm had reached plateau of growth and profitability but needed additional structure and resources to grow to the next level.

Methodologies: In-depth executive interviews with all shareholders, board members, and senior executives. Comprehensive market research on the industry sectors in which the client competes and on key competitors. Development of a long-list of suitors and mailing of teaser letters to over 2,200 contacts. NDA’s with over 30 interested suitors who reviewed the prospectus. Visits and exchange of information with over 12 suitors, negotiations with 4 contenders, LOI, close.

The result: Sale to a UK construction firm with a strategy to enter the US market. They were willing to pay a significant premium as a result of our proprietary process for creating a blind auction for private companies.