Watermark Wire: Bridge Thinking for M&A
Why does the conventional approach to M&A (“the parachute approach”) come up short so many times? Watch this brief video to learn why.
Wire
Sell-side M&A Preparation’s Missing Ingredient
There are countless exit planning organizations and consultants. However, we have found that one vital practice is missing in most. We learned this the hard way. Watch our latest Wire video to learn more.
M&A Readiness in 2023 – M&A Wire Video
One of the first questions business owners ask when contemplating a sale is one of timing. In this latest Watermark Wire video, Hagen Rogers shares how the readiness question can be answered by considering a framework of 8 attributes no matter the industry and stage of your company. Whether it is the right time to…
How M&A Has Changed in Q4 – M&A Wire Video
Is M&A decoupling from the economy? If so, what does that mean for 2023? In this latest Watermark Wire video, Hagen Rogers explores how and why mid-sized companies are seeing fewer M&A transaction volume but higher M&A transaction multiples. He then offers practical advice for BOTH acquirers and sellers.
M&A and the Economy Part IV: Stagflation & Acquirers
Over the last 50 years, there have been two identifiable periods of stagflation: 1973-1975 and 1978-1982. We have entered another period of stagflation, which means the US economy is faced with the dual headwinds of high inflation and slow economic growth. On July 13th, the Consumer Price Index was reported to be 9.1%, which is…
M&A and the Economy Part III: Economic Cycles & Their Influence on M&A
In the dizzying world we work in currently, we often don’t stop and look back at history to learn lessons. The team at Watermark has been researching prior recessions and how they influence M&A transaction outcomes. This current economic downturn is driven by (1) a massive, unprecedented injection of M1 and M2 money supply after…
M&A and the Economy Part ll: Six Considerations Affecting Sellers’ Timing
There are numerous economic indicators that are pointing towards recession or stagflation. As discussed in our previous Wire article titled M&A and the Economy Part 1: Americans are Getting Poorer, price increases driven by rampant inflation and the energy sector crisis (gas, natural gas, diesel fuel supply demand imbalances) are hurting the American public, and…
M&A and The Economy Part l: Americans are Getting Poorer
We want to turn our attention to recent economic developments as conditions in the US continue to worsen. The M&A market is not immune to these worsening conditions. There is a lot to cover on this issue, so this topic will span over several articles. Today, we’d like to focus on macroeconomic indicators that are…
The Ultimate Preparation Step for a M&A Sale
Section 1202 was enacted in 1993 and was meant to help encourage investment in small businesses. Put simply, Section 1202 allows individuals to avoid 100% of the federal capital gains tax incurred upon the sale of qualified small business stock (also known as QSBS), given the shareholder and business have met the (many) requirements that…
Is 2022 a Good Time to Consider M&A?
M&A Had a Banner Year in 2021 There is no question that 2021 was a year for the record books in the M&A marketplace. In the US, over 18,500 M&A transactions closed vs. 14,800 in 2020. After a dramatic drop in M&A volume in 1H’20 due to COVID-19 rearing its’ ugly head, the M&A market…