The Purchase Of a Distressed Business In Canada. Eliminating The Worst Days Of The Acquisition Of A Troubled Company

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Everything You Didn’t Notice When You Purchased A Distressed Business

OVERVIEW – Information on buying a distressed business in Canada. The acquisition and purchase of a troubled company is a daunting business challenge





Buying A distressed business in Canada. It's a phone call we've received a few times over the years - a clients earnest desire for the acquisition / purchase of a troubled company that... guess what... comes at a great deal and price!

Hindsight will often tell the business owner certain things weren't noticed in that whole process, creating some tremendous challenges for the new owner/manager. Let's dig in.

Opportunities in distressed business turnaround and acquisition come out of several areas. One is simply that in some ways we are still not over the economic crisis of 2008 and many businesses, small and larger are still affected in certain ways - bottom line, they are distressed. In other cases companies have in some cases ‘ lost their way ‘.

That presents a tremendous opportunity for a savvy buyer. In some cases it might be a direct purchase; in others it might mean a merger scenario.

The benefits of a successful acquisition of a troubled company are obvious - they often include a solid return on investment and assets, the ability to enter new markets, and also to acquire assets at what some might deem a fire sale price.

In many cases the business purchaser has the ability to remove the debt burden of the original target firm - either through legal or informal means- i.e. negotiation with creditors, suppliers, etc.

So where are some of the areas where things can go really wrong in buying that distressed business? Part of the problem can simply be the purchaser loses focus of the original intent of the acquisition as things get tangled up in negotiations, business cultures, etc.

In all cases it's important to determine there is no legal ' hangovers' in the target business , issues such as existing liens, contracts that were in place, lender agreements, lawsuits, etc.

When it comes to the assets of the business in question it in fact might be very prudent to allow certain assets, inventories, etc to remain with the current owner. But don't forget that those supplier /vendor relationships that were in place are critical to the ongoing success of any company.

Don't forget also that the ability to keep key personnel in the target firm is a valuable consideration, however that presents a big challenge when the business was in fact under duress and may have lost confidence in the business.

In Canada you can of course legally buy a business that’s already in receivership or bankruptcy or CCAA proceedings, however this has sometimes a larger cost and other legal obligations.

The right type of financing is available for all types of distressed business acquisitions. Financing and acquiring a troubled company can be achieved with bank term loans, asset based lending, mezzanine financing, etc.

If you're looking to eliminate the ' bad times' in the acquisition of a troubled company seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can assist you with ' noticing' the areas that will make or break success.



Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial

http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com

Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 10 years - has completed in excess of 80 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations . Core competancies include receivables financing, asset based lending, working capital, equipment finance, franchise finance and tax credit financing.

Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details :

http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/distressed-business-acquisition-purchase.html





Have A Question /Comment On Our Blog Or Canadian Business Financing Alternatives ?

CONTACT:
7 Park Avenue Financial
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8

Phone = 905 829 2653


Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com

Stan Prokop

Business Financing ? Looking To Close A Deal in Acquisition Or Merger Finance In The SME Sector .How An Advisor Get’s You There!

Going It Alone In Business Financing Or Acquisition Finance?


OVERVIEW – .Information on the value and benefit of a business financing advisor when completing a merger or acquisition finance transaction in the SME sector in Canada



Business financing in Canada. Going it alone has its benefits in business and life, but not necessarily so when you don't have the assistance and expertise to complete the financing you need, forge an acquisition, or complete a merger of sorts. That’s when a (good) advisor or intermediary is worth their weight in gold. And he who has the gold...!

The goal seems clear at the start - make an intelligent decision on purchasing or merger with a target, achieving via negotiation the right price, and then completing financing as needed.

Part of the challenge is that top experts agree that the SME sector in Canada that the huge ‘small to medium enterprise’ segment comprising of hundreds of thousands of firms is somewhat under serviced. Bigger and or public companies tend to have all the advisors and assistance they need , but the Canadian business owner or manager looking for reasonably priced but expert assistance is somewhat under served.

It's apparently a free country though, and you can go it alone but that seems mostly driven by a distrust of sorts of the type of expert advice that is out there, and at what cost.

So how can the right intermediary or advisor help? It boils down to several key areas that include helping you validate criteria, putting and analyzing the proper information together, putting forth a deal structure that works, and finalizing the finances you need . So by now it hopefully seems clear that an expert, that ' expertise ' is key to picking someone to work with you.

A good way to do that is ask for the Track Record

of transactions closed and completed, along with the type. That record of success will hopefully reflect size of deals completed, a reputation of professionalism and confidentiality, and the ability to interact successfully and professionally with everyone involved in your deal or financing.

Certain advisors or intermediaries might request ' exclusivity ' on the deal. That's certainly ok and happens a lot; we're personally in favor of people getting paid for tangible results - end of story.


The issue of fees /overall compensation/ work fee- retainer becomes a stumbling block for all parties on occasion, understandably so. What can you do to address these sorts of points? Numerous structures are available to ensure both everyone feels comfortable with who they are dealing with and how success will be measured. That might come in the form of a one time all inclusive Success fee, or combinations of an initial work fee/retainer, or in some cases a monthly retainer, the latter being our own least favorite.

The issues around overall price and value of the compensation of an advisor or intermediary really boils down into several categories.

They include:

Time spent on any transaction

The level of overall commitment to a deal or financing

The overall risk and reward of getting a deal or financing done, or not done!

The concept of ‘incentive ‘as well as the useful information, advice, etc that can be brought to any deal.

Ideally you want to be working with someone who either is or can be working on a first name basis with key players on your transaction. Reputation, specialization, and experience of course create a clear message that a successful deal or financing can be completed in the most efficient time possible.

Key areas of focus should be:

Financing contacts and reputation / negotiation skills/ unbiased advice that is not self serving/ setting reasonable expectations and no conflicts of interest. Also key is the ability to evaluate and present the financials on any deal in a positive manner.

As you can imagine a lot of time can be spent on ‘financing ‘that was never really meant to be. The ability to source and present financing that’s real and available is key. Along the way the intermediary or advisor should provide some strong level of financial/cash flow analysis, etc.

So at the end of the day consider that real value of an advisor or intermediary is the time and experience to get a deal done or on track – the right combo of compensation and success. Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor to assist you with your financing, acquisition or merger needs.






Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial –

http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com

Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 10 years - has completed in excess of 80 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations . Core competancies include receivables financing, asset based lending, working capital, equipment finance, franchise finance and tax credit financing.
Info re: Canadian business Financing & contact details :


http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/business-financing-acquisition-merger-finance.html







Stan Prokop

Buying A Company? Who Can Help You With Financing To Buy A Business Or Make An Acquisition?

Canadian business acquisitions and merger financing


OVERVIEW – Information on buying and financing a company in Canada . When you buy a business or make an acquisition you need specialized assistance and expertise



If you are buying a company or a business in Canada your goal is of course to make an informed acquisition, pay a reasonable ' market' price and get the financing to need to make your deal work.

That might be an outright acquisition, or perhaps even a merger with a strategic partner or competitor.
The large corporations in Canada, public and otherwise have access to tons of talent and assistance in this area. But what about businesses in the SME sector, from a small business to a mid market type company?
If you’re looking to execute on a deal it might be very wise to consider the assistance of a Canadian business financing advisor to assist you in closing the deal, and in some cases even finding the deal.
Going it alone works, but boy can that be both time consuming, painful and expensive.

In what ways can a qualified intermediary or financing advisor help you? There are several key areas - they include:

Developing criteria for your final decision

Reviewing and assessing financial information that's available

Helping with pricing and valuation

Structuring a financing that makes sense based on assets, cash flow

Timing is always critical when it comes to arranging financing and making that acquisition. You need to ensure that who ever you are working with is proactive when it comes to timelines. The quality of a final financing package is critical and can significantly influence the parties who will finance your deal - which might be Canadian banks, independent commercial finance companies, or even perhaps a private equity group.

What can the business owner or manager expect to pay when it comes to a Success fee or work fees? In the SME sector we suggest a nominal but reasonable work fee and a Success fee in the 1-5% range depending on the complexity of the deal. In many cases the work fee or ' retainer' as many seem to prefer to call it can easily be negotiated to be deducted from the final Success fee.

Reasonable fees for an advisor or intermediary ensure he or she is incented to keep things moving when things get tough on a deal , and the quality of the person or firm you are dealing with will quickly demonstrate to you the amount of useful information and advice they can bring to a deal .

Also, it sure helps if you are working with someone who has a sense of the industry you are in. They tend to be on a first name basis with people and firms that can help you both acquire and finance your deal. That's important and has value.

Buying a company and arranging the appropriate financing to make your acquisition successful requires patience, proper documentation and disclosure, and some hand holding along the way. You may have found the right deal, but if proper and successful financing is not in place there is of course... NO DEAL! That’s when the right amount of debt, equity and financing expertise becomes critical.

Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can help you buy and finance that company or acquisition.

7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL
CANADIAN BUSINESS FINANCING ACQUISITION EXPERTISE


Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial –

http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com

Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 10 years - has completed in excess of 80 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations . Core competancies include receivables financing, asset based lending, working capital, equipment finance, franchise finance and tax credit financing.
Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details :

http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/buying-company-financing-buy-business-acquisition.html





7 Park Avenue Financial
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8
Phone = 905 829 2653
Fax = 905 829 2653

Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com













Stan Prokop

The Right Business Financing For A Company Purchase, Merger, Or Acquisition. Small , or Large .. Here’s What You Need To Know

Canadian Business Financing


OVERVIEW – Information on the proper business financing mechanism based on a company purchase, merger , or acquisition in Canada .



Admit it. You've thought about it. Actually we probably all have. Just imagine a company purchase of a legendary Canadian tech company, or a merger or acquisition with your firm of one of Canada's iconic firms who perhaps has fallen on dire straits.

Here's the reality though that might surprise you. Whether you have focused on a Canadian major corporation purchase, or at the other end of the spectrum a local pizza joint the key issues are probably still the same. ( It's just that the lawyers and accountants will cost you a bit more!) What is the value of the business, and how do you finance it. And when you think about it even a great company that you over pay for can be financially disappointing.

The good news is that there are numerous ways to value a company, and there is an even more proper way to match the financing of that purchase with the appropriate business financing.

When it comes to purchasing a business it’s about laying down the odds on future cash flows. The other reality of course is if you, or your firm are suited to buy this business , vis a vis experience, mgmt, etc.

The challenge of buying a business in the SME (small to medium enterprise) sector is in some ways more dangerous than your purchase of a Canadian iconic brand, failing or otherwise. That’s because when it’s a larger corporation it allows you to bring in the usual army of accountants, investment advisors, business valuators, consultants (heaven forbid!)... Etc.

Typically the financing of a firm is based on your valuation method, which might be an asset based transaction, a cash flow transaction, or an equity transaction.

The challenge of financing an equity transaction is significant. That's because they are hard to finance because there is no liquidity exit for the lender. Case in point - we recently met and spoke with a 40% owner in what could be considered a major Canadian corporation. While the equity is worth millions of dollars financing of that equity is in fact as close to impossible as one could get.

Asset based financing is much easier to achieve. But, don't forget that if you mis - value those accounts receivable, inventories, and equipment you might find that there is a lot of tuition to be paid in the school of book value! In fairness sometimes the true asset value of a transaction far exceeds book value - that’s a good thing if you have focused on an asset based lending solution.

Goodwill, like equity, is very hard to finance, enough said... so your ability to value and understand intangibles is critical.

But also don't forget that when it comes to asset finance for a business financing merger, acquisition, company purchase, etc that you need to have a strong hand on market and replacement values.

While public and very large corporations continually have multiples of earnings based performance that is much more difficult for a smaller or private firm. Frankly those earnings often have to be normalized, which usually means having to take the kids and grandma off the payroll.

At the end of the day it’s about financing assets, cash flows, and profits with a finance mechanism that is appropriate.

Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can match financing and business acquisition goals in the right manner.

7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL
CANADIAN BUSINESS FINANCING



Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial –

http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com

Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 7 years - has completed in excess of 80 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations . Core competancies include receivables financing, asset based lending, working capital, equipment finance, franchise finance and tax credit financing.
Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details :

http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/business_financing_merger_acquisition_company.html

Can You Buy Your Competitor Via An Asset Based Lender ? Unique Acquisition Strategies!

Here’s A Great Asset Based Lending Strategy To Finance An Acquisition !

Information on how you can use an asset based lender to buy a competitor via a acquisition finance strategy .. that works!



Ever had the idea to buy a competitor? Even more so have you wondered how this acquisition could possibly be done? One method is to use the service of an asset based lender to complete such a deal.

Even more interesting ... we couldn’t help but catch an article in one of the two leading business dailies in Canada... it said... (To us it screamed!) ‘BUY A COMPANY FOR NO MONEY DOWN! ‘... and this was from one of Canada's leading investment advisors!

The concept here was simply all about ' assets ' and a formula derived from Ben Graham, who is acknowledged as being one of the most prudent and smartest investors ever. (Buffett is a student of Graham... so something there must be working!

The actual formula Graham used to derive this strategy was to take all the current assets of a company, deduct all liabilities, and get a number he called ' net working capital '. If you know a bit about your competitors financial statements you will know this formula is not always going to work ... but if it did... well you have got the makings of a deal!

There is of course one key assumption here which is that all the assets are worth what they say they are worth on the balance sheet. Naturally there has to be some factoring of what they are really worth but that new number can be financed by your asset based lender, allowing you potentially to complete a transaction .

In essence what you have done here is used a finance strategy to finance the collateral in the company.

There are of course many reasons you might wish to acquire a competitor - they include revenue growth, economies of scale, market domination, etc. In many cases you might be aware of a motivated seller, perhaps a firm who is in financial difficulty or who wishes to execute some sort of exit strategy for the owners.

In most cases an asset based lender will have to consider paying out the current lender, which well might be a Canadian chartered bank. Other issues that need to be addressed are the potential profitability of the new firm going forward. Issues that can also help you move the transaction forward are your ability to normalize earnings and assess need for further assets. Also a vendor take back is a great strategy at this time.

Speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can assist you to by or acquire a competitor via an asset based lender acquisition strategy.

7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL

CANADIAN ASSET BASED LENDING AND ACQUISITION FINANCING EXPERTISE


Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial –

http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com

Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 7 years - has completed in excess of 80 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations . Core competancies include receivables financing, asset based lending, working capital, equipment finance, franchise finance and tax credit financing.
Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details :

http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/asset_based_lender_buy_competitor_acquisition.html