A company sale opens up a world of opportunities, each with its own benefits and challenges. You need a dynamic, experienced, and diligent partner, who’ll advise independently to give you a crucial advantage in your unique situation.
With IMAP, you leverage privileged access to 450+ specialists in 60+ offices worldwide. From the initial sales idea to the closing of the transaction, we’re committed to your long-term financial and strategic success.
The sale of your business is not just another transaction. At IMAP, we’re passionate about giving a 360º service.
We have a proven record of negotiating the best price and terms, while giving equal focus to the cultural and strategic fit of a potential buyer, the role of the former owner post-sale, and the future for employees and management.
Learn more about the process, or get in touch for an unbiased, confidential consultation with an IMAP specialist.
Surprisingly often overlooked by business owners, a succession plan, or exit plan, is fundamental to lasting stability.
Whether your concern is identifying a suitable successor, or how and when to start a gradual exit, you need a specialist team with proven experience in designing and executing smart strategies.
With IMAP, a senior advisor will guide you every step of the way – on the most advantageous options for employee security and long-term continuity of your company.
When it comes to selling portfolio companies, private equity investors have a long list of considerations to assess and prioritize. Transactions can be time sensitive, and depend on more than just surface financials.
At IMAP, we leverage our combined industry knowledge and 50 years of experience on both buy-side and sell-side global M&A. We go the extra mile on preparation and process - from expected valuation, to potential buyers and deal structures, to timelines and special process considerations. So that you have a clear, concise and complete breakdown of actionable strategies, to make the right decision at the perfect time.
There are many situations where dividing business units for partial or full sale makes strategic sense.
Whether the objective is cash generation, slimming down redundant operations or non-core assets, increasing market value or delicate political or legal issues, you need a team with on-the-pulse market knowledge, and experience in planning and executing smart strategies in complex contexts.
From spin-offs, to split-offs, to carve-outs and sell-offs, our IMAP experts can ensure a smooth, headache-free process and the optimal deal.
By definition, a distressed transaction is one that happens in complex, time-pressured and unpredictable situations – usually caused by liquidity issues, a sharp decline in business performance, or points of conflict with stakeholders or management.
With the right advisor, it’s possible to turn an obstacle into an opportunity for both parties.
At IMAP, we’re experienced in guiding companies and shareholders to sales and restructuring opportunities that revitalize and restabilize business. We also represent trustees, insolvency administrators and investors to take advantage of opportunities, while minimizing risk.
When handled with precision, a takeover by existing management (Management Buy-Out or MBO), or by new management (Management Buy-In or MBI) can be one of the most advantageous and rewarding types of company sale for both parties.
Through IMAP’s extensive global network of financing partners such as private equity companies, industrial holdings, family offices, banks and debt funds, we guide sellers and/or management from the selection of co-investors, to the structuring of the takeover and the contractual relationships.
When two companies with mutual interests want to strengthen their presence in the market, a strategic partnership through a merger or joint venture offers an optimal solution.
Since we’re not dealing with a ‘competition’ here but a mutually beneficial agreement, the problem-solving is intricate. From the valuation of the relevant entities or business units, to due diligence and corporate governance issues, experts from the IMAP team are dedicated to maximizing profitability, compatibility`, and a smooth and stable transition for both parties.
Based on our vast experience in corporate transactions, we action highly specialized and constantly updated valuation standards, to provide our clients with a solid assessment of the achievable purchase price at the earliest possible stage.
Whether you’re looking to start a sales process right away, or you need an estimate to define future plans, with an IMAP valuation in hand, you can make decisions based on the full picture.
COMMON QUESTIONS
FROM SELL-SIDE ADVISORY CLIENTS
Of course, every sale must have a clear financial goal, but in order for your advisor to create the ideal action plan, you’ll also need to be clear on the bigger picture. IMAP will assist you in defining your objectives for business growth and timing, your personal goals for the role you’ll play post-closing, and your aims for people and relationships within the company – cultural profile of the perfect-fit buyer, management rewards and incentives, leadership succession, employee and customer retention and transitions.
At IMAP one of our core values is personalized service and the relationship we build with our clients. Our specialists invest time and care in walking you through this preparation stage, listening closely to your goals and suggesting the most feasible and beneficial routes.
Before kicking off the process of a company sale, you’ll need account for the cost of your investment banking advisor. Each deal is unique and therefore, so is its fee.
The compensation for M&A transactions is typically comprised of the Retainer Fee, Success Fee and Incentive Fee. Some essential factors to weigh up when choosing a firm and assessing the fee are: range of services included, profile of the deal team, firm success record, industry expertise, and access to the most relevant investor and buyer relationships.
At IMAP, we always ensure the fee structure is negotiated and fully clarified from day one, in order to build a transparent and trust-driven client-advisor relationship.
As an experienced professional in the middle-market, you’ll know that the process isn’t as simple as finding a buyer and closing a deal. A core value at IMAP is transparency and trust-based relationships, so your advisor will give you a full, detailed breakdown of what you can expect at every stage, and timing estimates for your unique case.
We start with a deep preparation process where we establish your goals and motivation, and create an action plan for the marketing strategy and put together all necessary background material. Once we have a list of potential buyers, we’ll carry out more extensive research, leading to the collection of indicative offers and exchange of documentation with the most promising candidates.
Finally, we take care of the transaction process itself, defining the final Term Sheet and overseeing all legal and financial processes to close the deal.
Learn more about the process details here.
Although a QofE review is not a requirement, it’s highly valuable supportive material that we recommend as investment banking advisors.
While other measurements and surface level financial statements can be difficult to interpret, a QofE report is standardized and simple to understand. It gives potential buyers a more complete picture of the business’ performance and how that performance is likely to evolve.
This is strong evidence that helps validate the valuation, and therefore, speed up the process of pre-letter of intent (LOI) and the ensuing due diligence. (Find out more about the sales process step-by-step here)
The Confidential Information Memorandum (CIM), also increasingly referred to as a Confidential Information Presentation (CIP), is essentially a marketing document that presents your business for sale. In a comprehensive and clear presentation format, the document neatly outlines everything a potential buyer would need to know before submitting and initial offer, highlighting all of the standout elements that make the company a valuable and attractive asset.
For sell-side advisory, we work with a range of middle-market clients: businesses and their owners, management teams, multinational corporates, family offices, and private equity firms. This gives us a uniquely diverse perspective which allows us to best advise our clients on the minutiae of strategy in every possible type of sale, divestiture, merger or exit.
At IMAP, we know that the sale of your business is not just another transaction. From the owner, to the shareholders, to the employees, these real human relationships aren’t just a ‘nice-to-have’. They’re key to the success and longevity of any modern business, particularly in the middle-market. As such, part of our preparation for sale is to create parameters and non-negotiables in terms of culture fit and strategic fit. We’re passionate about finding the perfect buyer, who recognizes the true value of what you’ve built.
With a choice of 450+ M&A specialists worldwide, as an IMAP client, you’ll always be in touch with a senior expert for your specific industry, market, and transaction type.
At IMAP we pool our knowledge, experience, and contacts, and meet regularly to discuss up-to-the-minute developments, share industry-specific insights, and find mutually beneficial synergy points between the multiple projects we’re working on in our 60+ international offices.
Whether you’re looking to start a sales process right away, or you need an estimate to define future plans, you need an expert M&A advisor with the independence to give you an honest and complete assessment.
With our diverse team of M&A sector specialists, up-to-the-minute market knowledge, and global connections, you’ll be equipped with a 360º picture of the full value of your business.
The most common reason deals fail is a difference in expectations between the seller and buyer. Based on our experience closing thousands of corporate transactions, we action highly specialized and constantly updated valuation standards, to give you a fact-based range.
A company is only worth what a buyer is willing to pay, which is why IMAP M&A specialists are meticulous in researching and presenting the CIM/CIP, projected earnings and all other background financial information. One of buyers’ biggest hesitations is the unpredictability of their return on investment, so the more detailed and reliable evidence we can present early in the process, the more likely we’ll end up with a win-win deal.
The world of global M&A is vast and complex. Even experienced buyers need an expert partner. Just as we’re discerning when choosing our partners, we only take on transactions in which we know we can make a powerful impact.
Book a no-commitment consultation with a senior advisor. We’ll give you an unbiased, honest assessment of the best course of action, with full, transparent information on our working methods and fee structures.
