Bridging the Valuation Gap Between Buyer and Seller
PCB acquisitions in the U.S. are down so far in the first five months of 2017, with only two announced deals (HT Global Circuits’ acquisition of Pho-Tronics in April; American Standard Circuits’ acquisition of Camtech in May); and one anonymous deal that I am aware of that has not been announced. This compares with 11... Read More →
How to Put a Wrench in the Rumor Mill During the Sale of a Company
When selling a house, the owner’s agent puts a sign in the front yard, posts info on the Web, and invites buyers over for an open house. When selling a car, we put a sign on the windshield and take out an ad with our phone number on it. However, when selling a business, some... Read More →
Selling a Company—Seeing it as a Triumph, Not a Defeat
Somehow, there is a still a stigma that selling a company is a negative for the owner. Many people think that there must be something wrong, otherwise, they would not be selling. In reality, exiting a business should be looked at as a triumph for the owner, not a defeat. In both the PCB and... Read More →
10 Ways to Increase the Value of Your PCB/PCBA Shop
I have worked with a wide range of companies in the PCB, PCBA, and other tech and electronics sectors. Through the years, I have developed some ideas on how companies can improve their valuation. Some of these ideas are simple and involve little cost, other ideas are more long-term and involve more effort or investment.... Read More →
Types of Company Buyers in the PCB and EMS Sectors
Mergers and acquisitions in the U.S. PCB sector have been in the news recently, with at least 12 deals completed over the past year, and several more in the works. In contrast, the EMS sector has been relatively quiet, but that may change now that the presidential election is over. In this sector, there... Read More →
Punching Out! When Should I Call an Investment Banker?
The quick answer is ASAP. Even if you are not considering the sale of the company for 5−10 years, it is best to be educated and prepared. Give your advisor (or a few advisors) a call to discuss what can be done to get the company ready for a future sale. The worst time... Read More →
Pre-Marketing Strategic Advisory Services, or as we call it, ‘Grooming’
By Lester McCarroll, Jr., Managing Director and Client Architect and Tom Kastner, President GP Ventures offers Grooming services to its clients. One of the top questions we receive is, ‘What is Grooming?’ Grooming consists of pre-marketing strategic advisory services. We often meet company owners who wish to engage our firm, but the company is not... Read More →
GP Ventures Welcomes Lester McCarroll, Jr. to the Team
GP Ventures is pleased to announce that Lester McCarroll, Jr. has joined the firm as Managing Director, Client Architect. Lester will be responsible for M&A advisory services, including dealmaking, client grooming, evaluation, and pre-sale due diligence services. “One of the keys to a successful M&A transaction is preparation and proper marketing, which not only helps... Read More →
Punching Out! Timing: When is the Best Time to Sell?
A few of the top questions we receive relate to the timing of the sale of a business. The first is, “Is now a good time?” The second one is, “How are market conditions?” These are the top FAQs. The ideal time to sell is when the business is growing, there are no major issues... Read More →
Punching Out! The PCB Sector – What Buyers Look for and Recent Deals
The past few months have seen a rash of PCB deals in North America, for a variety of reasons. Here are some of the deals completed during the past eight months: Advanced Circuits’ acquisition of Coastal Circuits (Nov. 2015) and Micom (April 2016) KCA/Marcel merger, by private equity firm HCI and former TTM COO, Shane... Read More →