Much Ado About Little: 2018 M&A Update

November 12, 2018

It’s a great time to be a seller. But, don’t buy all the hype. There’s a difference between what the newspaper says and what you or your clients will experience. It’s not much ado about nothing, it’s much ado about little.

In this update on 2018 M&A activity, we’ll dig into valuations and multiples, interest rates, tax reform, and the fight for talent. The conclusion will look at a few of our first-hand observations.

Remember, as always, everything we cover is in the context of our dealmaking scope. That means we’re talking about companies that are mature (not start-up’s), privately-held, and small- to lower middle market-size (revenue ranging from $1M – $50M). Read more

What is “Closing”? A Dealmaking Timeline from Two Weeks Out to Signing on the Dotted Line

September 18, 2018

If you’re selling your business and the deal’s “Close” is just two weeks away, you’ve gotten through the bulk of it.

But, there are still two weeks left of the dealmaking process and you’re not sure what “closing the deal” actually means. Keep reading to get some practical guidance for items not necessarily addressed in the legal documents, such as “Where should I be, physically, on the day of closing?” Read more

The Ultimate Guide to Private Equity

August 28, 2018

Just like that thing you can’t quite put your finger on – private equity is somehow all over the place and nowhere at the same time.

It’s elusive but you still hear about it over and over again.

You wonder:
What exactly is private equity?
How does it work?
And, does it have anything to do with me and my business?

We’ll cover all that and more in The Ultimate Guide to Private Equity.

Let’s get to it. Read more

Reps & Warranties Post Featured Image

Allocating Risk in a Deal: Representations and Warranties for Buyers and Sellers of Businesses

July 24, 2018

Thanks to Robert Drumm for writing this guest post. Robert is currently an attorney at Van Osdol and has a long history of completing private company transactions. We’re grateful he was willing to share his expertise here. 

Sometimes clients who are involved in their first business transaction are surprised and even frustrated that the lawyers on both sides of the deal devote so much time and attention to “Representations and Warranties” when they negotiate a definitive purchase and sale agreement (the “PSA”).  This part of the PSA might initially seem like wasted words that make the document thicker and the legal bill higher, but they are important. Read more

Deal Documents 101

Deal Documents 101: An Introduction to the Alphabet Soup of CIMs, NDAs, LOIs, and PSAs

June 19, 2018

Thanks to Robert Drumm for writing this guest post. Robert is currently an attorney at Van Osdol and has a long history of completing private company transactions. We’re grateful he was willing to share his expertise here. 

Technical jargon and acronyms are natural to every subject.  Jargon usually makes “insider” communication easier but at the cost of clarity to outsiders.  Investment bankers, lawyers and other business transaction professionals have our own alphabet soup of jargon, and sometimes, without meaning to be rude, we inflict that jargon on our clients: Read more

2017 Celebration - The DVS Group

2017 Celebration

December 27, 2017

2018 is almost here and, boy, are we excited for it.

But we don’t want to fly into the new year without celebrating the great things that happened in 2017. Cheers to closed deals, insightful deal content, helpful dealmakers, and all the lovely things beyond the deal. Read more

The Ultimate Guide to Due Diligence - the process of discernment in private business dealmaking

The Ultimate Guide to Due Diligence

November 15, 2017

Due diligence is a term most of us have heard somewhere at some point. But what does it actually mean and how does it play out in specific contexts? At The DVS Group due diligence is an essential part of our dealmaking.

Read more

The Ultimate Guide to Business Valuation

November 7, 2017

Valuation is calculated. Price is negotiated.

 

That’s one of the most important things to remember about the process of business valuation.

Business valuation is a topic that goes deep and wide. There are a lot of questions and a lot to learn.

We did the digging for you and created the second in our series of “Ultimate Guides”.
(The first in the series: The Ultimate Guide to EBITDA)

After engaging with the information below, we hope you come out on the other side with a good understanding of why valuation is calculated and price is negotiated.

Let’s go!

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The Ultimate Guide to EBITDA

October 31, 2017

We talk about EBITDA often in our office. The financial measure is important when valuing a business. Business owners, buyers of businesses and even financial advisors can be at a loss for what EBITDA truly means because it is mainly used in the sale of a business- an event they’ll likely experience once.

There is a heap of questions out there regarding EBITDA. And there is an equal amount of answers. We weeded through the resources out there and found the best answers to your EBITDA questions.

Read more