Merger & Acquisition

How do we help our clients on buy-side mandates?

On buy-side mandates, we help our client make its acquisition case. We then execute a solid screening in line with our client strategy, narrow down the target list after initial analysis and workshops with our client, and finally focus on a short list of targets. Hand in hand with our client, we value the targets and design creative offers, support the negotiation process and keep the timing.

More and more clients have already identified acquisition targets when they contact us. In those cases, we act as a go between.

In all cases we build the deal rationale and terms, and present the proposed acquisition with the CEO to the Board. We write the Letter of Intent, finalize the negotiation and run the whole transaction process until signing and closing.

How do we sell our customers' companies?

Finding and attracting the right industry buyers is key in a sell-side process. This means a careful preparation to highlight strong and unique strategic value for such buyers, filling a technology, product or market gap.

Our role consists first in supporting the creation of a focused and clear presentation that will have strong impact in the targeted organizations. We build with our customer a business plan both ambitious and achievable which guides us for the negotiation in the transaction terms.

In parallel, we use our industry knowledge, research and relationship to identify a nearly exhaustive list of relevant industrial and financial buyers. We then select with our customer the top target to reach, and the ones to avoid.

Our role is also very important during the contact and interactions phases with potential acquirers. We are careful only to interact (and spend management time) with targets that could be interested in closing a transaction. Management need to stay focused on making the numbers, alongside the duration of the transaction.

We usually use “Comparable” to value our client’s activity and feed the negotiation process. Our role in supporting the LOIs negotiation process, the data-room preparation and final SPA negotiation, together with legal and audit advisors, is key to ensure a fast and optimized execution of the transaction.

How can we help in Recapitalization?

Many investment funds or companies contact us when the funds (that have invested for a certain time (4-8 years) need to sell their stake (to reimburse their investors, the Limited Partners). In such cases, we can find a strategic buyer and sell the majority stake of the company or we can find another financial investor that will replace the investor that need to sell its stake.

Company founders or managers might also consider that it is not the right time to sell the majority stake of the business to a strategic buyer and will create significantly more value in running the business for several more years.

How do we run a Dual-Track process?

We also run dual track process: a recapitalization or a capital increase to develop the business plus a trade sale at the same time. One of the advantages of this solution is that it creates a strong dynamic in the trade sales process: since the opportunity to acquire such business might not realize in the future or at much higher price (entry of new funds as company’s shareholders will change the price expectations and company’s path), potential buyers are usually more motivated to put an offer on the table at this stage.

Blueprint Partners | 48, rue Montmartre - esc. 4M, 75002 Paris France | +33 1 83 62 67 30 | pa@blueprint.pe | 2018 Copyright