Chicagoland Sunbelt’s mergers and acquisitions department handles deals with over $5 million in revenues.  Our experienced team of M&A brokerage consultants will develop and execute a comprehensive merger & acquisition strategy customized to meet your financial and non-financial goals and objectives. From the initial planning through closing, Chicagoland Sunbelt advises our clients throughout the process to help ensure a successful transaction. Typical steps in our merger and acquisition services to sellers and buyers generally include:

• Sell Side Transaction Services

• Buy Side Transaction Services

Sell Side Transaction Services

• Goals and Objectives — Assist shareholders in defining the financial and non-financial goals and objectives of the transaction

• Valuation — Analyze the financial and operating environment to prepare a fair market range valuation of the agency

• Confidential Memorandum — Prepare a confidential, descriptive selling memorandum that highlights the unique aspects of the agency

• Buyer Profiles — Develop a detailed report on buyer profiles for those companies that would represent the “most likely” buyer based on criteria established by the client

• Solicitation and Qualification — Solicit offers from prospective purchaser(s) based on criteria and selection made by the client

• Operational and Financial Assessment — Perform an initial operational and financial assessment to help clients determine the strategic fit with potential transaction partners

• Selection and Preliminary Transaction Structuring — Evaluate and analyze letters of interest from potential transaction parties for both financial and non-financial aspects

• Negotiation — Negotiate with prospective purchasers to assure that shareholder goals are met, including pricing, deal structuring, and other intangible aspects

• Transaction Agreement Review — Review and provide consultation related to transaction legal documents and related schedules and agreements

• Due Diligence — Coordinate, assist, and advise with respect to the due diligence process

• Closing — Manage the closing process to assure prompt, smooth closure of the transaction

Buy Side Transaction Services

• Identification of Acquisition Targets — Identify potential acquisition targets based on the criteria established by the client

• Initial Contact / Solicitation — Make initial contact with targets to gauge interest in pursuing a possible transaction with our client

• Initial Assessment of Acquisition Targets — Perform an initial assessment of prospective acquisition targets to determine strategic fit

• Operational and Financial Assessment — After client and target have expressed preliminary interest in exploring a transaction, perform an initial cultural, operational, and financial assessment to help determine strategic fit of the target

• Valuation — Prepare a benchmark valuation for target that is used as the basis for determining the transaction price, terms and structure

• Transaction Structuring — Develop the appropriate transaction price, terms and structure based on both valuation and operational and financial assessment

• Negotiation — Negotiate on behalf of client the deal price, terms and conditions with the target and their advisors

• Due Diligence — Assist client in performing in-depth due diligence on the target agency

• Transaction Agreement Review — Review and provide consultation to our client’s attorney on transaction documents and related schedules and agreements

• Integration Management — Assist client in developing and executing post-acquisition integration strategies

If you are considering a merger or acquisition and would like to learn more, please contact out team of professionals.