Insights

In a lot of M&A cases, deal structure is nearly as important as the value of the company. Many times, structure impacts the after-tax cash to the seller and the risk allocated to the buyer. [...]

Earnouts are a common element used in structuring M&A deals. They are a contractual agreement in the sale of a company where the buyer agrees to pay the seller additional consideration based [...]

by Kenneth H Marks and Buddy Howard One of the most often used metrics to value a private middle market business is EBITDA, which is earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and [...]

Is it the right time to buy a competitor or make a tuck-in acquisition?  Or, should your company be a tuck-in acquisition for a larger strategic buyer? by Kenneth H Marks No doubt, the market for [...]

A common question we hear is “how long does it take to sell a company?”.  As with many things in life, the answer is “it depends”.  So what does it depend on and what are [...]

The priority and focus of the management of public companies is well defined: increase shareholder value. In fact, the board of directors in a public company has a fiduciary responsibility to do [...]

If you are considering selling your North Carolina based business, a key metric you must understand is EBITDA – Earnings before Interest, Taxes Depreciation and Amortization. Buyers typically [...]

There’s a lot written for the buyer of strategic acquisitions and how to manage the integration process.  However, there seem to be few articles or blogs focused on the seller and his/her [...]

We have updated our 2014 survey with transaction data over the past several years from private company sellers, those that provided feedback after their deal was done, to gain insight into what [...]

Hiring the right team is always important, and no different when considering the purchase or sale of a company.  For owners in lower middle market businesses, it can be confusing when deciding on [...]

WRITTEN BY KENNETH H MARKS ET AL

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An in-depth and practical exploration of middle-market mergers and acquisitions from leading experts in the field

In the newly revised Second Edition of Middle Market M & A: Handbook for Advisors, Investors, and Business Owners, mergers and acquisitions experts Kenneth H. Marks, Christian W. Blees, Michael R. Nall, and Thomas A. Stewart deliver a comprehensive overview of mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and strategic transactions of privately held companies with revenues between $5 and $500 million per year.

You’ll discover the market trends, perspectives, and strategies commonly affecting business transitions in all phases of a deal, as well as the processes and core subject areas (e.g. valuation, structure, taxation, due diligence, etc.) required to successfully navigate and close transactions in the private capital markets.

The latest edition of this handbook includes new discussions about:

• The middle market landscape and the evolution and impact of private equity on the private capital markets
• The concepts of mergers and acquisitions from an owner’s point of view
• Ways in which transition and value growth planning can optimize the value owners and investors can realize in sell-side and buy-side transactions
• New technologies being used in the M&A process

Perfect for advisors, investors, and business owners, the new edition of Middle Market M & A is a must-read roadmap of the strategic transaction landscape that provides solid, practical guidance for attorneys, accountants, investment bankers, corporate development, exit planners, investors, lenders and the owners, entrepreneurs, and leaders of middle market companies.

Written by Kenneth Marks & Buddy Howard

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Value Levers: Increase the Value of Your Business From 3x to 7x is for owners, manager and advisors of private, middle-market companies. Those that are thinking about selling their business or that choose to implement mergers, acquisitions or growth strategies in today’s environment often face challenges when engaging with the capital markets, particularly when bridging the valuation gap between market values and owner values. This short book applies traditional corporate finance theory to the real-world dynamics of private, middle-market companies and outlines practical steps to shrink the value gap while increasing the value of your middle market company and becoming transaction ready. The authors of Value Levers are experienced advisors and deal-doers sharing real -world insights into optimizing the value of a company. Visit www.ValueLevers.net for additional content and tools.

Written by Kenneth H Marks et al.

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• Encompasses current market trends, activities, and strategies covering pre, during, and post transaction
• Addresses the processes and core subject areas required to successfully navigate and close deals in the private capital market
• Includes content on engagement and practice management for those involved in the M&A business

Written by Kenneth H Marks et al.

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Strategic Planning for Emerging Growth Co’s – Web Pub Ver 1 is a download for review.  It’s a practical guide that outlines some typical tools and thoughts for management as they approach the strategic planning process for emerging growth and middle market companies.  click here to download a copy

The Role of the Board of Directors in an Emerging Growth Company is a web book for your download and review.  This short book focuses on practical ideas for establishing a board of directors for an emerging growth or middle market business, written by the Managing Partner of High Rock Partners, Kenneth H Marks.  download a copy

High Rock Partners, Inc. is honored to be recognized as ‘Boutique M&A Advisory Firm of the Year – North Carolina 2024’ The Global 100 Awards annually sets out to acknowledge the [...]

I’m excited to have just received my copy of the 22nd volume of Advances in Mergers and Acquisitions https://linktr.ee/khmarks …Along with my coauthors Buddy Howard and Tony [...]

On March 22nd, 2019, High Rock Partners was a co-sponsor of a Triangle Business Journal event called “Today’s M&A Market: Private Company Exit Strategies and Opportunities”. Kenneth [...]

Kenneth H Marks, Founder and Managing Partner of High Rock Partners was interviewed and quoted in July 2018 in the Axial.net article “CEOs, Do Your Due Diligence, Don’t Just Respond to [...]

Kenneth H Marks, Founder and Managing Partner of High Rock Partners in Raleigh North Carolina was featured in an article in Business North Carolina online and in their magazine in May 2018 [...]

High Rock Partners is honored as M&A Advisory Firm of the Year for North Carolina 2017 by M&A Today

High Rock Partners has been selected from the nominees in the first stage of evaluation and by the independent panel of judges for the 14th Annual M&A Advisor Awards

Kenneth H Marks of High Rock Partners presents “Taking a Deal from 3x to 7x” on July 9, 2015 at the 2015 Summer Conference of the Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors.  Read [...]

Kenneth H Marks of High Rock Partners to Keynote 2015 XPX Summit in Boston on March 19, 2015. The XPX 2015 Summit will be a day-long workshop for business owners and advisors focused on exit [...]

November 3, 2014 – – Host Kevin Price and Guest Kenneth H Marks discuss “What’s the Deal in Middle-Market Companies” on this segment of the Price of Business

The Fundamentals of Successful Exits and Acquisitions by Kenneth H Marks, as published in GE Capital’s newsletter Capitalens.  Merger and acquisition transactions can be a viable alternative for accomplishing a number of strategic objectives in the context of building and realizing value for emerging growth and middle-market companies (those from start-up to several hundred million dollars in revenue). Let’s take a high-level view of the buy-side and sell-side processes, and a framework for thinking about and planning each …read the full article

How To Finance A Business With Angel Investors  by Kenneth H Marks, as published in Forbes.  The landscape for financing early-stage companies continues to evolve along with the rest of our economy. As venture capital funds have grown in size over the past decade amid a significant influx of money from institutional investors, so has their appetite and need to deploy greater amounts of capital  …read the full article

Article from the AICPA’s Corporate Finance Insider written by Kenneth H Marks – Taking the Practical Exit.

A business owner needs to answer two essential questions when thinking about selling: What are you really selling? And who are you selling to? …read the full article

Article from the AICPA’s Corporate Finance Insider written by Kenneth H Marks – How to Finance an Acquisition.

There is some art and some science involved in structuring a desired deal and obtaining funding for an acquisition …read the full article.

Article from the AICPA’s Corporate Finance Insider written by Kenneth H Marks  – Doing the Deal on Your Terms.

Owners need to think about strategic position, not just current value, when entertaining buyers. For many Baby Boomers who are considering selling their companies in the coming years, a disappointing reality awaits: Their business is not worth what they thought. But that can be changed!  …read the full article

Earn-out: Friend or Foe by Kenneth H Marks.  How to structure earn-outs to maximize the value of deals. An article published in the Corporate Livewire Expert Guide on M&A  …read the full article

Unlocking Capital

Life Science Leader – 7 Key Steps to Move Your Company From Surviving to Thriving

5 Keys to Position Your Business to Sell at a Premium

Valuing Your Glass Business

Kenneth Marks participates in a live panel discussion, hosted by Divestopedia, to discover how leading corporate development dealmakers and advisors are relying on innovative digital solutions to get M&A deals done efficiently in the current restrictive environment.

As part of the M&A Market Series, Frank Casale, founder of IRPA/AI and CRO, ChoiceWORX and Kenneth Marks, Managing Partner at High Rock Partners, sit down to discuss selling a business during the pandemic.

Highlights of the Virginia Commercial Finance (“VCF”) Presents presentation in May 2017 featuring Kenneth H Marks, Founder & Managing Partner of High Rock Partners, Inc., shared insights from his latest book, “Value Levers: Increase the Value of Your Business from 3X to 7X“.

A short video providing an overview of High Rock Partners’ Strategy Navigator® process.

A short video by High Rock Partners about  Value Creation