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Chemical
Chemical and chemical manufacturing M&A activity has tended to mirror other sectors, which has meant that demand is usually very cyclical. Sellers in this industry must time their marketing approaches carefully to ensure they are selling at a point of strength. Admittedly, this can be difficult to time due to the price of energy, which is a major component of a typical chemical manufacturer’s production costs.
Regulatory and environmental barriers to entry can yield handsome rewards for chemical companies that are looking to sell. This is because newcomers often find it difficult to obtain the necessary permits, regulatory approval that existing companies have. Additionally, if chemical manufacturers have been grandfathered in, these exemptions can be extremely valuable to incoming buyers. M&A activity in the chemical sector has been influenced by the increase in imports, although some sectors such as agricultural chemicals increased by 19.6 percent. Pharmaceuticals and medicine declined by 4.2 percent. Again, the sellers that fared best were those that had diversified operations and those that had overcome the regulatory and environmental barriers to entry.
Recent M&A Trends
The lower middle-market (deals under $100 million) has weathered the credit freeze and "Great Recession" better than the upper middle market has. The deal landscape for the middle market has changed as Wall Street has struggled, but so far, deals are getting done.
The biggest change has been in the deals has been valuations, reliance on debt and reliance on the seller to finance part of the deal. We have seen an increased use of earn-outs, which are typically used in periods where interest rates are high or credit is tight. Thus, PE groups have not stopped investing, and in fact are aggressively trying to deploy their capital into middle-market companies.
As profits are returning, many strategic buyers are more willing to use their cash reserves to purchase various technologies or intangibles that are of synergistic value to them.
Depending on your situation, now could be a good time to seek an exit or even plan for an exit several years down the road. For those that want top dollar for their company and know it will achieve strong, consistent growth for many years, now is definitely not the right time to sell. While valuations may be down, there are many creative ways of structuring deals that may not affect your end proceeds much.
Therefore, if you are a business owner looking to sell, do not avoid doing so due to market conditions. While current market conditions might require a more nuanced approach, the directors at Orion Capital Group have the experience to help you weather these current changes.
If you would like to learn more about Orion Capital Group, please contact us by your prefered means. Any mode of communication is held strictly confidential.
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