Many of our prospective sellers have a good deal of curiosity, and sometimes a real concern about what sort of role they may design for… [Read More]
Douglas Group Selling Process: What Our Clients Should Expect
One of the most common things that prospective sellers ask us about early on is what the process of sale looks like, and how long… [Read More]
The Value of Weaknesses
As owners who are considering sale speak with buyers about their companies, they are sometimes embarrassed and somewhat shy about acknowledging the spots in their… [Read More]
Family Business Legacy: Boom or Bust in the Coming Decade
Entrepreneurial business developers who succeed with perhaps a 15-year plus business, which has provided wealth for their family, often think that the greatest thing they… [Read More]
Negotiating Working Capital in M&A
Buyers and sellers often agree that the selling company’s valuation assumes that the company will be sold on a cash-free, debt-free basis, with a normalized… [Read More]
Douglas Group Announces Sale of The Flesh Company to Ennis, Inc.
Trying to Time the Market When Selling?
There have been exceptions but clearly, supply has been way below demand. While supply is increasing, today and for the predictable future we expect the… [Read More]
Potential buyers – Who Makes the Best Fit?
Every company we sell inevitably has a range of potential suitors, and owners need to choose what “kind” of buyer they want to accept. Two… [Read More]
Recession coming? What’s a seller to do?
Headline last week: “Plastics M&A strong, but clouds on horizon for 2019”. Our firm does a great deal with plastics companies, and naturally, we really… [Read More]
Defining Reps & Warranties in the Definitive Purchase Agreement
Owners of companies in a sale agreement are asked to make an extensive set of representations and warranties as a part of the Purchase Agreement. … [Read More]
Top Three Rules When Positioning Your Company to Sell Well
In today’s highly active M&A market, we hear of more and more prospective sellers in the planning stages, wondering what they can do to optimally… [Read More]
Hiring Professionals to Sell Your Company? Here’s What You Should Know
Business owners usually know, when the time comes for them to consider sale of their company, that it is prudent to get professional help. In… [Read More]
The Necessity of Seller Employment Agreements
In almost every sale engagement, it will be necessary to have an employment agreement for the exiting owner, for some time period post sale. Before… [Read More]
What Should I Expect to Happen During Due Diligence?
From the time a seller accepts a letter of intent until the closing date, lots of “due diligence” work goes on for the buyer to… [Read More]
Definitive Agreement – Pricing Articulation
One of the most fundamental issues that will be laid out in the Definitive Purchase Agreement, will be articulation of pricing details. Such details will… [Read More]
Douglas Group Article in Moldmaking Technology: Preparing for Mergers & Acquisitions: Interest Areas
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity has had a great impact on plastics-related companies in North America for years. When these companies sell to private-equity funds… [Read More]
Less Tax Plus More Money Equals Increased Acquisition Appetite
The amount of cash available for acquisitions is going up in 2018 all thanks to the income tax changes that passed in the United States… [Read More]
Letter of Intent: Protect Yourself and Your Company
After 27 years in the business of selling companies, we have seen almost every odd-ball twist to a transaction that you might imagine. A client… [Read More]
Douglas Group Announces Sale of Peaceable Kingdom
Rising Above: Don’t Let Seller Fatigue Impact Sale of Your Company
by Zachary Corson After years of hard work creating and growing your business, you finally decided that the time has come to cash in and… [Read More]
Developing a Nose for Value: 3 Indicators of Great Timing
If I could transfer one skill – one special little slice of aptitude and instinct to every business owner client I have, I think the… [Read More]
The Benefit of the Niche
Most business owners begin with a vision. They may not really frame it in their mind as a “vision,” but nonetheless, they have one. At… [Read More]
Don’t Make These Five Mistakes in Selling
Our firm has a tremendous record of home run sales for our clients, achieving great, usually all-cash prices, and very clean deals. We get inquiries… [Read More]
Anatomy of a Home Run Business Sale
For every industry in the US today, where companies are operating at a profit, there will be opportunities for sale at magnificent success pricing, probably… [Read More]
7 Myths about Selling a Private Company
Business owners take risks every day of their working lives. They guarantee debt. They dig into their personal pockets to finance growth. They put heart… [Read More]
Packaging Strategies News Recap of Deb Douglas’ talk at Global Pouch Forum
Heading this month’s special post-Global Pouch Forum coverage is an exclusive recap of one of the Forum’s speakers. Deborah L. Douglas, Managing Director, Douglas Group,… [Read More]
Chomp Chomp: As PetSmart Eats Up Chewy, Will Indigestion Slow Down Pet Industry M&A?
by Zachary Corson 6/12/2017 The online retailer Chewy came out of nowhere starting in 2011, to fill a gap in the online retail pet industry…. [Read More]
Likely Timing Required for a Business Sale
Our contract for sale of a company generally lasts for a one year period. However, our “average” time, from hire date to close is more… [Read More]
Turnaround Sale
In the past six months, our firm has heard more inquiries about troubled companies in need of a “turnaround” buyer than we had encountered in… [Read More]
Douglas Group Recently Published Global Pouch Forum Article in Packaging Strategies
Douglas Group Recently Published Global Pouch Forum Article in Packaging Strategies: Deb Douglas will be speaking at the upcoming Global Pouch Forum, June 14-16, about… [Read More]
Highlights from the 2017 Plastics Executive Forum
Recently Douglas Group had the pleasure of attending and speaking at the 2017 Plastics News Executive Forum in Naples, Florida. This signature conference provided high… [Read More]
Douglas Group Articles in Medical Plastics News and Plastics Technology
Douglas Group Recent Articles in Medical Plastics News and Plastics Technology: Deb Douglas was recently asked to contribute her expert insights both on medical plastics and… [Read More]
Should I Consider Sale Through an ESOP?
Business owners commonly hear of the use of an “ESOP” in planning for a management buyout. It is presented as a wondrous and magical vehicle… [Read More]
Douglas Group Article in Flexible Packaging Magazine
Douglas Group Article in Flexible Packaging Magazine: 5 Trends to Keep an Eye on in Flexible Packaging in 2017 by Deborah Douglas Deb Douglas was… [Read More]
Honesty Pays!
It pays, inevitably and invariably, to be forthright in presentation of information about your company to a prospective buyer. Forthright does not mean that you… [Read More]
Business Sale: Competition Creates Gold
In recent years, merger and acquisition activities have risen to an all-time high – both in number of transactions and in transaction pricing. Entrepreneurial owners… [Read More]
Consider Buyer’s Perspective on Business Value
Every business owner has at some time wished for some single correct formula for calculation of “true” business value. The beauty of a free market… [Read More]
Business Value Enhancement Checklist
Overall salability · Perform periodic (we suggest quarterly) analysis of approximate value levels of the company, based on a simple multiple of pretax earnings calculation;… [Read More]
TPEs may be a driver in M&A: TopCon 2016 recap by Plastics News
This year, Deb Douglas, Managing Director of Douglas Group, was asked to be a keynote speaker at TPE TopCon 2016 in Fairlawn, Ohio, organized by SPE. It was an… [Read More]
Pet food company M&A fueled by specialty trends
Deb Douglas was recently asked to contribute her expert insights on pet food trends in today’s M&A market on petfoodindustry.com. Her article, below, will also be published in… [Read More]
Identifying Great Buyers
Almost every business owner in the US today has experienced regular, recurring calls by people who say they have interest in the purchase of their… [Read More]
Shortcut Value Estimation for Your Company
How can a business owner “rough out” approximate value of his company for purposes of keeping tabs on how he’s doing? The purpose of this… [Read More]
Preparing for Sale: Creative Executive Compensation Mechanisms
Developing a creative executive compensation plan can actually do more to really nurture operating success than almost anything else an owner can do. When a… [Read More]
Top Five Reasons to Hire an M&A Specialist for Selling Your Business
When a business owner decides it is time to sell their company, they have probably been contemplating the idea for weeks, months, or even years…. [Read More]
The Best Time to Sell Your Medical Device Company
Deborah Douglas spoke at the fourth 10x Medical Device Conference in San Diego, May 2016. “The object of today is to tell you a little… [Read More]
Plastics News Webinar: Douglas Group Sales Process End & Post Transaction
Plastic Mergers & Acquisitions: Douglas Group Webinar: Keys to Owner Wealth, Company Solidity, and Management Growth: Part 5 of 5 Douglas Group Sales Process End… [Read More]
Plastics News Webinar: Douglas Group Sales Process Beginning
Plastic Mergers & Acquisitions: Douglas Group Webinar: Keys to Owner Wealth, Company Solidity, and Management Growth: Part 4 of 5 What should you do if… [Read More]
Plastics News & Douglas Group Webinar: How can you make your company more valuable?
Plastic Mergers & Acquisitions: Douglas Group Webinar: Keys to Owner Wealth, Company Solidity, and Management Growth: Part 3 of 5 How Can You Make Your… [Read More]
Plastics News & Douglas Group Webinar: What do buyers look for?
Plastic Mergers & Acquisitions- Douglas Group Webinar: Keys to Owner Wealth, Company Solidity, and Management Growth: Part 2 of 5 What Do Buyers Look For… [Read More]
Plastics News & Douglas Group Webinar: Merger & Acquisition Activity
Plastic Mergers & Acquisitions: Douglas Group Webinar: Keys to Owner Wealth, Company Solidity, and Management Growth: Part 1 of 5 Merger and Acquisition Activity High… [Read More]
