Catherine Synan No Comments

What are we working on?

You can tell a lot about an investment banking group by asking about there current deals (without the names)

Closing a $30 million dollar sale of a Food Grade Hauler, Midwest Based.

Getting close on a smaller sale of another Food Grade Hauler in the Midwest.

Doing a debt placement for a Recycled Metal company in the Southwest.

Woking on the sale of a $30 million Hauler of commodity products in the Rocky Mountain States.

In discussions with a Dry Van hauler, Texas and Referated Hauler and a Oversized Load trucking company in the Midwest.

In discussion with a rapidly growing branded Produce Company.

Catherine Synan No Comments

FINRA Representation in the Transport and Logistics Industry

It appears that much of this industry has long been victim to non-licensed business brokers completing Asset Sales and Stock Sale transactions. Many of these transactions are securities transactions and required Finra Licensing. FINRA and the SEC is looking hard at non-licensed brokers working on securities transactions.

One of the largest and most notable firms in the industry is run by a convicted felon. Clarke as a fully licensed Finra firm protects the buyer and seller and all Finra reps are subject to background checks.

It’s 2012, be smart hire a Finra firm for representaion.

Catherine Synan No Comments

Keep many “balls in the air”

As we develop the trucking and logistics marketplace the total market of buyers and sellers begins to shrink. In our case we attempt to contact close to 300 trucking/logistics company a week to determine “who is buying” and “who is selling” or “is there a need for capital to buy…”. The market remains active as it appears that those who held off selling in the recent down years are now ready to make a move. The possible expiration of the 15% Capital Gains rate is an incentive as well.

While there are many sellers, the typical type of deal in this industry has included senior bank debt, a small amount of equity and a sellers Note. This doesn’t sit well with many sellers and creates a significant opportunity for Clarke, whose experience was first on the capital side prior to its focus on Transportation.

We are also seeing many local SW companies still having problems with bank loans and have sources for non-bank private debt.

The market is coming back strong and the next 18 months are likely to be the last for low valuations on acqusitions as many companies are accelerating in growth and EBITDA multiples.

Catherine Synan No Comments

Boutique Investment Bank vs. Business Broker

In the transportation and logistics market we are constantly coming up against the tranditional local Business Broker as competition. It is important to distinguish the difference between a Boutique Investment Bank and a Business Broker. Lets start with the most obvious differences:

Finra Licensing allows for securtiies transactions (IE: a stock sale) and insures the seller of a clean background check for the I-Banker.

Private Equity experience is typically much stronger.

Research on the Transportation and Logistics space is stressed nationally.

After the sale services: a. Asset Management, Trust planning, succession planning utilizing a world wide top 10 Investment Bank, Royal Bank of Canada “RBC”

Rarely do we charge upfront fees due to our confidence in completing the transaction.

Catherine Synan No Comments

Trucking Industry Coverage

Our recent coverage has been focused on the bulk transport side of the business in areas as Food Grade, Chemical and basic sand and gravel. We look nationally for sellers and have developed an extensive database of buyers. In certain instances we will negotiate the LOI for our own investment,