Search Funds: The Goldilocks of Buyers?

The M&A market is booming, and for entrepreneurs and family businesses seeking to capitalize on a historically great seller’s market, some find that the lack of long-term planning weighs on valuation.   As we approach the end of a historically significant M&A market, it’s essential to start thinking about trading some smaller portion of the value in return for a deal that closes. In contrast, the market is still at its high point.

Typically, sellers seeking a 3^rd party sale have two options: a sale to a “strategic buyer” or a private equity group (“PEG”).   However, sellers often find that premium valuations and fast exits require years of preparation.   For the right profile, though, there is a type of capital that might fit the bill: search funds.

Why Strategics and PEGs Aren’t Always Right

Here’s a simple fact: buyers are picky.  They want what they want and are often patient enough to wait for the right opportunity.  This is especially true for strategic buyers: they care about product/portfolio fit, worry about things like channel conflict, and are concerned about culture.  There’s a common misconception that you are instantly attracted to the market as a seller.  At a high level, perhaps, you are, but to realize the strategic value, you also need to find that perfect strategic fit – and that takes time.

Financial buyers are different, of course.  With a PEG, you’ll often find acquisition criteria devoid of mentions of culture and channel conflict.  What will you find?  Beyond pure financial metrics, PEG’s need an entire management team since they will not be operating the business themselves.  This is a struggle for most family businesses and lower middle market businesses: often, owners are the management without significant depth behind them.  If you stay on for a few years, management depth isn’t an issue, but a fast exit is off the table.

Enter the Search Fund

A search fund is a form of a “fundless sponsor” operated by an entrepreneur looking to acquire and use a single company.  To a large extent, it’s a blend of an individual buyer and private equity.

How can a search fund fill in the gaps?

Owner Operator Mitigates Management Depth

The key is in the fact that the entrepreneur will operate the business.   As the entrepreneur will be there day today, there isn’t a need for a long transition.  While most deals provide for some transition services agreement, experience suggests that most entrepreneurs are ready to dive in and let the seller step away.

The Un-Perfect Fit

Because the deal is “one-off,” there isn’t an overarching need for a perfect fit.   A search funder doesn’t have to worry about combining distribution channels, vendor conflicts, or achieving synergies in sales channels.  There’s no need to rationalize a line card.  The entrepreneur will likely be looking for a company that they feel can scale without relying on legacy business.

The Downside

Given the requirement to be an owner-operator, the acquirer will lack a safety net of existing management’s experience and knowledge.   This often translates to deeper due diligence.  Additionally, valuations will likely be closer to fair market value than the strategic value because there is no strategic fit.

Wrapping it Up

Understanding how the market may perceive your company is key to a successful transaction.  One frequent tradeoff is a high valuation versus the length of time to find that perfect buyer.   And with management depth, a recurring problem, transitions can often be measured in years as buyers safeguard their investment and seek conveyable value.  The current market is such that we are likely at the peak of a historically significant M&A environment.  Waiting too long for the perfect deal could mean missing the market.  If that’s a concern, a search fund could be the ideal counterparty for your deal.