The most common reason cited by sellers for wanting to divest of their company is retirement. Buyers look at retirement as the most legitimate reason for selling. Often, there are family members and/or key management willing to take over ownership and/or day-to-day operations of a company. In those cases, we can help with the transition structure and ensure that, post closing, you, as the former principal, have a parachute plan that includes health insurance, continued retirement plans, a paid consulting retainer agreement, etc. If there are no family members or management willing to take over, then a sale to a private-equity firm might be the best way to infuse high-level management and ensure that employees have continued employment and good benefits. Summit Partners maintains a vast network of private-equity firms looking for attractive acquisitions.  If you would like to investigate the possibilities, please contact our Sell-Side specialists today.
Our primary focus at Summit Partners is the representation of manufacturing, distribution, service and aviation companies in the sale or merger process.

Selling a Business

There are many reasons cited for selling one's company. Retirement is the most common. Other business owners just want to cash in on their hard work. We maintain a vast network of buyers – private-equity firms, individual investors, companies looking toward expansion, etc. – located throughout the United States, the Far East and South America and looking for companies that fit specific investment criteria. We also take advantage of numerous marketing outlets in the rare case that our buyer network does not produce a fit for your company. Our Sell-Side services are extensive and include:

  1. Identification of an exit strategy
  2. Valuation of your company
  3. Enhancement of your company's value
  4. Preparation of marketing materials
  5. Confidential marketing to our network of known buyers
  6. Confidential marketing on the open market
  7. Pre-qualification of prospective buyers
  8. Arrangement and facilitation of site visits
  9. Assistance in the preparation of offers
  10. Negotiation on your behalf
  11. Structuring of the transaction
  12. Assistance with closing documents and closing
  13. Assistance with transition
  14. Assistance with post-transition issues

​​As you can see, we are involved throughout the process.  All steps are undertaken in a highly confidential manner.  It is critical that employees, customers and competitors remain unaware of the process until after the closing of the transaction.

representation in the sale or merger process

Going Public
An IPO, or Initial Public Offering, is a process through which ownership of a company is sold to the public. IPO’s are commonly used by companies to raise needed capital or to monetize investors. Although an IPO offers many advantages such as increased value, there are also disadvantages. Chief among these is a loss of control, the costs associated with the process, and the required disclosure of previously proprietary information that could possibly aid competitors and hurt vendor relationships. Summit Partners works with one of the most experienced underwriters in the US in facilitating an IPO. If you would like to know more about the IPO process, please contact us immediately.
Retiring