Services
Services
M&A/Due Diligence
From M&A strategy and opportunity scans through commercial and vendor due diligence (CDD/VDD) and activist investments, we work with the world’s major private equity and mid-market firms, as well as corporates and investment funds to identify, interrogate and quantify value.
Given the strategic and financial importance of these investments, our clients demand rigorous and original insight, fast. Drawing on our independent consultants’ deep and relevant experience and their relentless curiosity, supported by our internal analysts, we quickly hone in on the key issues and challenge accepted wisdom through a combination of experience and analytical rigour.
Related case studies
M&A strategy for a composite insurance company
For a European composite insurance company, developed an M&A strategy that enabled them to capture a market leading position.
Our team worked closely with the client’s Strategy and M&A heads to shape an acquisition strategy underpinned by strategic analysis per business line, the evaluation of alternative strategic scenarios, and prioritised target lists for each scenario. The result was a shared strategy that the client went on to execute with great success.
Deal defence and carveouts for a global mining company
Supported a global mining player to fight off a hostile takeover bid.
With everything at stake, we worked with this leading multinational on investor communications and the divestment of non-core businesses.
Commercial due diligence in fashion retail
Strategic due diligence in fashion retail, leading to our Private Equity client’s successful acquisition of the business.
Our detailed diligence combined market and competitor analysis with customer research in 4 markets to evaluate the growth potential for the brand across geographies, categories and channels over the next 5 years.
Outside-in DD of a Japanese conglomerate
For a large investment manager, conducted outside-in due-diligence on a Japanese conglomerate thought to be underperforming its potential.
An assessment of the conglomerate’s 10+ businesses and their markets was followed by deep dives on the 5 most attractive ones to identify the potential for these businesses and the options to unlock that value.
Commercial due diligence in additive manufacturing
Due diligence in a niche additive manufacturing sector with evolving technology, determining the true potential for a PE target.
This scenario-based project, grounded in a solid fact-base and acquired understanding of this particular technology and its future use-cases, unpacked and assessed long-predicted sector hockey-stick growth to build a robust view on the future outlook, the target’s ability to capture it, and the cash requirement to achieve that growth.
Commercial due diligence in construction
For a Dutch PE client, completed a CDD on a target in residential real estate maintenance/renovations
Our team validated the market forecast and attractiveness, identified purchase criteria, and assessed the target’s performance; the resulting report supported the deal being greenlit by our client, financed by lenders, and successfully executed.
5-year full potential strategy for a luxury brand
For a PE-backed global luxury brand, developed a 5-year growth plan in preparation for a successful sale.
Following a turnaround, this rigorously prepared plan defined and validated the company’s growth strategy and full potential in Europe, the US and Asia. Developed in a highly collaborative process with management, the PE firm and bankers, the vision for success was grounded and aligned, leading to a broad range of buyers and an attractive valuation.
Vendor due diligence in machine parts cleaning
Commercial due diligence for a private equity-backed specialist cleaning provider, shaping a compelling and robust assessment to underpin a successful sale.
Based on diligent research and analysis, our grounded assessment of the industry’s size and our client’s potential supported a strong case for the continued profitable growth of the business - into the white space our work identified.
M&A opportunities in Educational Publishing
Identified M&A opportunities in a large European market for a leading publisher of traditional and digital educational content.
Our team assessed the national and regional markets for print and digital educational publishing, selected promising market segments, and identified attractive M&A candidates, building a fact base and insights that supported the client to engage immediately with targets.
Commercial due diligence in homewares
Commercial due diligence in the homewares market for a PE client who went on to take a majority stake in the business.
With markets in a high state of uncertainty during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the target potentially enjoying a short-term boost, our team focused on the potential downside case. Our rigorous review of the market, company performance, international expansion potential and brand strength was instrumental to the client’s decision to invest.
Rollup acquisitions for a PE-owned benchmarking provider
Assessed a new market opportunity for a cost benchmarking company in the automotive sector, leading rapidly to making acquisition approaches.
Our client foresaw new growth opportunities working with automotive OEMs as they shift their R&D focus to electric and autonomous driving vehicles. Building a thorough understanding of competitor strategies, evolving customer needs and the changing dynamics in the automotive sector, we validated the client’s hypothesis about the attractiveness of creating a new service offer and defined where to play, ultimately identifying two acquisition targets, conducting diligence, and building a high-level integration plan.