THE DEALMAKER'S TAKE 2025: A PANEL DISCUSSION ON THE M&A ENVIRONMENT
M&A markets were subdued during 2024 as market participants digested higher costs of capital, inflation, and a challenging deal market overall. Risk aversion rather than "animal spirits" seemed to dominate the mindset of many buyers while sellers remained anchored to higher valuation expectations. A handful of key tailwinds continue to drive markets: • Levels of private equity dry power, while slightly off their highs, remain elevated. • Entrepreneurs continue to innovate and build compelling businesses. • Business owners, many of whom are approaching retirement years, need to be thoughtful about their transitions. Come and listen to our expert panel of dealmakers, with decades of experience working with middle market companies, to learn what you can expect for 2025 and how to prepare.
Learning Objectives:
- What are the key external market drivers in M&A likely to be for buyers and sellers in 2025?
- What can we expect in terms of valuations going forward?
- What industries or business models warrant the highest multiples?
- Where are we in the cycle? What are the risks on the horizon? What options exist for businesses that are not yet ready to go to market?
About the Presenters:
Hear from industry experts Rachel Packer, Whit Webster, Chris Reilly, Rich Carroll, Chris Fugaro, Brian Kerr, and Matt Plevelich.
Event Location
Event Details
Who Should Attend?
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Attorneys
You have close relationships with clients, and can benefit from being the first advisor to introduce the idea of exit planning.
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CPAs/Accountants
Owners participating in the State of Owner Readiness research continue to indicate that you are the No. 1 "Most Trusted Advisor." You are a natural fit to lead the exit planning team and deepen your relationship (and retention) of next generation owners.
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Wealth Managers
You’re a skilled relationship person. Being entangled into your clients’ professional lives matters as you build a strategy to manage their wealth upon them harvesting it from their business. Exit planning allows you to build a deeper relationship with your client, expands your COI network, while giving you an early seat at table well before the liquidity event.
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Financial Advisors
One of the critical ‘legs of the stool’ is personal financing planning. An owner must have a strong financial plan & contingency plan post-transition to enable them to thrive in the next act of the lives personally and financially. Exit planning brings this future mindset into the present. Exit is now.
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Valuation Analysts
Valuation is both a billable engagement AND an opportunity to provide owners some perspective on how to accelerate value drivers (and deal with value killers). Use exit planning to make that valuation into a longer term value acceleration engagement.
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Investment Bankers
Only 2 of every 10 businesses that come to market actually sell. Learn how exit planning can bring attractive AND ready business to your purview.
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Estate Planners
Exit planning is a natural fit for estate planners who want to operate more holistically with their owner clients.
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Strategic Consultants
One of the most critical roles in exit planning is building transferable value. Strategic consultants have the ability to expand options and drive rapid business value that affect performance today.
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Insurance Professionals
Exit planning addresses the 5 D's. So do you. Approach the risk conversation differently with exit planning.
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Mergers & Acquisition Advisors
Proper exit planning causes less deals to fall through at the last minute. Connect with CEPAs to build your healthy deal flow network.
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Commercial Lenders
One of the best relationships a business owner makes is with their banker. How can you help your corporate clients think about the future and ensure financial continuity? Answer: exit planning.
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Family Business Advisors
More than 50% of lower middle market business owners would prefer to transition to the next generation. Help them succeed with exit planning strategies.
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Other Professional Advisors
Regardless of your unique specialty, there is seat at the exit planning table for you. Learn more at www.EarnCEPA.com.
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Private Business Owners
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Members of Family Business Boards
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Professional Advisors
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Business Consultants
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Other Business Professionals
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Business Owners
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Business Owners & Their Trusted Advisors
EXIT PLANNING IS GOOD BUSINESS STRATEGY
The Exit Planning Institute, provides Financial Advisors, Accountants, Consultants, and other advisors of business owners with the critical education to differentiate themselves and add value to their existing client relationships through a credential, conference, courses, and content. Download the CEPA brochure for more information.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER
Chris Fugaro is a partner at Guardian Capital Partners, an operationally focused private equity fund based in Philadelphia. Guardian has completed 70+ transactions over 16 years of investing in the lower middle market.
Chris is responsible for developing and managing Guardian’s origination initiatives for new and existing portfolio companies. Chris joined Guardian in 2010 and manages a broad network of strategic relationships with corporations, investment bankers, and other intermediaries. Additionally, Chris has extensive deal execution experience in all phases of the investment process.
Prior to Guardian, Chris had a professional career in financial advisory and strategy consulting. He was an investment banker within Griffin Financial Group where he provided merger and acquisition and capital raising services. Early in his career, Chris was a management consultant with Greenwich Associates, where during his tenure he ran the domestic commercial banking research team advising executives at bulge bracket financial institutions.
Chris currently serves on the board of Philadelphia Chapter of the Association of Corporate Growth where he oversees the Chapter’s flagship annual event, M&A East.
Chris earned his MBA from Wake Forest University with a concentration in finance as a recipient of the Charles H. Babcock Scholarship and his BA in business management from Gettysburg College.
Brian Kerr is a Partner of Prolign Capital. Mr. Kerr has spent over 25 years working with lower middle market corporations and entrepreneurs on financial and strategic projects, including balance sheet recapitalizations, debt and equity alternatives, leveraged buyouts, and mergers and acquisitions. Prior to joining PES, the predecessor of Prolign, in 2015, Mr. Kerr was the founder of Clairemont Capital Group, a lower middle market private investment firm. Before forming Clairemont Capital Group, Mr. Kerr was a Managing Director at Cornerstone Capital Holdings and Penn Mezzanine. At both Cornerstone and Penn Mezzanine, Mr. Kerr was responsible for sourcing, evaluating and underwriting investment opportunities, as well as portfolio company management. Mr. Kerr started his career as an investment banker advising private and public companies on M&A, private placement and equity and equity-linked transactions.
Mr. Kerr received a BS in Economics from Lehigh University and MBA from The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.
Mr. Matthew Plevelich serves as Senior Vice President, Corporate Development at Verisma Systems. He focuses on expanding Verisma's offerings. His career took off at NewSpring Capital, starting as an intern and rising to Principal in Healthcare Strategy, including heavy involvement in Verisma since 2015.
Based in suburban Philadelphia, Mr. Plevelich is dedicated to serving local organizations that work to benefit his community. He has served as a Board Member for healthcare companies across a range of growth stages.