Mergers and acquisitions

PLCF offers comprehensive client support for Merger & Acquisition projects and for the sale of businesses and companies. We assist large corporations on international investment projects, but we also offer consulting for much smaller companies, primarily owners of family businesses.

Our transaction advisory services focus on attaining specific business goals by the client and on maximising added value, with guaranteed transaction security.

We are fully aware of how important it is in such projects to understand the business needs of the client and to properly plan and approach the transaction. With that in mind, we ensure that our services do not simply come down to efficient management of the transaction process. Strategy consulting is yet another, perhaps even more significant, aspect of M&A projects. With our extensive business experience, we help our clients define the strategic objectives of their transactions, identify and capitalise on the potential synergies, and stimulate goodwill growth for the business owners.

During the whole transaction process, we attach tremendous importance to the development of good, healthy relations with our clients and with representatives of the other party to the transaction. In doing so, we adhere to the strictest confidentiality standards.

In M&A projects, we work with selected law firms, auditing firms and tax advisors to jointly offer comprehensive advisory support throughout the whole transaction process.

Advisory services for acquisitions

We have long experience in acquisition projects, characterised by varied scale, market and investor’s activity sector, implemented locally and internationally. The common denominator of all successful transactions is development of the right approach to the project as well as thorough transaction preparation and completion, preceded by a profound analysis of the client’s business needs.

The scope of services for investment processes depends on the specificity of the project, its scale and the client’s expectations. Our standard role in the process includes but is not limited to:

• development of the investment strategy based on an analysis of the investor’s business needs, development plans, expectations as to the objective of the transaction, the existing and forecast market conditions and the available project funding sources;
• market overview and identification of potential acquisition targets based on the pre-established investment criteria;
• contacts with the owners of selected entities and their advisors;
• drafting of the acquisition offer (both a preliminary and a binding one);
• launch and coordination of a due diligence in collaboration with legal and tax advisors;
• client support in identification and estimation of acquisition synergies and their attainability once the acquisition is complete;
• identification of the risks related to the planned transaction;
• valuation of the acquisition target based on the due diligence results and the attainable synergies;
• development of the optimum transaction structure (in collaboration with legal and tax advisors) and assistance in obtaining the funding;
• active participation in negotiations of the business acquisition contract and closing the deal.

Advisory services for the sale of companies

Our advisory services for sales transactions involve assisting company owners in the sale of their business, of a block of shares or of a separated part of the enterprise. Depending on the transaction strategy, on the specificity of the entity being sold and on the market environment, we search for either strategic or financial investors for our clients – nationally and internationally.

Selling a company is a complicated process, primarily due to the owners’ emotional attachment to their business. This is why the first step for every project of this type is to analyse the client’s needs and understand the expected outcome and requirements regarding the structure of the transaction.

Within our company sale services, we provide comprehensive support for the transaction process, and in particular we:

• define the client’s expectations and needs and draft an optimum transaction plan;
• prepare the company for the transaction (carry out pre-transaction analyses in collaboration with legal and tax advisors, identify potential problems and risks that may affect the structure and value of the transaction);
• support the management board during the preparation of the company’s development strategy and business plan and use this to create a financial model that contains long-term forecasts of the company’s financial results;
• estimate the market value of the company being sold – accounting for both the effects of the adopted company development strategy and the business risks identified during the analyses;
• define the optimum legal and tax structure and the crucial elements and limitations connected with its implementation;
• prepare a market overview to identify potential investors and assess their interest in the potential transaction;
• prepare the transaction documents (teaser, information memorandum) and distribute them to potential investors in the transaction;
• gather and analyse both preliminary and binding offers, and use this information to give appropriate recommendations;
• coordinate the communications with investors and their advisors;
• prepare, organise and coordinate the due diligence process;
• work alongside legal advisors to prepare a draft transaction contract;
• actively participate in negotiations concerning the wording of the sales contract;
• coordinate the works leading to the signing of the transaction contract;
• support the process of transaction closure and settlement.

Other transaction services

Aside from typical acquisition projects and sale of companies, we offer consultancy services in management buyout (MBO) transactions and in merger, amalgamation and division projects. With our vast experience, we are able to devise unique transactional solutions that match the business and strategic needs of our clients.