Mergers and Acquisitions

Working with clients across the media, communications, and information industry landscape, Veronis Suhler Stevenson LLC represents buyers, sellers, and investors in merger and acquisition transactions. Whether the client represents a large publicly traded company or a small family-owned business, all transactions are handled by an experienced team led by a managing director.

The firm's professionals have industry expertise and contacts, as well as research support to ensure that before any transaction, clients are well informed about likely valuation, potential interested parties, the conduct of the sale process, and the length of time before a transaction should be completed. Veronis Suhler Stevenson professionals have experience in all varieties of the sale process, from a publicly announced auction, in which the seller openly declares the availability of a given property, to the privately negotiated sale, conducted in confidence with a limited number of potential buyers. Because of our wide awareness of buyer intentions, Veronis Suhler Stevenson can accommodate a seller with a pre-emptive price strategy. The firm's professionals have experience in mergers of publicly traded companies as well as transactions whereby a public entity decides to go private.

Veronis Suhler Stevenson professionals guide every phase of the sale transaction. It is the firm's practice to assemble a comprehensive, confidential selling memorandum - a business review document that details the operations and market environment of the company offered. The firm's professionals bring both industry experience and merchant banking insight into the preparation of this document. Initial contact is made with prospective buyers; then, after obtaining the necessary confidentiality certification, Veronis Suhler Stevenson presents the selling memorandum. Veronis Suhler Stevenson professionals field prospect inquiries about the property and clarify prospect reactions with regard to price, terms, and timing. Veronis Suhler Stevenson conducts the price and terms negotiations with buyers and then, with seller's counsel, negotiates the definitive purchase agreement and shepherds the transaction through to closing.

In representing buyers, Veronis Suhler Stevenson provides assistance from the initial strategic planning stages through closings. In planning, the firm can provide guidance as to whether the best route for growth is organic or transactional. Because of the firm's vast knowledge of the media, communications, and information industries, Veronis Suhler Stevenson can be instrumental in identifying acquisition candidates. In many instances, Veronis Suhler Stevenson will already have had contact with the acquisition candidates. Together with market intelligence, this familiarity can carefully inform an initial approach. In the delicate process of searching for and screening potential sellers, the firm's team of experienced professionals exercises judgment to preserve relationships and reputations. Veronis Suhler Stevenson has extensive experience in assisting clients in determining appropriate pricing (including an ability to draw on a comprehensive database of comparable transactions), developing operating forecasts, and leading negotiations with regard to acquired businesses.

Veronis Suhler Stevenson has relationships at investment banks and financial institutions active in the media, communications, and information industries. These relationships enable the firm to be an effective buy-side representative in the competitive sale processes conducted by these third parties.