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Success Planning, Buying and Merging Larger Accounting FirmsIn Today's Economic
Environment
Joel SinkinAccounting Transition Advisors
Accounting Transition AdvisorsAbout the firm:• Merger and transition advisors exclusively serving the
accounting industry• Customized solutions• Over 950 transactions, over 19 years of experience• Represent the buyer or seller• Services include:
Buyer-seller introductions Merger and acquisition transaction structure Document preparation/review, valuation and due diligence Post-transaction business planning General consulting and coaching
If there are 50 things you need to think about in a transaction…….
……the smartest of us will think of only 35
Impact of Demographics
In 1993, over 40% of AICPA members were over 40 years old……
Impact of Demographics
PricewaterhouseCoopers Survey 2004
In 2008, that number rose to 70%……
Succession ChallengesIn 2008 AICPA survey63% of the firms stated they expected at least 1 partner to retire within 5 years with more then half saying more then one partner
Well up from just 2004!
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Succession ChallengesInternal Succession Plans
•86% of firms said they would transition •leadership internally in 2004
•In 2008 that dropped to under 79% and the expectations are those numbers are still optimistic
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Succession ChallengesFunding Retirement Plans
•62% of firms state succession is a significant issue
•Only 10% have fully funded retirement plans
• Firms that do fund partner retirement rarely fund beyond 50% of full liability
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Impact of Demographics
Why the small RegionalFirms are the most at riskfor succession in the nearfuture
Reasons Why Firms Merge
Firms fall into two categories:
1. Firms seeking growth by combining with another firm
2. Firms seeking to solve a problem
Know your reasons…know theother firm’s reasons
Why is Activity So High?
Competition
Economy
Technology
Niche Development
Aging of the partners/staff
Three Ways to Grow
One client at a time
Develop marketable niches
Merge or acquire another firm
Have a Goal Prior To MergingHave a Goal Prior To Merging
•Be wary of mergers for pure overhead reduction
Bigger is not always better
•Having a specified purpose for a merger helps in identifying the target and helps you relate to deal structures that accomplish your plan
Standard Goals of Merger for Standard Goals of Merger for GrowthGrowth
•Growth of Billings
•Addition of Talent
•Cross Selling
•Adding a New Marketplace
• Succession: merging up or building an internal team
Growth of Billings
•Capacity to take on the workload
•Continuity to retain clients or pass on deal
•Cash flow
•Treat as an acquisition
•Synergies or increases in costs
Methods to Structuring the Acquisition of a Practice
1. Straight sale
2. Merger and Buy Out
3. Carving or culling out clients
4. Two stage deals
Most deals will be a combination of a Mergerand a Two Stage Deal
Five Main Variables for Valuing a Practice
1. Cash up front, if any - Dependent on time of year, the deal’s cash flow
and treatment of accounts receivableEconomy impact
2. Retention clause/guarantee - Collection deals, deals by percentage - Fixed deals - Limited guarantees - Economy clause
Economy impact
Five Main Variables for Valuing a Practice
3. Profitability - Seller’s current profitability/billing rates - Buyer’s anticipated profitability/billing rates - Tax ramifications of deal structures
(Goodwill vs. current deduction)( The use of IRC Code 736a)
4. Length of the payout period
Five Main Variables for Valuing a Practice
5. Multiple - Cause vs. effect
Multiple=effect Balance = cause
- Basic rule:
Lower down payment, longer payout periodHigher profitability, longer guarantees= higher multiple
Valuing based on equity versus compensation
Addition of Talent: Building an Internal Succession Team
If they are:
Bringing a book of business: Cannot get a star with empty offers though
Bringing a nicheBringing excess capacity
Cross Selling•You’re selling their clients
•They’re selling your clients
•Compensation
•Licenses
•Commitment from partners and staff to take a proactive role in marketing
Adding a New MarketplaceAdding a New Marketplace
•To cross sell
•To attract new clients
•Technology making it easier
•To attract additional staff/partners
•Strong communication, routines, plans, and guidelines are the key to success
General Guidelines• Equity
-The poker chip method
-What does equity mean?
-Additional factors are, profitability,
staff, rates, assets, niches, more
-Look back periods to adjust equity
- Multiple different levels of partner:
Income, Equity, Of counsel….
- Addressing the small partner in the merged in firm who cannot become a partner in your firm
General General Guidelines• Compensation
-Start off by remaining whole when possible, avoid immediate increases
-Handle perks and benefits as part of the package
- Accountability
- Buyouts: Valuing Partner Equity
> Equity Formulas
> Compensation Formulas
> The ultimate Litmus Test to see if your
partner buyout program works!
MergersCompensation
- Book of Business versus Equity ownership
- All For One And One For All
- Profit distribution: Equity versus formulas
- Relative compensation as a proxy for culture assessment.- Multi level approach to partners: Full, income, retired
partners all can have different compensation programs and different profit sharing opportunities and different buyouts
De-Merger De-Merger Clauses•When is it appropriate and not appropriate?
•How long can they be invoked?
•Allowing partners to leave with clients
•Handling of
-original clients -new clients
-firm name -staff
-liabilities -leases
Do your homework!
History and background of the firm
Client retention rates
Billings vs. collections, billing rates
Compensation packages of all firm members
Employee manual, employee contracts
Furniture, equipment, assets and leases
Pricing, billing and collections
Profitability
Due Diligence
Due DiligenceClients
Who does the workWhere is the work completed?How many clients require face time?FeesIndustries servedServices for clients
Collections age analysis of A/R and cash flow (per month)
Focus on how you will run the firm, not only how it is currently managed
Due DiligenceFirm culture
Potential exposure issues
Quality control issues
Retention rate of employees
Work papers
Leases or other obligations
Other ThoughtsGeneral “chemistry” between the parties
Continuity of relationships will help retain clients
A good deal is a fair deal
Remember, it’s the package, not the individual variables
Staff merging
Transitioning Clients
CHANGE IS A DIRTY WORD
THE EMPHASIS NEEDS TO BE ON CONTINUITY
NOT THE LOSS OF, BUT THE GAIN OF…
-Is the partner/owner I trust still there?
-Is it going to cost me more money?
-Do I have to travel far to meet with my new accounting firm?
-Is the staff I am accustomed to working with part of the successor firm?
What are the clients fears:
For more information
Please visit our website for resources includingfree reports, whitepapers and case studies.
Joel [email protected]
1-866-279-8550www.TransitionAdvisors.com