longtime clifton ceo sees more m&a mania to come [video]
the need for leadership, succession pressures, and bench strength are driving today’s merger mania, says carl george
m&a
david bergstein: how succession planning drives m&a [video]
m&a is the only succession strategy left for many older firms and partners. [youtube]usa0qdh91qc[/youtube] for latecomers to exit strategy, merging out is the default option, according to david bergstein, cpa.citp, director, of strategic relationships at cch. here he talks about … continued
m&a trend: from ‘manic’ to ‘panic’
the pace will only accelerate. by rick telberg if you thought the pace of shakeout and consolidation among accounting firms couldn’t get any more frenzied, then just wait ’til next year. when all the deals are tallied, the year could … continued
good m&a deals start with strong leadership
firms must act decisively or lose opportunities.
by joel sinkin and terrence putney
we work with hundreds of cpa firms across the country primarily assisting them with m & a of their firms. firms that are successful with using m & a as a strategy to grow have to be agile and open to change. one of our mantras is if you want to stay the same, we can’t help you.
the characteristics of the firms we work with that are the most successful are found in their leadership. the most agile firms have strong leaders that are able and willing to make informed decisions quickly. firms that cannot make decisions quickly find that m & a opportunities pass them by.
strong leadership is derived from several things, including: read more →
john ezell: the new m&a race for clients
remember when it used to be about a staff shortage?
but when we asked john r. ezell, the veteran accounting firm mergers and acquisitions broker, about key trends for local firms, this is what he said:
john r. ezell, cpa
prohorizons network, inc
there is still a lot of uncertainty in the economy right now.
access to clients is the number one driver behind most of the merger and acquisition activity we are seeing. a broader client base means greater client diversity which translates to more stability for an accounting firm.
new wrinkles in cpa exit strategies
contrary to most predictions, the recession has not decreased valuations for accounting firms.
but sellers must be willing to agree to retention adjustments and smaller up-front payments, according to joel sinkin and terrence putney at accounting transition advisors.
in addition, read more →
peace treaty signed at h&r block’s mcgladrey units
rsm mcgladrey and mcgladrey & pullen finalize definitive agreements via prnewswire rsm mcgladrey, inc., one of the nation’s leading accounting, tax and business consulting firms, and mcgladrey & pullen, llp (m&p), an independent, partner-owned public accounting firm, have signed definitive … continued
rsm mcgladrey: “the sharks are swimming”
could it be a “classic management-and-union battle?” mcgladrey & pullen shook the accounting world july 21 when it announced that it planned to terminate a service agreement with rsm mcgladrey, a unit of h&r block inc. and the nation’s fifth-largest … continued
accounting firm m&a deals surge in new york metro area
through the first six months of the year, rf resources has tracked 21 merger or acquisition deals in the new york metro area, compared with 26 in all of last year. “we expect that the number of deals in 2009 … continued
a business to count on: tax prep firms’ valuations rise 9%
happy tax season! here’s the good news. it’s not easy finding strong businesses in this economy. but today, the day before april 15th is a good time to discover a new report from bizequity.com that shows at least one business … continued
habif arogeti sells stake in wealth management unit
ipro one buys into tegra. deal is second for ipro one. hill, barth & king llc was first.
new york-based ipro one, inc. (http://www.iproone.com) says it has reached an agreement to acquire a minority ownership interest of tegra financial partners, an affiliate of habif, arogeti & wynne llp (ha&w), georgia’s largest independent accounting firm and one of the country’s top 100 cpa firms. read more →
buying or selling an accounting practice?
how to avoid becoming another horror story
at some point, every cpa firm owner considers buying another practice or dreams about life after cashing out. this month’s california cpa magazine covers the issue well, with expert advice and experiences from john ezell, brenda calkins, and joe kovar.
here’s a gem from kovar worth remembering: “whatever your reason may be to buy a practice, one thing to keep in mind is patience.”
full article here… read more →
10 to-do’s for a partner buyout
the days of wine and roses in selling cpa firms for pricey premiums to big-monied buyers are over.