- with readers working within the Advertising & Public Relations and Retail & Leisure industries
Many M&A deals in South Africa fall short because of integration drag. This is the friction that happens when a deal closes but the operations are not ready for the next level. At Andersen, we have shifted our model to look at the engine of the business, not just the tax and legal clean-up.
By bridging the gap between strategic identification and post-deal performance, we help manufacturers move from being merely functional to becoming true valuation drivers. This is about looking at the transaction continuum from start to finish rather than as a single event.
A practical example is our 24-month value creation journey. We find that mid-market manufacturers often suppress their own value through operational constraints. By identifying these bottlenecks early, well before a transaction is even on the table, we help business owners boost EBITDA and free cash flow to secure a 1.5x to 3x exit multiple expansion.
This approach focuses on three stages:
- Entry: A rapid financial and operational assessment to find where value is being suppressed.
- Core: Direct interventions to turn those opportunities into bankable financial results.
- Sustaining: Embedding management systems so the gains stick and remain repeatable.
It is about turning operational drag into bankable value that stands up to the scrutiny of a due diligence team. This helps ensure that the operations are converted into a valuation driver that secures a higher exit multiple.
Global perspective
Join Derrick Kaufmann on 25 March as he co-presents a global session with Tyler Capson (Andersen US) and Paul Adams (Andersen NL). They will share case studies on how manufacturing owners are successfully managing these exits by turning operations into a valuation driver.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
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