Title: LBO Due Diligence Critical Activities
1LBO Due Diligence Critical Activities
2Objectives
- Provide a broad overview of a Consultants
typical due diligence analysis - Provide specific tools and methodology used to
facilitate an informed opinion - Illustrate high impact analysis via samples of
key due diligence slides
3Agenda
- Due Diligence Overview
- Analytic tools
- Market Definition and Sizing
- Industry Dynamics
- Competitor Market Map
- Competitor Dynamics/Profile
- Competitor Benchmarking
- Customer Analysis
- Input Costs
- Costs Reduction Opportunities
- BDP Opportunities
- Growth Opportunities
- Key Success Factors
- Startup Checklist
4Summary
Due Diligence Overview
A Consultant utilizes several standard analytical
tools to determine whether a deal is attractive
during the due diligence process.
Is this a good business to be in?
Key Question
Identify landmines
Identify opportunities
Method
- Market Analysis
- Competitive Position
- Customer Evaluation
- Company Analysis
Tools
5Identifying Landmines
Due Diligence Overview
Potential Landmines
- Negative market growth expectations
- Rapid erosion of barriers to entry
- Market evaporation through technological
obsolescence
Market
- Highly aggressive behemoth competitor in key
segments - Competitors outperform company on key customer
needs
Competitive Position
- High levels of customer dissatisfaction on key
product/ service attributes - Low customer retention (high churn)
Customers
- Exceptions of accelerating input costs
- Structurally high cost producer
Costs
6Identifying Opportunities
Due Diligence Overview
Potential Opportunities
- Attractive vertical/horizontal integration
opportunities - Potential for growth through geographic expansion
Market
- Attractive acquisition/consolidation plays
- Joint venture/merger opportunities to provide
complementary products/services
Competitive Position
- Capabilities to address unmet customer needs (or
entire customer segments) - Opportunity to increase customer retention
Customers
- Plant consolidation opportunities driven by
excess capacity - Potential for SGA reduction
- Dissemination of internal/external BDP
opportunities
Costs
7Agenda
- Due Diligence Overview
- Analytic tools
- Market Definition and Sizing
- Industry Dynamics
- Competitor Market Map
- Competitor Dynamics/Profile
- Competitor Benchmarking
- Customer Analysis
- Input Costs
- Costs Reduction Opportunities
- BDP Opportunities
- Growth Opportunities
- Key Success Factors
- Startup Checklist
8Due Diligence Analysis
Analytic Tools
Market Analysis
Competitive Position
Customer Evaluation
Company Analysis
Output
Market Definition/ Sizing
Industry Dynamics
Industry Trends
Competitor Market Map
Competitor Dynamics/Profile
Competitor Benchmarking
Customer Analysis
Impact of Input Costs
Cost Reduction Opportunities
Internal BDP Opportunities
Growth Opportunities
9Critical Activities Data Sources
Analytic Tools
Market Definition/ Sizing
Competitor Dynamics/ Profile
Cost Reduction Opportunities
Industry Dynamics
Industry Trends
Competitor Market Map
Competitor Benchmarking
Customer Analysis
Impact of Input Costs
Internal BDP Opportunities
Growth Opportunities
Activities
Primary Data Gathering
- Industry expert interviews
Secondary Data Gathering
- Analyst reports (industry and company)
- Trade publications/ associations
10Agenda
- Due Diligence Overview
- Analytic tools
- Market Definition and Sizing
- Industry Dynamics
- Competitor Market Map
- Competitor Dynamics/Profile
- Competitor Benchmarking
- Customer Analysis
- Input Costs
- Costs Reduction Opportunities
- BDP Opportunities
- Growth Opportunities
- Key Success Factors
- Startup Checklist
11Overview
Market Definition and Sizing
Objectives
Analysis
Data sources
Tips
- Market definition establish relevant market
segments - not too broad to be meaningless
- not too narrow as to leave out relevant segments
- Market size identify growth and size of defined
market - establish total market potential
- establish target company growth potential
- establish target company market share
- Definition of relevant market segments
- Estimation of market size
- top down says market is XB total
- bottoms up sums revenues for each individual
competitor in the market to generate estimate of
total market
- Confidential memorandum
- Management interviews
- Competitor interviews
- Industry expert interviews
- Annual reports/10-K
- Analyst reports
- Literature searches
- Market research reports
- Trade publications/ associations
- Lotus OneSource
- Internal company data
- Market definition is first and most important
step - identify all segments which have customer or
distribution overlap - begin by thinking big, i.e., capturing all
potential relevant segments, then narrow down - management definition may be too narrow
- Market size should include both overall size of
relevant market segments and historical and
projected growth rates - top-down market sizing takes the overall market
size for all players/segments - found in market research reports, literature
searches - bottoms-up market sizing arrives at the total
market by adding up all the individual players
and/or segments
12Business Definitions Products
Market Definition and Sizing
Product based frameworks can help define business.
Product Segments
High
Leisure
Toys
Office
Commercial
Housewares
Competition
Housewares
Leisure
Leifert AG
Jardin
Toys
Mattel
Office
PHS Group
Extent of Cost Sharing (Estimated)
Commercial
Tupperware
Zag
Curver
Plysu
Rubbermaid
Low
High
Other business
Low
Extent of Customer End-User Sharing
Plastic Co. core business
Source Amadeus Brokers Reports
13Business Definition Cost and Geography
Market Definition and Sizing
Cost sharing and geographic assessment can also
be used to determine the appropriate business
definition.
Costs
Customers
Competitors
"We strive for Pan-European product designs with
local appeal" - PlastiCo
Competitors
North America
Developed Europe
Eastern Europe
RoW
National
Plysu
Diapazon
Pollmerbyt
Regional
Curver
Addis
Global
Mattel
Rubbermaid
Tupperware
Core business
Other business
Favors Global Presence
- Customer tastes are regionalizing
- Strong economic benefit to global presence and
scale
- U.S. innovators are leading industry
globalization charge
Source Amadeus Brokers Reports
14Market Map
Market Definition and Sizing
Ultimately, you will need to drive to a market
map.
Multiplexers
CSU/DSU
Modems
166MM
1,033MM
1,067MM
272MM
381MM
316MM
95MM
100
Other
Netrix
Other
Other
Other
ACT
Other
Other
Other
80
Cray
Paradyne
Newbridge
Stratcom
Adtran
Paradyne
Motorola
Racal
60
Adtran
Datacom
Zoom
GDC
PCSI
Racal
NET
Paradyne
Motorola
Digital
GVC
Link
GDC
Tellabs
ADC
40
Hayes
GDC
Kentrox
Ascom Timeplex
Motorola
Telco
Systems
Motorola
Micom
Larscom
20
Newbridge
Newbridge
Paradyne
US Robotics
Paradyne
Paradyne
Total
3,330MM
0
Sub-T1
Low-
Analog
T1 networking mux
T1
T1
High-speed dial modem
mux
speed
private
access
CSU/
mux
DSU
DSU
modem
Sources Company Data Consultant's Analysis
15Agenda
- Due Diligence Overview
- Analytic tools
- Market Definition and Sizing
- Industry Dynamics
- Competitor Market Map
- Competitor Dynamics/Profile
- Competitor Benchmarking
- Customer Analysis
- Input Costs
- Costs Reduction Opportunities
- BDP Opportunities
- Growth Opportunities
- Key Success Factors
- Startup Checklist
16Overview
Industry Dynamics
Objectives
Analysis
Data sources
Tips
- Illustrate competitive dynamics within industry
- aggressive
- well behaved
- Identify shifts in distribution channels
- new or alternative channel development
- profit impact
- Identify fundamental industry shifts
- new products
- replacement / substitute products
- Determine nature of competition within industry
- Profile competitive behavior of each of the major
players - Analyze distribution channel trends
- Identify major product developments
- Confidential memorandum
- Management interviews
- Competitor interviews
- Industry expert interviews
- Annual reports/10-K
- Analyst reports
- Market research reports
- Trade publications / associations
- Internet
- Association, industry expert and managerial
interviews are key - they are closest to the dynamics of the industry
- Historical pricing or profit trends (e.g., per
unit) can illustrate examples of price competition
17Industry Profit Trend
Industry Dynamics
The purpose of industry dynamics is explaining
the profit trend.
Sources Amadeus Company Financials
18Industry Value Chain
Industry Dynamics
A value chain can be used to describe the nature
of competition.
Ad Capture - Classified
Free Paper Distribution
Production - Pre-Press - Printing
Paper
Composition
Paid Paper Distribution
Ad Capture - Display
- Total paper costs reduced through participation
in paper buys (8 discount to market) - Volatility in newsprint costs reduced through
fixed price forward contracts (e.g. Holmen in
Sweden)
- High brand awareness and strong local presence
(target is typically 1 or 2 in key markets) - Incentivised direct sales force and titles with
the ability to accurately target desired audience
(e.g., Heavy Truck Buyer)
- Efficient, automated systems to enable
- tight copy deadlines
- reduced labor costs
- less pre-press
- lower material costs
- electronic transmission to printers
- uploading to Internet
- Reliable and high quality output (either in house
or third party) - Color printing capabilities
- Fast throughout allowing comprehensive production
lead times
- Access to key drop sites (estate agents for
property, garages for used cars) - A network of regularly serviced street dispensers
- A strong network of relationships with
retailereither consolidated (France) or
fragmented (Russia)
Sources Confidential Memorandum Industry
Interviews
19Summary of Dynamics
Industry Dynamics
Look for ways to summarize the key dynamics.
- Within the pharmaceutical industry, increasing
competition, mergers, and down-sizing are forcing
companies to focus on their core business(RD
and marketing) - investments in packaging capabilities are
increasingly difficult to justify
- The increasing pace of change within the
pharmaceutical industry puts a premium on
flexible packaging capabilities - increased competition within each drug category
leads to greater fluctuation in demand - ethical to OTC conversions require rapid ramp-up
into mass production and significantly impact
sales of competing drugs - packaging, as a marketing tool, must increasingly
respond to competitor moves and demand
fluctuations
- The number of drugs and the variety of packages
used in the marketplace is increasing - greater number of approved drugs per category
encourages use of samples - ethical to OTC conversions move existing drugs
into broader distribution - increasing consumer/marketing orientation of OTC
packaging encourages sophisticated, targeted
packaging
Increasing use of contract packagers (as a cost
effective alternative to developing new, more
flexible internal capabilities)
- Shift toward use of novel packaging approaches
(particularly blister packing) favors contract
packagers who can more easily incorporate new
equipment and techniques into their operations - most Ethical to OTC converted drugs packaged in
blisters to encourage consumer compliance with
instructions - samples usually blister packed
Sources Interviews Consultant's Analysis
20Porters Five Forces
Industry Dynamics
Porters framework represents a straightforward
way to summarize industry dynamics.
Potential entrants
Threat of new entrants
Rivalry among existing firms
Bargaining power of suppliers
Bargaining power of buyers
Industry competitors
Suppliers
Buyers
Threat of substitute products or services
Substitutes
21Agenda
- Due Diligence Overview
- Analytic tools
- Market Definition and Sizing
- Industry Dynamics
- Competitor Market Map
- Competitor Dynamics/Profile
- Competitor Benchmarking
- Customer Analysis
- Input Costs
- Costs Reduction Opportunities
- BDP Opportunities
- Growth Opportunities
- Key Success Factors
- Startup Checklist
22Overview
Competitor Market Map
Objectives
Analysis
Data sources
Tips
- Determine size of market and market segments
- by appropriate segmentation
- geography
- customer
- channel
- Illustrate company position relative to
competitors within and across segments - determine competitive position overall and by
segment - evaluate competitor threats
- identify consolidation opportunities
- Definition of market and appropriate segmentation
- Market size
- Segment sizes
- Major competitor sales by segment
- Confidential memorandum
- Management interviews
- Customer interviews
- Competitor interviews
- Industry expert interviews
- Supplier interviews
- Annual reports/10-K
- Analyst reports
- Literature searches
- Market research reports
- Trade publications/ associations
- Lotus OneSource
- DB filings
- World Wide Web
- Internal company data
- Use business definition framework to define
appropriate markets - cost / customer sharing
- Specify what elements market includes and
excludes - regional vs. national vs. international
- non-captive only vs. captive and non-captive
market - Check, check, and double check numbers
- reality check market and competitor sales levels
- use multiple sources for verification
- some companies may be divisions of other
companies - obtain management perspectives
23North American Metal Roofing/Siding Sales (1995)
Competitor Market Map
Competitor market maps are usually build up
across several segments.
Sources 1995 Freedonia Report 1991 Ducker
Report Salesforce Interviews Competitor
Interviews Management Interviews DB Filings
Consultant's Analysis
24North American Melamine Market (1995)
Competitor Market Map
or regions.
Note Includes both captive and non-captive
producers Source Consultant's Analysis
25Agenda
- Due Diligence Overview
- Analytic tools
- Market Definition and Sizing
- Industry Dynamics
- Competitor Market Map
- Competitor Dynamics/Profile
- Competitor Benchmarking
- Customer Analysis
- Input Costs
- Costs Reduction Opportunities
- BDP Opportunities
- Growth Opportunities
- Key Success Factors
- Startup Checklist
26Overview
Competitor Dynamics/Profile
Objectives
Analysis
Data sources
Tips
- Evaluate nature of industry rivalry
- passive
- aggressive
- Determine basis of competition (by competitor)
- Understand competitor strategy
- Determine strengths / weaknesses of competition
- Perspective on intensity of rivalry
- Value proposition (by competitor)
- price
- service (lead times, delivery times / accuracy,
after sales - breadth of product offering
- quality
- Competitor strategic initiatives
- high vs. low end pricing
- channel / product focus
- growth objectives (organic vs. acquisition)
- Confidential memorandum
- Management interviews
- Customer interviews
- Competitor interviews
- Industry expert interviews
- Supplier interviews
- Annual reports/10-K
- Analyst reports
- Literature searches
- Market research reports
- Trade publications/ associations
- Lotus OneSource
- DB filings
- Internet
- Internal company data
- Interviews are key to understanding competitive
dynamics - Check for consistency across multiple sources
- Exhaust all internally available data before
proceeding with interviews
27Competitor Overview
Competitor Dynamics/Profile
Part of the profiles purpose is to provide
needed background information on competitors.
Ownership and Nationality
Competitor
Products
Geography
Aroma Chemicals
Essential Oils
Europe
U.S.
Asia
ROW
Flavors
Other
Fragrances
Roche Holdings (Swiss)
- Givaudan Roure Tastemaker
N/A
N/A
N/A
31
44
16
9
Public (U.S.)
- International Flavors Fragrances
N/A
N/A
N/A
30
36
34
Bayer (Germany)
Private (Germany)
N/A
N/A
35
45
20
Public (68 held by Union Camp) (U.S.)
N/A
36
36
16
12
Private (Germany)
Significant fragrance presence
Public (Japan)
N/A
22
78
N/A
Unilever (U.K.)
N/A
N/A
N/A
27
43
18
12
28Competitor Recent Events
Competitor Dynamics/Profile
Cataloging recent events adds a dynamic element
to the profile.
Givaudan Roure
- Feb 1997 acquired the flavor manufacturer,
Tastemaster from Hercules Inc. and Mallinckrodt
Inc. for 1.1B putting an end to rumors that
Roche might sell Givaudan Roure - Focusing growth on Asia, Africa and Latin America
- Declining sales for last 3 years
International Flavors and Fragrances
- Major re-organization underway including plant
closures in U.S., Mexico and Brazil and expansion
in Spain, Asia and Latin America - 100M RD spend in 1997 in 28 laboratories in 22
countries
Haarmann Reimer
- June 1995 acquired Florasynth which improved
coverage of Asia Pacific and China - Major producer of citric acid
- Fined 50M in January 1997 for participating in a
citric acid price fixing cartel
Flrmenich
- World's largest private company, founded in 1895,
high quality position - New development center in Singapore, good Asian
coverage - "We wish to get to 10 by 2000 (7 1996)through
organic growth and possibly acquisition"
Bush Boake Allen
- Investing in plant capacity in U.S., U.K., South
America, China, Philippines, Italy, etc. - Major producer of terpene aroma chemicals grows
vanilla beans in India
Dragoco
- Speculation that Dragoco may enter the German
Stock Exchange in 1997
Takasago
- Investing heavily in flavor and fragrance
capacity in U.S., Germany, Spain and France - Dominant Japanese player with 35 domestic market
share in flavors and fragrances
29Competitor Conduct
Competitor Dynamics/Profile
You will need to drive the competitor profile to
a conclusion regarding the targets position.
Sources Management Interviews DB Reports
Salesforce Interviews Consultant's Analysis
30Agenda
- Due Diligence Overview
- Analytic tools
- Market Definition and Sizing
- Industry Dynamics
- Competitor Market Map
- Competitor Dynamics/Profile
- Competitor Benchmarking
- Customer Analysis
- Input Costs
- Costs Reduction Opportunities
- BDP Opportunities
- Growth Opportunities
- Key Success Factors
- Startup Checklist
31Overview
Competitor Benchmarking
Objectives
Analysis
Data sources
Tips
- Competitor interviews
- Analyst reports
- Market research reports
- Lotus OneSource
- DB filings
- Internal company data
- Comprehensive list of competitors
- Competitor financials (DB, public data)
- Target company financials
- Determine performance relative to competitors
- cost of goods (e.g, materials purchasing)
- operating costs
- return on assets
- return on capital
- Identify areas of potential improvement
- establish competitor Best Demonstrated Practices
(BDPs) as a target - identify potential benefit from achieving BDP
performance
- Think broadly about areas in which to compare
target company to competitors - profitability
- SGA
- COGS
- other line item comparison
- Adjust conclusions based on competitor product
mix - product mix differences often explain differences
in costs or profitability - confirm apples to apples comparison
32Relative Profitability (1995)
Competitor Benchmarking
A normative band is often the first benchmarking
analysis done.
33Competitor Comparison
Competitor Benchmarking
Profitability is the most common metric used to
compare competitors.
1996 management forecast
12
10.3
10
8.0
8
Average non-DDP plants
Industry average estimate
5.5
6
5.3
4.8
4.0
3.9
Return on Sales
4
2.2
2
0
(2)
(2.6)
(4)
GVK America
American
MDL
Funder
Pickering
Albany
Norcross
Laminates
Revenues
15.6M
8.4M
19.8M
31.0M
20.8M
24.8M
23.2M
Utilization
74
60
61
58
69
65
65
Treater
Yes
No
1 yes, 1 no
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
By laminating equipment manufacturers Sources
Interviews DBs DDP Consultant's Estimates
34Direct Sales Force Comparison
Competitor Benchmarking
Other metrics can be valuable as well in
highlighting opportunities.
Note For Adtran and ADC Kentrox, estimates on
percentage of direct sales force are based on
annual reports Sources Analyst Reports
35Agenda
- Due Diligence Overview
- Analytic tools
- Market Definition and Sizing
- Industry Dynamics
- Competitor Market Map
- Competitor Dynamics/Profile
- Competitor Benchmarking
- Customer Analysis
- Input Costs
- Costs Reduction Opportunities
- BDP Opportunities
- Growth Opportunities
- Key Success Factors
- Startup Checklist
36Overview
Customer Analysis
Objectives
Analysis
Data sources
Tips
- Confidential memorandum
- Customer interviews
- Competitor interviews
- Internal company data
- Define relevant customer segments
- Determine differences among customer segments
- Determine significant trends in customer
concentration, loyalty of large customers
- Assess companys customer relationships
- problem areas
- areas of competitive weakness
- improvement opportunities
- Identify appropriate customer segmentation for
analyzing customer results
- Customer analysis will likely involve external
customer interviews - start as early in the case as possible
- complete adequate number of interviews
- get customer list from company (avoid cold-call
interviews if possible) - Clarify objectives and output of customer
interviews before you start - develop specific blank slides to avoid forgetting
critical questions - Request existing customer analysis from company
- marketing may have already segmented market
- corroborate findings with companys findings
before final meeting
37Types of Research Methodology
Customer Analysis
The private equity practice relies mostly on
telephone surveys to understand competitors.
Quantitative
Qualitative
Combination
research
research
Telephone surveys
Focus groups
In-depth interviews
Mail surveys
Informational
Electronic focus
interviews
groups
Intercepts
Store observations
Consumer panels
Omnibus studies
Scanner data
Test marketing
38Telephone Surveys (In-house vs. Out-house)
Customer Analysis
Telephone interviews can be conducted by three
groups1) an outside market research vendor, 2)
case team members or 3) temps.
39Using a Market Research Vendor
Customer Analysis
There are still several steps to do after
selecting a market research vendor
40Temp Interviews
Customer Analysis
Get the right number of temps
Be prepared
Brief and Train
Maintain tight quality control
Get the data entered
- Decide on required N
- Estimate completes/hour per temp
- use lower productivity then case team tests
- consumer surveys will vary from .5-3/hour
depending on incidence as length - business to business surveys are usually done at
.5-1.0/hour - Subtract lunch, debriefing time
- Add 1-2 more temps for attrition/poor performance
- Have them sign confidentiality agreement (if
necessary) - Make sufficient copies of survey
- Get temp passwords for PCs
- Prepare sample, but keep original copy
- Type instructions and your contact information
- Have answers for tough questions ready
- who are you working for?
- what is this for?
- Explain objective
- never say target or client name
- never let them know its for an acquisition
- Read through entire survey
- Provide definition sheet
- Set timing expectations
- Monitor calls using conference room next to temp
room - tell them you will do this
- give feedback as necessary
- Read through first 3-5 completes for each temp
- Encourage sharing of knowledge between temps
- Check-in regularly
- Debrief at the end of each day
- Tabulate results daily
- Choose software
- Create template
- Test form
- Spot-check vs. paper surveys
41Types of Samples
Customer Analysis
A Consultant uses 4 sources for survey samples
Random DigitDialing
Client Lists
Purchased Lists
Consumer Panels
- Randomly selected phone numbers from desired
locations selected by city, state or zip code
- Companies such as Survey Sampling sell lists of
names and phone numbers selected by specific
behaviors (e.g. own a computer)
- Mail or phone surveys with a large number of US
households who are recruited to be a panel member
- Client provides lists of customer names,
addresses and phone numbers. Often accompanied
by behavioral data (e.g. spending)
- projectable to full population
- increase incidence
- no bias
- projectable to full population
- sample inexpensive
- no bias
- high response rates
- can customize
- have background as part of sample
Pros
- not always accurate
- hard to project to full population
- low incidence studies will be expensive per
complete
- risk of bias if users self-identified
- hard to project to full population
- hard to project to full population
Cons
42Questionnaire Design Common Problems
Customer Analysis
- Designing the questionnaire before developing
blank slides - Not reviewing with Consultant's Research and Data
Analysis Group - Poor sequencing skipping between issues or
asking sensitive questions first - Using improper questioning procedure
- too many open-ended questions (consider focus
groups or reword to be closed-ended) - confusion between rating and ranking
- writing questions without regard to data analysis
options yes/no vs. a scale - inconsistent scales excellent to poor or
satisfied to not satisfied - Biasing the respondent
- dont ask leading questions
- Poorly worded questions
- very long
- two or more questions combined into one
- inexact time reference e.g., in the past year
-instead, always ask in the past 12 months - mutually nonexclusive or non-exhaustive
alternatives categorize response options clearly
- inadequate instructions for respondent dont
assume they know the scale - unrealistic questions about future behavior
43Common Questionnaire Sections
Customer Analysis
- Adhere to Consultant's ethical standards
- Assure responses are confidential (if true)
- Be ready to answer questions about who will use
and why
Introduction
- Always verify you have the right decision-maker
- distinguishing between past and future behavior
can be critical
Screening
- Three general ways
- ratio on a 1 to 5 scale (most effective if more
than 5 criteria) - rank in order of importance (misses distance
between ranks) - distribute 100 points (great if lt5 criteria)
- Asking open ended question first can help
differentiate if they rate everything the same
Purchase Criteria
- Consumer surveys
- employment, age, household size, marital status,
income - gender is usually recorded but not asked
- Corporate surveys
- employees, revenue
Demographics
44Analysis
Customer Analysis
Comb charts summarize the results of customer
surveys very effectively.
Blanket
Competitor Average
Sources Customer Interviews (n 12)
Consultant's Analysis
45Agenda
- Due Diligence Overview
- Analytic tools
- Market Definition and Sizing
- Industry Dynamics
- Competitor Market Map
- Competitor Dynamics/Profile
- Competitor Benchmarking
- Customer Analysis
- Input Costs
- Costs Reduction Opportunities
- BDP Opportunities
- Growth Opportunities
- Key Success Factors
- Startup Checklist
46Overview
Input Costs
Objectives
Analysis
Data sources
Tips
- Determine impact of price changes in key inputs
on margins - levels of passthrough
- Understand projected price movements of key
inputs - likely effects on future margins
- Industry perspectives on level of passthrough as
input price fluctuates - understand drivers of passthrough in terms of
buyer and supplier power - Relationship between historical changes in key
input prices and product gross margins - Projected future prices of key inputs
- understand drivers of future price changes
- Competitor interviews
- Industry expert interviews
- Supplier interviews
- Analyst reports
- Market research reports
- Internal company data
- Determine existence of price stickiness
- draw scatterplot of historical prices of key
inputs vs. gross margin - lag gross margin to account for pre-sold
contracts (if necessary) - choose specific product if possible (representing
significant percent of sales) - Run regression to quantify lack of passthrough
- if enough data points exist
- Obtain several projections on input prices to
ensure robustness - must understand drivers of expected price
movements
47Steel Pricing Over Time
Input Costs
Historical and projected prices are often
available.
Cold-Rolled Sheet Prices
- We expect to see more capacity coming on in the
second quarter of the year.... We believe that
supply will begin to become noticeable in
mid-1997 and affect the market more heavily
through the latter part of the year and into
1998, probably coinciding with a trough." - Smith Barney, Ferrous and Related Products
Industry Report, February 1996 - The next wave of new steel competition will occur
in 1997 first quarter, as four new steel plants
start up Nucor in South Carolina, IPSCO in
Iowa, the LTV-Sumitomo Metal Ind-British Steel
joint venture in Alabama, and the BHP-Coreill
joint venture in northwestern Ohio.... We are
not raising our industry-wide forecast of a 4
1996 and a 3 1997 pricing decline...." - Donaldson, Lufkin Jenrette, Steel Industry
Report, May 1996
DLJ projection
Smith Barney projection
Sources Purchasing Magazine "Cahners Publishing
Company," American Metal Market Smith Barney DLJ
48Gross Margin vs. Cost per Pound (1995)
Input Costs
You need to link those back to profitability.
Unpainted Light Gauge Steel
Steel Cost per Pound
Source Roof Co. Financials
49Pass Through Capabilities
Input Costs
In businesses where costs can be passed-through,
surveys can help across stickiness.
For every 10 increase in your cost of steel,
can you raise prices by
For every 10 decline in your cost of steel, do
you lower prices by
75 pass through on cost increases
85 pass through on cost decreases
Assumes less than 10 equals 7 and greater
than 10 equals 13 Source Consultant's
Customer Surveys
50Company Cost Structure (1997)
Input Costs
One first step in assessing potential for cost
reductions is looking at the current cost
structure and drivers.
172M
172M
- National scale
- Operational efficiency
- National scale
- Operational efficiency
- National scale (printing)
- Global scale (newsprint)
- Capacity utilization (owned production)
- National scale (third party production)
Cost driver
Sources Confidential Memorandum Management
Interviews
51Cost Reduction Summary
Input Costs
SGA integration
Purchasing savings
Manufacturing synergies
- Consolidate Rhodes and MTs overhead
- finance, HR, MIS, customer service functions
- 1.7M annually
- Delist stock exchange
- 650K annually
- Consolidate insurance costs
- 500K annually
- Reduce Rhodes cold-rolled steel purchase price
- 20 per ton reduction
- 600K in savings
- Consolidate steel purchases
- 800K in savings
- Combining refrigerant valve purchases generates
minimal savings - Few input overlaps exist other than steel
- Move MTs refrigerant production from Elkhart to
Rhodes Nashville plant - 400K annually
- Shut down Peru facility
- 450K annually
- Further manufacturing synergies not yet identified
Identified Opportunities
Identified Savings
2.8M
0.6-1.4M
0.9M
Sources Confidential Memorandum Industry
Interviews
52Agenda
- Due Diligence Overview
- Analytic tools
- Market Definition and Sizing
- Industry Dynamics
- Competitor Market Map
- Competitor Dynamics/Profile
- Competitor Benchmarking
- Customer Analysis
- Input Costs
- Costs Reduction Opportunities
- BDP Opportunities
- Growth Opportunities
- Key Success Factors
- Startup Checklist
53Overview
Costs Reduction Opportunities
Here is an example of some opportunities.
SGA Integration
Purchasing Savings
Manufacturing Synergies
Identified Opportunities
- Consolidating Rhodes and MT's finance, HR, MIS
and customer service functions would provide,
1.7MM in savings - Stock exchange delisting would save 650K
- Consolidation insurance costs would provide an
additional 500K in cost reduction
- Rhodes could reduce purchased cold-rolled steel
price by 20 per ton yielding 600K in savings - Volume discount by consolidating steel purchases
could yield a further 800K in cost reduction - Only minimal savings likely by combining
refrigerant valve purchases - Few input overlaps exist other than steel
- Moving MT's refrigerant production from Elkhart
to Rhodes' Nashville plant would save 400K per
year - Shut down of Peru facility would provide on-going
savings of 450K - Further manufacturing synergies undoubtedly
exist, but have yet to be identified and
quantified
2.8MM
0.6-1.4MM
0.9MM
Identified Savings
54SGA Integration
Costs Reduction Opportunities
SGA savings in a merger are often broken out by
department.
Savings as Percentof Rhodes
Savings as Percent of Combined Entity
Category
Estimated Savings
570K
49
34
370K
20
10
330K
74
26
230K
47
16
150K
24
19
0K
0
0
0K
0
0
0K
- Miscellaneous Administration
0
0
GA Combination
1,650K
8
11
650K
500K
2,800K
Total
Sources Company Financials Company Headcount
and Salary Data Management Interviews
Consultant's Analysis
55Steel Purchase Savings
Costs Reduction Opportunities
2-4 purchasing cost reductions are common.
Hot-Rolled Steel
Cold-Rolled Steel
346
336
497
467
336
477
467
Average1995 Midwest Steel Price/Ton
Volume Discount 3
Potential Purchase Price/Ton
Average1995 Midwest Steel Price/Ton
Volume Discount 2
Aggressive Purchasing 4
Potential Purchase Price/Ton
- Theres about 15-25 per ton in savings given
Rhodes current cold-rolled purchasing practices
there is also a bargaining chip through joint
purchasing of cold-rolled and hot-rolled steel to
the tune of about 10 per ton. Total savings
would range from 0.6M to 1.4M. - Tim K.
56Manufacturing Synergies
Costs Reduction Opportunities
Manufacturing reloads and closures are also good
sources of savings.
Variable Cost Savings
Fixed Cost Savings
Average 2.4M
Peru
Elkhart
Lubbock
Ashland
Crossville
Paducah
Nashville
Hannibal
Tillsonburg
Petersburg
Rhode Island
Note Assumes 20 variable cost savings can be
achieved from plant consolidationSource
Consultant's Analysis
57Agenda
- Due Diligence Overview
- Analytic tools
- Market Definition and Sizing
- Industry Dynamics
- Competitor Market Map
- Competitor Dynamics/Profile
- Competitor Benchmarking
- Customer Analysis
- Input Costs
- Costs Reduction Opportunities
- BDP Opportunities
- Growth Opportunities
- Key Success Factors
- Startup Checklist
58Overview
BDP Opportunities
Objectives
Analysis
Data sources
Tips
- Identify opportunities for improvement by
replicating Best Demonstrated Practice (BDP)
within the company to all other parts across
company - by store
- by plant
- by region
- by salesperson
- by department
- etc.
- Identify BDP opportunities in almost any area
- COGS
- operating expenses
- overhead
- sales growth
- Determine significant differences between
locations, plants, regions, etc. - Management view on explanation for differences
- Confidential memorandum
- Management interviews
- Plant/facility tours
- Internal company data
- Management interviews are key to finding internal
BDPs - top management will have a feel for
opportunities - managers in the field will usually have
numerous ideas for improvement - Double-check findings of internal BDPs with
company management - there are often subtleties which can explain part
or all of the difference between BDP and WDP
(Worst Demonstrated Practice) - even if managements explanation is not valid, it
is important to understand their perspective
59BDP Steps
BDP Opportunities
Doing a BDP analysis involves several steps.
Process Step
Key Success Factors
- Organizations should produce similar
products/services under similar operating
conditions
Select comparableorganizations for BDP
Disaggregate organizationsinto major processes
- Lay out major (3-5) processes
- Gather data
- Identify best practice organization for each
process
Construct first-cut BDP
- Adjust data for uncontrollable elements (e.g.,
labor rates, product mix) to ensure an
apples-to-apples comparison
Construct adjusted BDP
- Calculate potential impact (revenue increase or
cost savings) by unit and by process
Quantify impact
- Focus on organizations and processes with the
most potential - Determine drivers of differences at a more
disaggregated level
Peel the Onion inleveraged areas
- Set a BDP target
- Establish a detailed schedule
- Assign responsibilities
Develop an action plan
- Obtain commitment at all levels of the
organization - Communicate goals, deadlines and responsibilities
- Celebrate successes along the way
Implement
60Possible Reasons for Better Performance
BDP Opportunities
Following is a list of possible reasons some
companies perform better than others
Purchasing
Manufacturing
Distribution
Selling
- More consolidated supply (VMRs)
- Lower cost raw materials
- Higher quality raw materials
- More parts outsourced
- More parts made in lower-cost countries
- Products
- Simpler products
- Fewer product variations
- Plants
- Fewer, more highly-focused plants
- More efficient production process (longer runs,
less waste) - Better equipment
- Better quality control
- Labor
- Longer-term contracts
- Better structured incentives
- Better supervisor-to-labor ratio
- Better delivery method (truck vs. train vs.
airplane) - More (or less) frequent deliveries
- Larger (or smaller) delivery sizes
- Better trained salesforce
- Larger salesforce
- Better organized salesforce (by region, by
product, by industry) - Better structured incentives
61Agenda
- Due Diligence Overview
- Analytic tools
- Market Definition and Sizing
- Industry Dynamics
- Competitor Market Map
- Competitor Dynamics/Profile
- Competitor Benchmarking
- Customer Analysis
- Input Costs
- Costs Reduction Opportunities
- BDP Opportunities
- Growth Opportunities
- Key Success Factors
- Startup Checklist
62Overview
Growth Opportunities
Objectives
Analysis
Data sources
Tips
- Identify and prioritize revenue growth
opportunities - Develop perspective on appropriate growth vehicles
- Identify and prioritize viable growth channels
- share gain (existing products / market)
- new products
- new segments
- new geographical markets
- Advantages / disadvantages of specific operating
vehicles - internal organic growth
- joint venture / licensing
- acquisition
- Confidential memorandum
- Management interviews
- Customer interviews
- Industry expert interviews
- Analyst reports
- Market research reports
- Trade publications/ associations
- Internal company data
- Management and customers are great sources of
growth opportunities - Look at how competitors have been growing
successfully - new channels
- new customer segments
- penetration of existing customer segments
- product line extensions
- new geographies
63Framework
Growth Opportunities
This is a common framework to help think about
opportunities.
- New businesses
- New segments
- Geographic expansion
- Share gain with new products permutations
New products
- Share gain with existing products
- New segments
- Geographic expansion
Existing products
Existing markets
New markets
64Adjacency Mapping
Growth Opportunities
Here is a generic way to develop a good list.
Existing products
At what costs?
What we sell?
New capabilities
New products
Cheaper substitution
Value added services
New sourcing
Backward integration
Forward integration
New channels
Geographic expansion
New capabilities
New customer segments
Existing customers
To whom?
How we sell?
65Business Definition
Growth Opportunities
management software
Product
data base management
communications
Technology
Beverages
media
luxury goods
publications
soft drinks
branded merchandise
high speed packaging
wine
clothing
cider
high gravity brewing
hybrids
food
beverages
packaging materials manufacturing
spirits
distilling/brewing
bottling/canning
barley growing
beer
blending
Forward Integration
Backward Integration
Britain
Ireland
marketing
home delivery
Continental Europe
physical distribution
wholesalers
retail advertising
North America
off- trade
manu- facturing
Asia
35-45yr old adult male drinkers
pubs
Africa
night clubs
sales
Rest of World
sports bars
HORECA
marketing
Duty Free
vending
Channels
all male drinkers
financial
petrol stations
Geography
HR
Direct-to-home
home vending
female drinkers
joint ventures
non-alcohol adult drinkers
Consumer Segment
turnaround management
Capabilities
66Six Models of Growth
Growth Opportunities
Products/Capabilities
Customer
Channels
- Focus on particular customer segment
- Focus on consolidating customer base in core
regions (acquisitions)
- Product differentiation
- Focus on niche products/ markets
- Increased share of wallet/ product innovation
- Focus on/dominate channels delivering lower costs
or higher service routes to market
Focus on existing
- Geographic expansion
- Define new customer segment
- New to world products
- Expansion to new related product lines
- Develop new channels which deliver lower cost or
higher service routes to market - Expand to new (already existing) channels
Expand
67Profit Pool
Growth Opportunities
Profit pool analysis can help you prioritize
opportunities.
25
23
20
15
Operating Margin
Leasing
10
9
6
6
6
5
New Products
5
4
Auto Insurance
Warranty
3
Service Repair
1
After Market Parts
2
2
Auto Loans
Auto Rental
OEM
Used car dealers
Gasoline
0
0
50
75
100
25
of Industry Revenue
68Anti-Trust Issues
Growth Opportunities
Acquisitions can be a key part of growth
strategy. However, anti-trust issues are common.
- All acquisitions must be filled with the FTC
under the Hart-Scott-Radino Act. - If the FTC does not act within 45 days, the
transaction is clear to go forward - often if there is a problem, the FTC is just
looking for further data or documentation - only in rare cases does it file suit to stop the
deal (e.g. Staples-Office Depot) - The HHI is a tool you can use to evaluate the
potential for FTC involvement - HHI or Herfindahl-Heirschman Index is an index
calculated by taking the market share of each
company in an industry, making it a whole number,
and summing these squares - in a totally consolidated industry, the HHI will
equal 10,000 (100x100) vs. only 2500 when four
companies split the market equally - the FTC uses the following guidelines
- under 1000 unconcentrated
- 1000-1800 moderately concentrated
- over 1800 highly concentrated
69Defense Profile I
Growth Opportunities
Another deterrent to MA activity can be defense
mechanisms, put in place to protect management.
Mechanisms
Explanation
Shareholder rights plan (poison pill)
- Poison pills provide for issuance of stock at
below market prices and dilute potential
acquirers - often made deadhand by preventing new directors
from repealing the pill
Staggered board
- Directors are not elected at once, making it
impossible to win a proxy fight immediately
Supermajority vote for mergers
- Need more than 50 of shareholders to approve a
merger
Limited ability to call special meeting
- Shareholders may not be able call a special
meeting or a majority may be required - needed to replace the board/vote on proposal
Hard to replace directors
- Can not be removed without cause
- Can not be removed by shareholdinrs majority vote
- Vacancies filled by board vote
Advance notice provisions
- Time requirements for proxy resolutions and
director nominations can slow down the process
and deter acquirer
Director indemnification
- Eliminates threat of personal litigation as long
as directors believe they are acting reasonably
in the companys best interest
70Defense Profile II
Growth Opportunities
Mechanisms
Explanation
Insider ownership
- Substantial ownership by insiders or friendly
parties forces negotiation at a minimum
Blank Check Preferred
- Allows the board to set out the rights for future
classes of preferred stock
Limited ability to act by written consent
- If shareholders can not act by written consent or
unanimous written consent is required, that will
limit ability to force a takeover
No cumulative voting
- With cumulative voting, a shareholder gets votes
equal to the number of shares times the number of
directors up for election. By allowing
sharehlders to use all those votes for one
candidate, it increases their ability to elect a
minority director
Super majority charter/by-law amendments
- Need more than 50 of shareholders to amend
charter or by-laws, which might contain
anti-takeover measures
Freeze-out statute
- State law which can prescribe a lengthy waiting
period before a hostile acquirer can complete a
merger, even when holding a majority of the shares
- State law which required approval of
non-management. Non-acquirer shares to give
voting rights to acquire shares
Control share statute
71Defense Profile III
Growth Opportunities
Mechanisms
Explanation
Greenmail restrictions
- Some states force a failed acquirer to pay the
target any proceeds from an appreciation in the
stock price
No directors duties
- Some states do not allow boards to consider
non-stockholder or non-monetary considerations in
making decisions
72Agenda
- Due Diligence Overview
- Analytic tools
- Market Definition and Sizing
- Industry Dynamics
- Competitor Market Map
- Competitor Dynamics/Profile
- Competitor Benchmarking
- Customer Analysis
- Input Costs
- Costs Reduction Opportunities
- BDP Opportunities
- Growth Opportunities
- Key Success Factors
- Startup Checklist
73General
Key Success Factors
- Constantly think of due diligence as defense,
remember the 80/20 rule Due diligence is
primarily an exercise in assuring that there are
no significant deal-breaker issues. Think
about the most leveraged way to quantitatively
get comfortable with an issue (e.g., customer
base appears stable). - Be prepared to work quickly LBO due diligence
projects are typically in the 2-6 week range vs.
3-6 months. - Invest time in up-front thinking Taking the time
at the beginning of the case to clearly lay out
the important issues, and critical questions.
Preparing blank slides will focus your work on
these critical questions and minimize yield loss. - Have a bias to output The compressed time frames
dictate that output begin almost immediately.
Try to get your ideas and analysis sketched out
into slides every day. Ask yourself, What have
I learned today, and how does it change the
answer? You will have difficulty if you save
your slides to the end. - Think Value Creation Take time out during the
case to consider value creation insights--where
can the LBO client create potential upside?
74Operational
Key Success Factors
- Be prepared to take a stance on limited data
Many times you will not be able to get all the
data you want to address an issue. You must have
an opinion anyway, because you know more than
anybody else. - The phone is your friend A large part of
Consultants value added is getting feedback from
customers, competitors, and market. Being
diligent and aggressive on the phone will only
make your job easier. - Be prepared for, and quickly recognize, data
limitations In the case of limited data (due to
lack of sources, lack of time, etc.) always have
a backup in mind for the next best data
alternative. - Check, recheck, and check one last time for data
inconsistencies LBO clients get a perverse
thrill out of finding and hammering on these
inconsistencies. If they find them, you lose
credibility. - Dont be afraid of saying I dont know LBO
clients will push and push until