Completed Transactions
We are confident in our ability to execute, and the results show it
Align has facilitated over $1.5 billion in transaction volume across a wide range of industries. Our diverse team allows us to have the technical expertise to work in many verticals. We focus solely on the lower-middle-market, so to achieve that level of volume with businesses of that size, we’ve clearly done our fair share of deals and know how to maximize price and terms in each deal we do.
Deals completed - By the Numbers
We take our clients' confidentiality seriously. You won’t see us list out the details of every deal we have done. We can just imagine your nosy neighbor catching wind of it and telling everyone on your block all the details, so we keep it held very close. Every Align team member, vendor, or stakeholder are held by strict non-disclosure agreements. So, while we've summarized the details of our transactions, the results are real.
Deal Volume - By Sector
Deal Value - By Sector
Types of Investors
Many owners think that an acquisition means they sell their company, and then they’re out on the street. While that can be an outcome if you want it to be, transactions come in all shapes and sizes. There are several types of investors who all bring different deal outcomes, but the below tend to be the most common in the lower-middle-market:
Private Equity
Private equity is equity—ownership or an interest in an entity—that is not publicly listed or traded. Private equity funds raise money from high-net-worth individuals and firms, and then use those funds to purchase shares of private companies. The intention is to grow those companies and generate more cash flow, eventually selling the private company for a return.
Family Office
A family office is a privately held company that handles investment management and wealth management for a wealthy family, generally one with over $100 million in investable assets, with the goal being to effectively grow and transfer wealth across generations. The company's financial capital is the family's own wealth. Family offices utilize their funds to purchase shares in private companies, oftentimes not in a majority position.
Private Debt
When you hear the word debt, you immediately think of a line of credit extended by a name-brand bank such as JP Morgan or Bank of America. However, there is an entire industry of private lenders who raise money similar to Private Equity, but rather than buying shares of companies, they lend capital to companies for growth. Private debt lenders often partner with family offices and private equity to fund deals, with some of the purchase price coming in equity and some coming in debt. The debt portion is then repaid by the company - this is also known as a “leveraged buyout.”
Strategic Acquirer
Public and private corporations acquire businesses to bring new product, services, markets, ideas, and people into their organization to grow. They give smaller companies infrastructure to grow beyond their existing capacity.
We know this is confusing, but it is important to understand the type of investors as you consider a transaction. We have worked extensively with all of these types of investors across our over $1.5B of deal volume, and we know how to negotiate the best terms under all structures. Our network of acquirers is very broad, which distinguishes Align from many other firms who only focus on strategics. Having this network ensures that we can deliver the deal you want, not just any deal.