Working Capital Needs: Bust to Boom

According to a recent CFO Magazine report, 2009 was one of the worst years ever for working capital performance, as companies were slow to adjust to the recession. Reviewing the 1,000 largest US public companies, average days working capital (DWC) jumped 8% in 2009 to 38 days, from 35 days in 2008. In round numbers, receivables were 10% higher in 2009, matched by an 11% increase in days payable. Coupled with companies replenishing inventories after 2008 and those holding unsellable product in 2009, days inventory outstanding (DIO) rose by 9%. This may not sound much, but further down the line to smaller privately held companies, less efficient financial management can exacerbate the problem.

Bank Lending in Doldrums and May Stay That Way

For the last 18 months, ClearRidge has published reports projecting that business lending will continue to worsen long after the end of the recession. History shows that to be true after every recession in the last century.

Oklahoma Bankruptcies Hit New High and Still Rising

There were over 158,000 bankruptcy petitions filed in the US in March 2010, according to a recent report from Aacer, a bankruptcy data collection company, which was 35% more than the previous month. This was also a 19% increase over filings in October 2009, the previous high since personal bankruptcy law was tightened in October 2005.

Mergers & Acquisitions Report and Outlook Q1 2025

Posted by Matthew Bristow in Corporate Finance, Mergers & Acquisitions
In 2024, the U.S. mergers and acquisitions (M&A) landscape experienced a notable resurgence, setting the stage for continued growth in 2025. Deal Volume and Value: Through September 2024, both private equity and corporate M&A deal volumes increased by 17% year-to-date compared to the prior year. Despite this uptick, momentum decelerated later in the year due to elevated uncertainty, in part related to the outcome of the presidential election. In 2025, consensus among analysts is for a ...

Velocity Makes Minority Investment in M Wright Services

Posted by Matthew Bristow in Corporate Finance, Mergers & Acquisitions
MWS has been looking to strengthen their Board with experienced entrepreneurs, investors and operators who understand the Midstream pipeline construction market and will support their growth. Velocity Management Advisors is a partnership of the three senior managers who acquired, built and monetized over $800 million in Midstream assets since 2008. VMA has been serving E&P companies with midstream operations in Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma for over 27 years and has a combined 45+ years of midstream expertise. ClearRidge (M&A and Transaction Advisors) represented MWS on this transaction.
MWS Board

O.E.M. MANUFACTURING AND SALES acquired by a Strategic Buyer

Posted by Matthew Bristow in Corporate Finance, Mergers & Acquisitions
OEM manufactures and supplies components and sub-assemblies to vendors of many of the world’s largest brand name original equipment manufacturers. The Strategic Buyer is a U.S. manufacturer and supplier with over 50 locations across the United States. The Strategic Buyer determined there was a strong fit with their strategic growth goals and the opportunity to capture OEM’s customer base, their manufacturing relationships in SE Asia and further expand operations through OEM’s foreign trade zone. OEM engaged ClearRidge to advise on acquisition strategy, manage the sale process and due diligence.
OEM_ClearRidge_Acquisition

Heater Specialists Acquires ParFab Industries

Posted by Matthew Bristow in Corporate Finance, Mergers & Acquisitions
Heater Specialists, a fully integrated single-source manufacturer of refinery and petrochemical equipment, acquired the fabrication business of ParFab Industries in Inola, Oklahoma. ParFab Industries is a wholly owned subsidiary of the ParFab group of companies. HSI is a wholly owned subsidiary of Energy Process Technologies, Inc. (“EPTI”). ClearRidge advises EPTI and HSI's Management team and Board on acquisition strategy. In this acquisition, the ClearRidge team advised on financial and business matters, managed the process and due diligence.
Heater Specialists Acquires ParFab Industries

U.S. Pioneer acquires Comsaco

Posted by Matthew Bristow in Mergers & Acquisitions
Comsaco has been acquired U.S. Pioneer. They are both leading manufacturers of shipboard electrical components and equipment, serving the shipbuilding industries and the Navy. US Pioneer engaged ClearRidge to advise them on their acquisition strategy. The ClearRidge team managed the acquisition process and due diligence. In 2021, US Pioneer expanded to a new ...
US-Pioneer_ClearRidge_Comsaco

Boyne Capital – McKee Utility Acquisition

Posted by Matthew Bristow in Corporate Finance, Mergers & Acquisitions
Boyne Capital partnered with management acquiring McKee Utility Contractors, a water and sewer infrastructure services platform providing pipeline installation, replacement, tunneling, and boring for water, wastewater, and stormwater utility customers. (www.mckeeutility.com). With an exhaustive process to prepare McKee Utility, identify and approach potential partners, the ClearRidge team managed the planning, process and due diligence to complete the acquisition.
McKee Boyne ClearRidge

Summit Steel acquires Laser Specialties

Posted by Matthew Bristow in Corporate Finance, Mergers & Acquisitions
Laser Specialties, Inc. has been acquired by Summit Steel Fabricating. Laser Specialties is a full-service custom and contract metal manufacturing company. Founded in 1993, LSI operates out of a 131,000 sq ft campus in Tulsa, Oklahoma and has over 55 employees, with a client list that includes OEMs, Military Products, Environmental, Energy, Construction, Transportation, and Agriculture. The owners of LSI engaged ClearRidge to represent them in the sale. With an exhaustive process to prepare LSI, identify and approach potential acquirers, the ClearRidge team managed the sale process, and due diligence.
Summit Steel acquires Laser Specialties
Show All