Accelerating M&A activity: Hazlewoods Corporate Finance team see impressive deals increase

Hazlewoods Corporate Finance team has seen a surge in mergers and acquisitions activity in the first six months of 2021 – with the value of completed transactions up 17.6% on the previous year.

So far in 2021, the Gloucestershire-based firm has completed 67 deals with a total value of £422 million. Reasons for the impressive increase include:

• Mid-market private equity houses are seeking quality assets to strengthen their portfolios – and have cash to deploy.
• Corporate acquirers are looking for ways to enhance their market share and consolidate their position post-pandemic.
• Independent business owners have assessed their personal and business aspirations over the last 12-months, with many deciding to retire or move on to pastures new.

Hazlewoods is also seeing an increasing number of clients wanting to sell via an employee ownership trust, which facilitates (indirect) wider employee ownership. It also offers the sellers the advantage of 0% tax rate (in comparison to a sale to a third party which would incur capital gains tax of at least 10%).

Corporate Finance Partner, Paul Fussell, said: "There has been a bounce back in 2021 with some strong projects in the pipeline, underscoring the team's reputation for providing quality, innovative solutions and service.

"We are seeing strong demand across numerous sectors, particularly for tech-enabled businesses and those with a strong brand and intellectual property.

"We are also anticipating an increasing number of management buyouts, and sales to employee ownership trusts, as owner managers want to retire and leave their business in safe hands."

As a result of their success, and the increasing number of large and complex projects, Hazlewoods Corporate Finance team has expanded and now consists of 38 dedicated advisers, including five Partners.

Having being ranked the UK's sixth most active adviser in Experian's 2020 Mergers & Acquisitions report, the team are now awaiting the results of Insider's South West Dealmakers Awards 2021, having being shortlisted for the highly competitive 'Corporate Finance Advisory Team of the Year' category, for the fourth year in a row.

If you are thinking about selling your business, or would like to make an acquisition, please contact Paul Fussell on 01242 680000 or email paul.fussell@hazlewoods.co.uk

Building your #BusinessForTomorrow www.hazlewoods.co.uk

Twitter: @Hazlewoods

LinkedIn: @Hazlewoods