Access Business Advisors

Unique Successful Grocer – Fresh Organic Vegetables, Wine & Beer, Artisanal Cheeses

This business for sale is a small, successful farm-to-table business that serves a community of a rural population and has been operating since 2002. They are members of a Scenic Highway – Fine Arts and Crafts Corridor. It is a destination / Focal Point for local residents and tourists alike.

They offer access to local, fresh, and organic produce and meats, which are sourced regionally. Artisanal cheeses, exotic wines, quality frozen meals and pastas, frozen local pizzas, ice cream, local meats, craft beer, local/regional produce all Summer, local baked goods, local artist gallery, local eggs, dairy products, snacks, hiking grub, fresh seafood every weekend.

The current owners are selling the business to retire. Opportunity is knocking! Call Today!!!

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Revenue:
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$198,000
$583,043
On Request
Transylvania County, NC

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Managed IT Services

This business for sale is well established and services the upstate area of South Carolina. It is a franchise that opened in 2013 and is an affiliate of a national provider of technology services and solutions for businesses of all kinds. Unlike other managed service providers (MSPs), they focus on business and technology. They understand that not all organizations are alike and work hard at delivering solutions tailored to your unique business goals and challenges. Their philosophy is simple – they collaborate with you the way they want someone to collaborate with them.
Their customer service-oriented approach drives the tenets of their business: reliability, expertise, and trust, ensuring you have an IT partner for the long haul. Their expansive capabilities serve a wealth of IT needs in the marketplace. And their best approach to service delivery is adhered to whether you require fully outsourced IT, co-managed IT, or project-based IT solutions.

Thousands of businesses across North America realize their world-class service and expertise to achieve greater efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity in their organization. This business, established in 2013, provides technology services and solutions tailored to various businesses in upstate South Carolina and across North America. Their customer service-oriented approach emphasizes reliability, expertise, and trust. They offer fully outsourced IT, co-managed IT, and project-based IT solutions, focusing on delivering customized solutions to meet unique business goals and challenges.
This business for sale is in Greenville, South Carolina with a loyal customer base throughout the upstate area.
The owner is ready to retire and pass the tremendous growth opportunities to a new owner. He is willing to be available for a great transition.
Opportunities like this never last long!
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Price:
Revenue:
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$299,999
$400,000
$100,000
Greenville, SC

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Upstate South Carolina Christian Book Store, with $140K Inventory Included

Large Christian bookstore in business for over 40 years. Excellent reputation for quality products and customer service. The store is open six days per week selling Christian books, bibles, music, DVDs, study materials, cards, and gifts. The company is currently experiencing good growth and profitable operations.

Excellent location in densely retail and residential community. 9,870 square foot retail warehouse space with nice showroom. Real estate can be leased or purchased separately.

Sale price includes inventory of $140,000. Four experienced employees. Owner is willing to stay on to make an orderly transition of the business.

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$730,000
$1,090,300
$162,954
Upstate, SC

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Machine Shop for Sale

Established in 21 years ago this business for sale provides services to a long list of local, national, and international industries in textiles, automotive, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, plastics, pipelines, appliances, chemicals, hardware, household products, to name a few, and individuals.

This machine shop provides Assembly/Disassembly, Custom and Production Machining, Fieldwork, Millwright and Maintenance, Metal Fabrication/Wielding, Laser Cutting, Gear Cutting to its customers with Competitive Pricing, Precision Products & Services, Expert Assistance from Our Experienced Staff & Technicians and On-Time Delivery
The owner who has built a very well-oiled machine with long-term skilled employees that produce above average quality and service on time is now ready to retire. He is looking for the next owner that will take care of the customer and employees that have taken such good care of him and his family,

Historically profitable businesses don’t stay for sale long.
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$4,999,999
$5,835,888
$800,000
South Carolina

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Keep or Sell Test

Knowing when to act and when not to act is a key component in all important decisions. Likewise, knowing when to keep your business and when to sell it can make a significant difference in the success of your exit and your future financial security. Take the following test and review your answers with your Access Business Advisor to ensure that your timing is perfect!

Take the Test Here

Become a Broker

Do you want to be a part of a growth industry with tremendous upside potential?

Demographic trends in the United States, and around the world, suggest that business brokerage is just such an industry. An aging baby-boomer population, corporate downsizing/outsourcing and globalization are all augmenting the desirability of owning a small business. Most people, however, have little or no experience in buying or selling a company; they need the help of a professional business broker!

Access Business Advisors provide valuable services to both business sellers and buyers, most of whom are
undertaking the most significant financial and emotional transaction of their lives. As an Access Business
Advisors, you will:

Work in conjunction with fellow executive decision makers
Help business sellers transition their invested capital into new opportunities
Assist business buyers in achieving their dreams of owning and operating their own business.
Serve as a trusted guide to both parties during the business sale process
Have six figure earnings potential

What qualifications are needed to become an Access Business Advisors?

Generally speaking, Access Business Advisors have one or more of the following attributes:

Experience in owning and operating a small business
Knowledge of and familiarity with reading and analyzing financial statements
Experience in transaction-based industries (i.e. accounting, banking or law)
Prior experience in a commission bases sales environment
Sufficient liquid net worth to support a start-up period of 6-12 months
Strong leadership and interpersonal skills
Strong written/oral communication skills
Personal character and integrity
The desire to help other people

About the Access Business Advisors affiliation with the Sunbelt Network

Sunbelt is the largest network of individually owned and operated business brokerage offices in the world. The Sunbelt network has approximately 250 franchised offices located throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia and South America. Our network retains more than 1,000 experienced business brokers, who annually handle the sale of thousands of privately-held businesses. Sunbelt’s primary focus is listing and selling “Main Street” businesses, which we define as businesses with less than $2,000,000 in annual sales. However, we also have the ability to handle the sale of substantially larger, privately-held businesses.

Due to the sustained growth of Access Business Advisors and the Sunbelt network, Access Business Advisors are seeking qualified candidates who are interested in becoming business brokers. If you are interested in becoming a business broker with a world-class, market-leading organization, this could be the career opportunity you’ve been seeking.

Please send inquiries and resumes to Cecil Martin at cmartin@8649342225.com

Profitable Spartanburg Area Grading Contractor

This business for sale is a profitable grading contractor located in the growth corridor of the Carolinas. This thirty-year-old company has a diversified customer base, well-trained employees, and a reputation for excellence in all areas of commercial and residential grading.

The business for sale has had consistent growth in sales and profits over the past four years. Real estate is not included in this sale—inquiries from licensed grading contractors only.

Price:
Revenue:
Cash Flow:
Location:

$9,700,000
$9,814,000
$2,690,000
Spartanburg, SC

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The ESOP Option

I received a call from Mr. Smith today. We had talked on the phone a month or so ago when he asked if I “do ESOPs.” I confessed that I don’t specialize in ESOPs — I represent business owners in maximizing value and minimizing risk in the sale of private companies. He was friendly and we chatted further. He shared a little about his situation, and inquired about the private merger and acquisitions market. I then wished him luck as he hung up to pursue the ESOP option. I had a hunch that I’d hear from him again … and I did. But let’s get back to that first conversation.

I learned that Mr. Smith is a long-time business owner and is well into retirement age without a succession plan. He has always enjoyed running his business and is in fine health for his age, which is probably why he has not felt pressure to “get something going.” But as he said, times are changing. Mr. Smith worries about not being as sharp as he used to be and the risk of falling behind the competition. He also would like to spend more time with his grandkids; he’s always wanted a “family ranch,” as he called it. Maybe the time to “cash out” is now, he said, then added: With an ESOP, I can sell to my employees, who’ve earned it, and avoid paying all my money to Uncle Sam.”

Why did I expect to hear from him again? Well, the ESOP seems to fit a very narrow group of business owners, and it was an unlikely option for Mr. Smith based on what I learned about him and his business. His motives were valid, but he had not yet looked into the details. Let’s take a minute to do just that…

Congress created the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) in an effort to preserve the economic stability of communities and encourage a wider distribution of wealth. It is basically a tax incentive program designed to make a sale to employees more attractive. These incentives are provided to sellers, buyers, and even bankers who finance ESOP transactions. An ESOP, therefore, is a means by which a business owner may “sell” the company to its employees and receive tax benefits for doing so.

How does it work? Typically, the company’s ESOP takes out a loan to purchase the owner’s stock. The company, in turn, contributes a portion of its monthly pre-tax profit to the ESOP to pay off the debt and allocates paid-for shares to the employees’ accounts. As such, the owner’s stock in the company is “purchased,” over time, by the company and distributed to the employees — pretty good deal for the employees.

The advantages of the ESOP begin with the ability of the seller to defer capital gains taxes if the proceeds from the sale are invested in domestic corporate securities within 12 months. Next, company payments to the ESOP to repay debt borrowed, both principal and deductible. Finally, employee ownership company performance.

There are strings attached, however. First, the company must be a C-Corporation, an entity that is found in diminishing numbers today. Strong cash flow will be required to obtain ESOP financing and repay ESOP debt. Next, 25 percent of the stockholders and family members of the seller must be excluded from the ESOP, while all employees with 1,000 hours on the job must be allowed to participate.

Those who have installed an ESOP will tell you that the costs can be significant. Legal fees for initial set-up can run from $13,000 to $100,000. And costs associated with the required annual valuation and ongoing reporting and record keeping can easily run $10,000 per year. Finally, the first 49 percent of the owner’s shares are valued and purchased at a minority discount of around 30 percent, wiping out the tax savings on nearly half of the sale. Oh, and banks require the seller to personally guarantee the ESOP debt — so much for cashing out!

In summary, it’s hard to argue with the concept of selling to employees for significant tax savings, but when we look into the details, we find strict rules and requirements, which eliminate most business owners lured by the prospect. Our owner who was hot on the ESOP, Mr. Smith, found this to be the case. Remember — he wants to retire and needs cash for that “ranch.” In addition, it turns out that his son is active in the business and wishes to stay on. Mr. Smith was looking for a way to maximize the value of his business, but an ESOP wasn’t the answer for him. Is it for you? Read on.

A D V A N T A G E S O F E S O PT O T H E B U S I N E S S OWNER

Sellers may eliminate capital gains tax if the proceeds from their sale of stock are invested into U.S. securities within 12 months
Company payments to ESOP to repay principal and interest are tax-deductible
Employee ownership may improve company performance

D I S A D V A N T A G E S O F E S O P T O T H E B U S I N E S S OW N E R

Healthy cash flow is required to obtain ESOP financing and repay ESOP debt
Annual allocation to single employees limited to $30,000
Company must be a C-Corporation
Family members of seller and 25 percent of stockholders must be excluded from ESOP
ESOP is a defined benefit pension plan — company is obligated to buy back stock of departing employees
If high numbers of employees are near retirement age, company may not be able to afford to buy out vested employees when they retire (company must reserve for stock buy-outs.
Experienced mid-level management must be in place if owner wishes to depart after buy-out
Annual contribution to ESOP may not exceed 25 percent of payroll. Companies with preponderance of low wage earners may be unsuitable
Banks will require seller to personally guarantee debt or take on subordinated debt for the amount of uncollateralized bank debt
Legal fees can run from $13,000 to $100,000 for initial set-up
All employees who have worked 1,000 hours must be allowed to participate
Once initial appraisal is obtained, it must be used, whether value is too high or too low
Companies with net losses will lose tax benefits of ESOF payments
Administrative costs can be significant for such items as annual valuation, buy back of departing employee stock, IRS and Labor Department review and reporting requirements, etc.
Even though ESOP trustee votes ESOP share on most issues, issues involving merger, sale, or liquidation must be approved by majority of shareholders
Terminated and retired employees may keep their stock shares if they wish, which, over time, could result in material ownership share outside the company
Annual financial results must be shared with all ESOP participants

Attracting Private Equity Investors

At a time when publicly owned companies are finding it extremely difficult to access the capital they need to make acquisitions, private equity groups (PEGs) can still be an option for some business sellers. PEGs tend to be less constricted because they’re not as reliant on the credit markets, and many are looking to put their ample funds to work.

Attracting the attention of these investors, however, requires some understanding of how they work and what they look for in an acquisition target.

Back in the game? PEGs typically are funded by third-party investors, including individuals and institutions. They make money for their shareholders by acquiring companies, and then “flipping” them after a holding period of several years. PEGs either sell their holdings to new buyers or initiate a public offering, ideally realizing gains.

In a recessionary economy, positive cash flows and competitive market shares are more advantageous than ever.

For much of the past decade, PEGs have been major players in the M&A market, their aggressive acquisition tactics spurring global M&A volume. As has been the case with the entire financial sector, the global economic slowdown has sidelined many PEGs over the past year.

Although some of these investors seem to have retreated for the foreseeable future, others appear to be waiting for an opportune moment to get back into the M&A market. PEGs have continued to raise new capital, and some appear to be stockpiling their balance sheets in anticipation of a future buying boom.

Private equity firm Audax Group, for example, recently announced that it would buy debt-collecting business URS. And Kelly Capital LLC, a San Diego-based PEG, agreed to purchase automotive paint and collision repair company Earl Scheib Inc. for $8 million — roughly $2 per share.

Appealing qualities. These recent PEG acquisitions highlight the characteristics of companies that are successfully selling these days. In a recessionary economy, positive cash flows and competitive market shares are more advantageous than ever. And companies in relatively insulated and low-risk business sectors, such as accounting and debt collecting, also have an advantage.

Whatever your industry, several factors can boost your company’s appeal — in both rough and rosy M&A markets. They include:

Highly capable management. Many PEGs aren’t interested in immediately replacing their acquisition’s management team, unless, of course, the company is financially distressed or organizationally troubled. PEGs, therefore, look for companies with skilled and seasoned management made up of individuals looking to transition out of the business eventually.

Low debt. PEGs typically fund acquisitions with a combination of equity capital and large amounts of leveraged debt — intending for the acquisitions future cash flows to repay that debt. If your company has a relatively low debt burden that a PEG could add to its balance sheet, you have a big market advantage — particularly in a credit crunch.

Aggressive growth plans. Because PEGs plan to sell their acquisitions after a period of several years — or, once the company achieves hoped-for returns — these investors tend to prefer higher growth businesses. You’re in a good position if you have strong future earnings projections, a rapidly growing customer base and an increasing market share.

Meet the players. As is true in much of the business world, it’s not just who you are, but whom you know. The PEG world is no exception and is built heavily on personal relationships. In fact, many PEGs staff their advisory boards with former executives of their past acquisitions who, in turn, advise the PEGs on future purchases.

Access to private equity investors is one of many good reasons to work with an M&A advisor when selling your company. An experienced advisor will already know the private equity market and its major players, including board members.

Your advisor also will know which PEGs specialize in your industry or type of business and will have some idea of the company characteristics favored by particular PEGs. This will help you market your company to their criteria and increase the likelihood that you’ll receive a lucrative bid.

Explore your options. Corporate acquisitions have slowed significantly as credit has dried up, and these buyers are likely to stay out of the M&A market for a while. PEGs, however, may still be an appealing option if you’re ready to sell now. Many PEGs have retained their appetite for acquisitions and, more important, have actual money to invest. Private equity may not be the solution for every seller, but you should discuss this option with your advisors.

The New Tax Landscape

If you’re considering buying or selling a business, the precarious state of the economy shouldn’t be your only concern. You also need to think about the potential for major tax law changes that could affect business owners and a few that could affect M&A transactions. You should be prepared to work with your advisors to navigate the new tax landscape.

Change will come. Tax changes are far from definite, and new policies will likely take time to pass through Congress and go into effect. Still, many tax experts believe that the current administration will be able to enact into law an increase in long-term capital gains tax, from the current 15% rate to 20%.

Higher taxes for some individuals and many companies are also likely. The White House has proposed to increase the top two income tax rates to 36% and 39.6%, from 33% and 35%, respectively. This could affect many small businesses because, as a 2007 National Federation of Independent Business survey found, about 15% of small-business owners and half of those with at least 20 employees claimed household incomes of more than $200,000 and likely fall into the top brackets.

Also, estate tax law changes could affect many business owners. Currently, the estate tax is scheduled to disappear in 2010 but resume in 2011 with a top estate tax exemption of $1 million and top estate tax rate of 55%. Many believe that lawmakers won’t allow the estate tax to expire and instead will make permanent the 2009 estate tax law, which provides a $3.5 million estate tax exemption and a top estate tax rate of 45%.

Defer no more. A policy that enables U.S.-based companies to defer paying taxes on overseas subsidiary income is also expected to change, and could affect some business buyers. Currently, tax laws allow U.S. companies to defer taxes on this income until the subsidiary transfers the money to the parent company. Going forward, however, companies will likely have to pay these taxes immediately. If your company buys a business with overseas operations, you’ll need to report all overseas income, which could be a major tax burden and reduce corporate income significantly.

Many believe that lawmakers won’t allow the estate tax to expire and instead will make permanent the 2009 estate tax law.

A few positives. Although some tax policy changes may make certain transactions less advantageous and more complicated, others can benefit M&A participants. For example, the Stimulus act passed in February extends the maximum net operating loss (NOL) carryback period to five years for qualified small businesses with gross receipts of $15 million or less. Generally, an NOL may be carried back only two years. The extended carryback period applies to 2008 (not 2009) NOLs and could help fundamentally sound but temporarily troubled companies with what is essentially a tax refund — boosting their bottom line and enhancing their sale prospects.

The Stimulus act also includes a provision for businesses, in certain situations, to defer cancellation-of-debt income (CODI) generated from repurchasing business debt after Dec. 31, 2008, and before Jan. 1, 2011, until calendar year 2014. This could be an incentive for a business seller to buy back debt and reduce its debt load.

Knowledge is power. If you’re considering selling your business or making an acquisition in the near future, a potentially higher tax bill or more-complex deal process could give you the incentive to speed up your deal. Before you act, however, discuss your plans with an experienced tax advisor. Tax and M&A professionals can work with you to mitigate the tax consequences of the new laws on your sale or purchase.