Navigate the complex world of M&A with confidence
Transactions are an emotional journey, so when it comes to buy-side M&A, you need more than just timely information and responsive analysis. You also need the right touch.
Wipfli’s buy-side advisors deliver the combination of emotional and business intelligence needed to help you and the seller close a successful deal.
Why Wipfli?
We have a proven track record of working through complicated transactions, and we’re highly referred by our clients.
We specialize in a range of industries, including industrial and consumer products, healthcare specialty practices, construction specialty subcontractors, technology companies and community financial institutions.
Our high-touch, phased approach is one of continual collaboration, helping you feel confident from start to finish. At each step, Wipfli delivers critical analysis to help you make equally critical decisions.
How we help you
You’ve got your target, and you’re working on your letter of intent (LOI). But what’s next? Let Wipfli assist you with your transaction readiness.
Our pre-transaction advisory services include:
- Pre-LOI deal evaluation
- Business valuation
- Transaction strategy planning and development
- Projections and forecasting
- Investment thesis evaluation or development
- Culture and people due diligence, including Predictive Index, performance and management assessments
- Negotiation assistance
- Recommendations to build out M&A advisory team
- Outsourced accounting and staff augmentation
Buy-side due diligence is what separates a great deal from a disastrous one. From quality of earnings to quality of people, Wipfli delivers insights that help you decide whether to move through negotiations or move on to the next opportunity.
Our transaction services include:
- Quality of earnings (QoE)
- Quality of assets and net working capital
- Cybersecurity due diligence
- Quality of data (e.g., data and IT due diligence)
- Culture and people due diligence
- Quality of revenue (e.g., customer due diligence)
- Tax due diligence (federal, SALT, international and cross-border)
- Negotiation assistance
- Legal agreements review
Once your transaction closes, there’s still crucial work to be done. Wipfli can help ensure you’ve got everything from your 805 valuation to your M&A integration covered.
Our post-transaction planning services include:
- ASC 805 valuation
- Post-close outsourced accounting and tax services
- Strategy development for data integration
- Data and systems management
- Accounting, operating and CRM systems upgrade and data migration
- M&A dispute resolution and consulting
- Independent third-party arbitration
- Annual financial statement audit
- Annual attestation services
- Annual tax compliance
Our team
Michael L. Vaccarella
Leveraging nearly 25 years of public accounting experience, including over 10 years specializing in mergers and acquisitions, Michael is a leader in Wipfli's private equity services practice. As a leader in the transaction advisory services, he provides and coordinates buy-side and sell-side transaction support and consulting for closely held corporations, family offices, and private equity funds and their portfolio holdings.
Ben Smith, CPA, ABV
Ben Smith provides advisory services to middle-market, closely held clients in a variety of sectors, including high-technology, manufacturing, and distribution. He specializes in financial reporting and analysis, financial and tax due diligence, and quality of earnings studies.
Andrew C. Blank, CPA/ABV, CFA
Andrew Blank is a director in Wipfli’s private equity and transaction advisory services team, where he provides buy-side and sell-side transaction support to middle-market, closely held clients, primarily in the manufacturing and distribution sectors. He specializes in financial statement analysis and quality of earnings due diligence.
Colin Baker, CPA, CVA, MBA
Colin Baker is a director in Wipfli’s private equity and transaction advisory services team where he provides buy-side and sell-side transaction support and consulting for corporations, family offices, private equity funds and their portfolio holdings. Prior to Wipfli, Colin was an audit manager where he assisted in financial statement audits and the valuation of privately held business for purposes of estate planning, gifting, buyouts and disputes.
Eric Castellano, CPA
Eric Castellano is a director in Wipfli’s private equity and transaction advisory services team, where he provides buy-side and sell-side transaction support to middle-market, closely held clients, primarily in the manufacturing and distribution sectors. Eric’s more than 10 years of experience performing financial statement audits under GAAP gives him a strong understanding of accounting concepts and practices to assist clients through financial statement analysis and quality of earnings due diligence.
