Is Now the Right Time to Consider an ESOP?

2024-01-22T10:59:20+00:00Articles, ESOP, Mergers, Acquisitions & Divestitures|

FOCUS adopted an ESOP, an employee stock ownership plan, form of corporate structure late last year. We decided to implement an ESOP as it afforded our partners an opportunity to redeem their capital accounts, but kept our existing organization intact without any changes to our culture, organization, benefit plans or management team. In effect, the ESOP allowed us to maintain our business model and procedures exactly the same as prior to the transaction. In so doing, FOCUS joined nearly 7,000 other companies who have made the decision to establish an ESOP.

Who’s Winning the Battle for Tire-Buying Consumers?

2024-01-22T10:59:37+00:00Articles, Automotive Aftermarket, Tire and Service|

It seems like every issue of Modern Tire Dealer has an announcement of a new acquisition by Monro Inc., Icahn Automotive Group LLC, Bridgestone Americas Inc. and the like. One would assume by reading these that what I call the company-owned conglomerates are “winning the war” for the hearts and minds of consumers, but I would disagree. I think tire dealers are winning right now.

Power of Pricing: Healthy Margins Improve Business Value

2024-01-22T10:59:37+00:00Articles, Automotive Aftermarket, Tire and Service|

My father-in-law, Ed Tuck, was a pretty smart guy. Before becoming a venture-capitalist and founding Magellan GPS, he was a turnaround consultant to failing telecom businesses in the 1980s. (Read “A Sense of Direction,” Ed Tuck and Mike Khaldun, Dog Ear Publishing, 2018.) I once asked him about the first things he did when he took over a failing business. Ed said that first, he’d find the person responsible for the mess and fire that person just to get everyone’s attention. Then once he got their attention, he raised prices.

Extracting Maximum Deal Value—Seven Keys to Success

2024-01-22T10:59:08+00:00Articles|

“With M&A activity showing no sign of slowing, a continuing focus on revenue synergy execution will be critical in delivering value…By understanding the sources of value and executing against the seven keys to success…executives can get a jump start on capturing value and outperforming the market.” That’s the conclusion of an October 2018 McKinsey & Company survey of 200 seasoned M&A executives from ten industries.

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