Operational Due Diligence
We conduct a quick but thorough expert review of existing and prospective operating value and vulnerabilities of the target company, providing an edge in the buying process – avoiding “bad deals” and finding “hidden diamonds”. Our deep operations expertise enables us to identify issues and find value where others often can not. We incorporate our operations and industry expertise and a highly analytical approach to create the clearest picture possible of the target and a solid understanding of future operations requirements (e.g., investment, KPIs, skill base) to maximize value capture. We then offer pragmatic and value-driven recommendations to maximize investment potential and a top- level roadmap to jump start operations improvements post-acquisition.
Validating Management's Operations Plan and Identifying Additional Savings at Customized Consumer Products Company
Identified $35-45MM in cost reduction opportunities, 2-3x management’s savings plan, giving our client an edge to win the auction. Despite very limited access to the target’s management, plants, and data due to the nature of the auction, Gotham was able to leverage dataroom information, a plant visit, and our relevant experience to build a solid fact base of the target’s cost structure – including a detailed 4-year line-item-level view of the operational cost structure and an analysis of 2,000-employee workforce linking each individual to the specific cost line in the cost structure – and to both validate and expand savings opportunities via a comprehensive outsourcing/consolidation model and an analysis of sales, marketing, customer service, and G&A costs.
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Establishing Quick Read On Cost Savings at National Coffee Roaster and Distributor
Conducted 2-week operations assessment of target to establish initial read on cost reduction opportunities. Despite limited access to the target’s management, plants, and operations data, Gotham was able to create a clear picture of the target’s cost structure in both operations and its DSD network. While the cost reduction opportunities needed to achieve our client’s financial target did exist, capturing those savings posed significant culture and business strategy challenges. Given the high valuation of the target and the significant hurdles standing in the way of savings, the client leveraged our work to make a fact-based decision at the early stage of the process to exit the auction process.
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Rapidly Validating Margin Improvement Opportunities and Assessing Capacity/CapEx Risk at Testing Services Provider
Conducted 2-week operational due diligence to validate margin improvement opportunities and assess capacity/CapEx risk. Gotham visited 7 facilities and conducted full-day operations review with management to understand operations management approach/processes and visions/plans moving forward. To fill gaps in this data poor situation, we performed various in-depth analyses – recasting labor cost structure, analyzing job-level data to understand profitability, building a bottom-up labor utilization and fixed cost model to project margins with revenue growth, etc. Gotham’s due diligence work enabled our client to move forward with confidence and successfully acquire target in a proprietary deal.
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Rapidly Pinning Down Capacity/CAPEX Situation in Support at Premium Fresh and Frozen Food Manufacturer
Built a robust plant and equipment profile and comprehensive capacity model to provide client with understanding of true capacity picture in support of valuation assumptions for target in competitive bid process. Determined target could achieve ~3X stated capacity through minimal CAPEX; established 10% in quick-win cost savings available in labor, material, and overhead; and provided client with preliminary growth strategy utilizing co-packers, including targeted list of 9 potential co-packers interested in potential strategic alliance. Client moved forward with a more competitive bid based on Gotham’s capacity assessment.
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Instilling Process Discipline Required for Future Growth While Sustaining Performance-oriented Culture at Entrepreneurial Specialty Engineering Services Firm
Conducted operational due diligence to assess the firm’s prospect-to-cash cycle processes and establish a revenue forecasting approach. Our effort included: building a robust fact base of the company’s cost and operational performance using data from ERP and offline database; mapping and assessing sales & marketing, revenue generation, and people management processes; and visiting/interviewing management across multiple offices. Gotham provided an explicit top-level operations end-vision and value creation plan bolstering the company’s ability to support growth, giving our client the necessary confidence to successfully complete negotiations.
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In A Data-poor Situation, Confirming Operational Readiness to Support Targeted National Growth at Family-owned Specialty Foods Company
Conducted detailed observations of manufacturing operations (evaluating equipment, labor, downtime, changeovers, etc.) and developed bottom-up capacity model to quantify production increases and cost savings. Determined that target’s facility had sufficient capacity to meet 5-year targeted growth projections; identified cost per case savings 15-20% from labor and overhead reductions; found low risk of future operational surprises (e.g., major equipment cap ex requirements, food safety/quality issues, etc.); and provided PE Client with ingoing operational value capture plan. Client moved forward with acquisition and immediately began implementation of Gotham recommended improvement initiatives.
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