James Cassel to Speak at ‘The Middle Market: Our World of Opportunity’

MIAMI – Dec. 21, 2012 – James Cassel, co-founder of Cassel Salpeter & Co., an independent investment banking firm that provides advice to middle-market and emerging growth companies in the U.S. and worldwide, will serve as a panelist in January at “The Middle Market: Our World of Opportunity in 2013” conference, sponsored by The Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors (AM&AA) and The CFO Alliance. Cassel’s roundtable presentation, “Middle Market Update,” will focus on the current status of and emerging trends in middle-market mergers and acquisitions and will take place from 9:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, January 16, at the Hilton Miami Downtown, located at 1601 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, Fla., 33132.

The conference will feature leading middle-market financial and strategic investors and advisors from around the world who will provide insights into the opportunities awaiting middle-market dealmakers in 2013. The panel is comprised of middle-market M&A industry professionals with extensive experience in the current M&A market and the areas of private equity, investment banking, lending, and data and research. Cassel and fellow panelists will discuss topics including: recent activity; current trends in valuation, leverage, restructuring and deal flow; and predictions on market activity for 2013. Moderated by Graeme Frazier with Private Capital Research/GF Data, the panel also includes: Randy Lampert, with Lampert Debt Advisors; Ken Jones, with Boathouse Capital; and Daniel Confino, with MergerID.

“While most middle-market business owners have been postponing any major business decisions until they’re seeing more clarity and confidence that the U.S. government can execute an effective plan for sustainable growth, they would be wise to begin considering now how to best position their companies for emerging challenges and opportunities as M&A activity begins to increase in 2013,” said Cassel, one of Miami’s best-known investment bankers. “Success in today’s market is all about staying ahead of the trends and working with trusted advisors to develop custom-tailored strategic plans to meet your unique business needs. Those who do can gain a tremendous competitive advantage.”

Nationally recognized for his investment banking expertise and a contributing columnist for The Miami Herald, Cassel frequently lectures on timely issues related to middle-market investment banking. Cassel has successfully negotiated, structured, and executed a broad spectrum of transactions including mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures, corporate and transactional financings, and public offerings for clients nationwide and worldwide. He has extensive experience developing financial restructuring plans, negotiating with creditors, and guiding debtors through bankruptcy proceedings.

About the Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors (AM&AA)
The Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors (AM&AA) is noted as the premier international organization serving the educational and resource needs of the middle market M&A profession. The Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors® (AM&AA) is the premiere International Organization serving the educational and resource needs of the middle market M&A profession. Formed in 1998 to bring together Investors, Advisors and  other Middle Market Transaction Professionals,  AM&AA’s 900+ professional services firms in 22 countries – including some of the most highly recognized leaders in the industry—draw upon their combined transactional expertise to better serve the needs of their middle market clients worldwide. AM&AA members represent sellers and buyers of businesses ranging from $5 to $500 million in transaction value. Their services are seller representation, buyer representation, due diligence, accounting, financing, business valuation, tax planning, legal, strategic advisory, and many other transaction services. For more information, visit www.amaaonline.org or email info@amaaonline.org.

About Cassel Salpeter & Co.
Cassel Salpeter & Co. is an independent investment banking firm that provides advice to middle market and emerging growth companies in the U.S. and worldwide. Together, the firm’s professionals have more than 50 years of experience providing private and public companies with a broad spectrum of investment banking and financial advisory services, including: mergers and acquisitions; equity and debt capital raises; fairness and solvency opinions; valuations; and restructurings, such as 363 sales and plans of reorganization. Co-founded by James Cassel and Scott Salpeter, the firm provides objective, unbiased, results-focused services that clients need to achieve their goals. Personally involved at every stage of all engagements, the firm’s senior partners have forged relationships and completed hundreds of transactions and assignments nationwide. The firm’s headquarters are in Miami. Member FINRA and SIPC. More information is available at www.CasselSalpeter.com

Financial planners struggle to meet clients’ fiscal cliff goals

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By Paul Brinkmann

South Florida financial planners are doing their best to deal with client demands for protection from so-called “fiscal cliff” issues, but some say options are very limited.

“Ultimately, I don’t think we will plunge off the fiscal cliff, because I believe Washington will reach some compromise,” said Eli Butnaru, CEO of Miami-based Mora Wealth Management. “But at this point, this is one of the few times there just aren’t many alternatives. That’s why it’s considered a crisis. It’s much easier to say what not to do than what to do.”

Pressed for solutions, wealth managers the Business Journal spoke with for this report said they are providing ways to avoid the impact of worst-case scenarios. But many financial institutions warned that long-term investment decisions should not be based on short-term headlines about politics or fears of taxes rising. PNC Bank issued a statement Dec. 11, saying it “always maintains that investment choices should never be made based solely on headlines, and that the long-term view best serves.”

Technically, the nation will reach the edge of the fiscal cliff on New Year’s Eve, when the Bush-era tax cuts expire and mandatory spending cuts kick in. As of Dec. 12, national media reported little progress, except that President Barack Obama had offered to reduce new revenue expectations to $1.4 trillion from $1.6 trillion. But CBS News reported some Republicans in the GOP-controlled House called that “laughable.”

In Miami, Butnaru said he was dealing with limited options until a clearer direction emerges.

“In general, we don’t like defensive sectors, meaning the kind of investments that pay dividends,” he said. “We prefer equities now; we truly do not like bonds. It’s truly difficult to find a good bond today.”

Butnaru said he and his firm prefer to seek investments in emerging markets, including Chinese high-yield investments.

“It may sound like a contradiction, but we still look for quality junk bonds or investments,” he said. “High yield or junk might still do well from excess spread, because there’s still no spread available on the investment grade.”

Despite some talk about wealthy people making large investments, gifts or annuities in advance of the cliff, Butnaru said he thinks such activity is no more than normal.

Adam Bergman, senior tax attorney with IRA Financial Group, said he has seen a spike in requests to move money into IRA and 401(k) accounts.

“I’ve had a lot of feedback since November [from] people between 40 and 70 years old who are looking to do different things with their retirement funds,” he said.

“People know taxes are going up anyway you cut it, even if it’s only the health care surtax, so they want to divert as much income as possible,” he said. “We’ve seen an increase in the number of people who want this started by the new year to avoid the impact.”

Bergman said investors, who recently focused on returns from stocks and tax-deferred accounts, are now afraid of dividend taxes going up. He pointed to a few South Florida companies – including National Beverage Corp. and Heico Corp. – that issued special dividend payments in advance of the fiscal cliff.

“The day after the national elections, my phone started ringing more. I saw a 35 percent increase in calls about tax-deferred accounts on Nov. 5,” he said. “I think a lot of people just woke up and said ‘Wow, Jan. 1 is pretty close,’ and the stock market took a dive after the election.”

Bergman said some people call to ask questions, and others call to say they realize taxes will go up and they want specific things.

He also acknowledged that another reason for people putting money into tax-deferred accounts is more financial stability.

“We did see people, quite a few years ago, taking loans out on their tax-deferred plans,” Bergman said. “Things are definitely better now, and people are looking at ways to build up those accounts again.”

THE DETAILS:

What is the fiscal cliff?

A combination of expiring tax cuts and across-the-board government spending cuts scheduled to become effective on Jan. 1.

The idea behind the fiscal cliff was that, if the federal government allowed these two events to proceed as planned, it would have a detrimental effect on an already shaky economy, perhaps sending it back into an official recession as it cut household incomes, increased unemployment rates and undermined consumer and investor confidence.

At the same time, it was predicted that going over the fiscal cliff would significantly reduce the federal budget deficit.

Source: Investopedia.com

7 tips to help business owners navigate the cliff

James S. Cassel, founder and chairman of Cassel Salpeter & Co. LLC, a Miami-based investment-banking firm that works with middle-market companies, offers this advice for business owners amid worries about the fiscal cliff:

  • Although interest rates are not likely to skyrocket soon, it’s still a good time to lock into long-term financing like the big boys.
  • Consider your exposure to real estate, as the elimination of mortgage interest deductions may cause prices to decline.
  • With the Patient Protection and Affordable Healthcare Act and a new health care tax on the horizon, business owners should begin evaluating how the anticipated new costs may impact their bottom lines. They should work with advisors to consider strategies – such as whether to insure their employees or opt out and pay the penalties – and determine the best course of action that will support their business goals.
  • Consider doing more business with state government. As states begin to recover and get more tax revenue, there may be greater opportunities to do business.
  • Consider foreign markets to sell services or products. While emerging markets, such as South and Central America, and Asian markets look better than Europe, don’t forget Europe.
  • With more efficient equipment available and a diminished need for manual labor, you should consider “reshoring” (i.e. bringing back to the U.S.) whatever you currently manufacture offshore.
  • Look at your customer base and, if you think your business may be affected by government actions, develop a plan and consider measures like cost reductions or layoffs.

Wolper Sale Dec 2012

Dever Sale Dec 2012

Wolper Subscription Services has been acquired by LM Information Delivery

 

  • Background: Headquartered in Easton, PA, Wolper is a full-service information management resource, providing customized solutions for subscription management and related resources including print and electronic, foreign and domestic magazine and journal subscriptions, as well as books and e-books, databases, site licenses, and state-of-the-art information management tools.
  • Cassel Salpeter:
    • Served as financial advisor to the Company
  • Challenges:
    • Family business needing larger platform to continue to compete with growing U.S. competitors
    • Significant cultural differences with purchaser created many deal obstacles
  • Outcome: In December 2012, Wolper Subscription Services, Inc. was sold to LM Information Delivery, a competitor of the Company, with headquarters in Finland.

Dever has been acquired by Von Allmen Capital Partners

 

  • Background: Headquartered in Easton, PA, Wolper is a full-service information management resource, providing customized solutions for subscription management and related resources including print and electronic, foreign and domestic magazine and journal subscriptions, as well as books and e-books, databases, site licenses, and state-of-the-art information management tools.
  • Cassel Salpeter:
    • Served as financial advisor to the Company
  • Challenges:
    • Family business needing larger platform to continue to compete with growing U.S. competitors
    • Significant cultural differences with purchaser created many deal obstacles
  • Outcome: In December 2012, Wolper Subscription Services, Inc. was sold to LM Information Delivery, a competitor of the Company, with headquarters in Finland.