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Private Equity: Enabling ambitious NZ businesses to transform and grow

Is Private Equity right for your business? 

If you have a successful business with a proven business model and are ready to make the next big strategic move to drive growth and expansion - Private Equity is worth exploring. 

Private Equity (PE) should always be considered as a funding option when making decisions on opportunities and challenges facing your business – and it can be a fantastic enabler for ambitious businesses to transform and grow fast. The potential rewards for management and investors alike are significant. When managed effectively, the outcome is often a very successful, and valuable business. 

Whether you’re considering sourcing PE investment for the first time or you are a PE ‘frequent flyer’, the challenge is to find the right type of investor or partner for your business goals - whether through PE or not - and the key individuals who will help you achieve positive results. 

Helping you succeed at every stage of Private Equity investment. 

We’re a leading player in the New Zealand Private Equity industry and well placed to connect you with the best fit investors in reaching your business goals. BDO enjoys trusted relationships with each of the major Private Equity firms in the New Zealand market. What’s more, BDO is a leading adviser to Private Equity/Venture capitalists globally, with offices in over 160 countries - making us the specialist you need to assist you on your PE journey. 

BDO offers end-to-end support throughout your PE deal. From defining your aspirations through to deal completion and beyond, we’ll guide you on the journey, helping you navigate challenges and avoid common mistakes. 

We provide advice and support at five core stages for businesses looking for private equity: 

  1. Readiness and preparation 

  1. Marketing 

  1. Deal completion 

  1. Accelerating your growth 

  1. Exiting 

 

Are you considering issuing shares on a stock market to support your company's strategic plans?
Take our quick online assessment to get a clearer understanding of key considerations and steps to undertaking an IPO in NZ – and receive your personalised report.
 

Understanding Private Equity

Our Demystify, Navigate, Accelerate and Realising series supports private businesses looking to understand the world of Private Equity. 

These brochures provide expert guidance and BDO tips for each of the Private Equity lifecycle stages. Our goal at BDO is to help you make informed decisions for your business to set you up for long-term success. 

Private Equity at a Glance

Simply, PE investors are looking for opportunities with the potential to deliver a substantial return on investment in a relatively short time. The rule of thumb is that they aim to double their money in three years or, treble it in five years.

As a result, PE firms look for specific attributes that will indicate the potential for rapid growth. These include, but are not limited to:

  • The macro-economic environment
  • Various micro-economic considerations such as value, growth, margins and cash conversion
  • The management team.

PE firms will then evaluate these factors relative to their strategy, appetite for risk and approach to working with and supporting portfolio companies.

Every PE deal is unique - each has a different structure, targets, and incentives.

In saying that, a universal attribute in each PE deal will set a benchmark for returns on investment for investors. If the benchmark is outperformed, the management team will share in the equity and value that is surpassed.

Conversely, in the event of underperformance against those agreed benchmarks, it can lead to investors becoming more active in running the business and making - sometimes drastic - changes to the management team.

You should ask your BDO advisor to help you understand the right kind of PE deal for you and your business.

A clearly defined vision for the success of your business is vital to the preparation of a PE deal. Clearly articulating what you want to achieve and what constitutes success underpins all the important decisions you, and other stakeholders consider; as you make your move to becoming a PE-backed business.

Secondly, PE investment usually leads to a substantial change in most aspects of a business. As such, you will want to prepare for due diligence. This can be initiated by completing a due diligence questionnaire, to better understand your reporting requirements. You should also check that your tax and financial structures are as efficient as possible.

Your equity story is the explanation of how your business intends to use PE investment to achieve the growth and return on investment that potential PE investors are looking for. The equity story is the foundation of your relationship with a potential investor.

The equity story will include an explanation of the opportunities for growth, the strategies to facilitate success and finally, who the potential buyers of the business might be when it comes to realising business gains.

Complementary to your ‘equity story’ is the ‘debt story,’ which evaluates the debt capacity of your business. If your business can take on cheaper debt, your blended cost of capital can be reduced. This, in turn, makes it easier to grow the equity value. The warning here is that over-gearing your business is a sure-fire way of destroying value. It equally needs balanced consideration.

PE is not the only option for funding growth. There are other options with their advantages and drawbacks. These can include loans, venture capital, public markets, IPO, retained earnings and even friends and family. These may be better suited to your business strategy and goals.

With all these considerations, it’s the job of your BDO advisor to help you find a compatible PE firm that’s right for you. At BDO, we can assist you when considering your options and help you find the right funding solution for your business.

Meet our Private Equity team

Simon Peacocke

Simon Peacocke

Advisory Partner, Deal Advisory Partner, National Private Equity Sector Leader, Managing Partner BDO Auckland
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Andrew Grace | BDO Christchurch

Andrew Grace

Deal Advisory Partner, Deal Advisory National Leader
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If you think Private Equity could be right for your business, please get in touch so that we can support you. 

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