Business Articles, Capital Allocation, Executive Management, Leveraged Finance, Structured Finance

CEO’s Asset Allocation & Finance

There are Different Capital allocation strategies for CEO’s. However this post will dive into the different ways and avenues CEO’s have for Allocating Capital and what Equity vs. Debt is used for when raising Capital for growth.

Imagine your a CEO and you growing your public company, but find that your really not prepared for the capital it takes to buy a larger company. What do you do? That is a hard question to ask. However I can go through the different options a CEO has when using finance to Buy a company. And what being smart with asset allocation looks like? And what are the different options a CEO has with Leveraged Finance? Let’s get started! Uncle John Malone the Founder of Liberty Media teaching about Structured Financing below.

Did you read my post on the Six types of Assets?

Capital Allocation Chessboard

There are really only five Capital Allocation moves on the chessboard as a Chief Executive. First you have the option of investing into Research and Development or the Operations of your company. The next option is for you as the CEO to Invest into and or Acquire Strategic Assets or Companies. Next you could Issue Shareholder Dividends with Cash from the Balance Sheet. Or if your Cash is beginning to pile up like Bill Ackman’s Company Pershing Square from buying all those incredible cash flowing businesses you as the CEO have the option to implement a Stock Repurchase plan. And the very last? Pay off Debt that is causing your balance sheet to be inefficient. These are your options.

  • Invest into Company Operations
  • Acquire Strategic Assets
  • Issue Shareholder Dividends
  • Repurchase Stock with Cash
  • Pay off Debt

Did you catch my post about Special Situations Investing?

The Problem Issuing Additional Shares Diluting Current Shareholders Shares

Issuing Additional Equity Shares as a Capital Raise is foolish and blatantly unfair in my opinion to Shareholders. Because this dilutes current shareholders equity shares. In other words shareholders holding shares who are not able to provide additional capital will have their shares diluted equaling a reduction in ownership. To me that’s a touchy subject. I don’t feel that is fair to shareholders.

So what are the options a CEO has for Financing? That is a loaded question. Because we have 2 Finance Topics that need more explained real fast.

  • Structured Finance

Structured Finance is a entire topic unto itself about Finance LAW. However for todays article or post we will keep it brief. Structured Finance Refers to financing options for Restructuring a company out of Bankruptcy. You have Structured Finance options such as?

First we can share Structured Finance. What is Structured finance is all about? Financing a Business using Securitization, Tranching, Credit Enhancements.

  • Leveraged Finance

Leveraged Finance on the other hand is all about the Following: CEO’s. Pay ATTENTION!

Leveraged Finance (LevFin) refers to the financing of highly levered, speculative-grade companies. Within the investment bank, the Leveraged Finance (“LevFin”) group works with corporations and private equity firms to raise debt capital by syndicating loans and underwriting bond offerings to be used in LBOs, M&A, debt refinancing and recapitalizations.

The funds raised are used primarily for: Leveraged Buy Outs of Companies, Mergers and Acquisitions, Recapitalizations, Refi Old-Debt. If your a Investment Banking Analyst or Finance Student the links will help you find more about these different options Advisors, Bankers and CEO’s use to Finance Business’s Acquisitions or Debt.

  1. Leveraged buyouts (LBOs): Financial sponsors need to raise debt to fund a leveraged buyout.
  2. Mergers & Acquisitions: Acquirers often borrow to pay acquisitions. When a lot of debt is needed, it falls under the leveraged finance umbrella.
  3. Recapitalizations: Companies borrow to pay dividends (“dividend recap”) or to buy back shares.
  4. Refinancing old debt: There is an old investment banking adage that says “the best thing about bonds is that they mature.” Once a company’s debt matures, the company will need to borrow again to pay for the old debt.

One last part that is not obvious but crucial for CEO’s to understand. There is another method of Financing a Companies Sub-Division that may not correlate well with the Holding Companies niche in the Market Space. A way to keep finance separate is through the use of Tracking Stocks. Please read the Image below for more detailed description of Tracking Stocks.

Did you know? “Tracking stocks will trade in the open market separately from the parent company’s stock.” I was introduced first by and was educated about the use of Tracking Stocks by none other the Cable Cowboy CEO of TCI and Founder of Liberty Media Mr. John Malone.

Conclusion for CEO Finance Options

I do hope you found value in today’s post about Financing Options for CEO’s and hope you will use this new information to make better informed decisions as Public Company and Private Company CEO’s running and navigating finance. There are so many topics that evolve around the Finance Capital Markets that it would be impossible to include all available information on one post on my blog. But I would like to leave you with a very valuable nugget of wisdom from Mr. Warren Buffett.

Warren Buffett the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway always buys and invests into companies that gush cash flow. In turn his Company Berkshire Hathaway is always stacking cash and using the Treasury Markets to store that cash flow for the Balance Sheet. You see Mr. Buffett is smart enough to never place his companies extra cash inside a Bank Account at a Bank. That would be extremely inefficient and he would not receive hardly any long term value placing money into these facilities. Mr. Buffett would actually lose money over time. So he uses the Treasury markets to gain a positive interest on the cash Berkshire holds.

I hope you found value and wisdom from the information provided today. Nothing in this post is Personal or Business Financial Advice. And should be construed as strictly entertainment and the options a CEO has when considering all options for Financing. I hope you will take a page from Mr. Buffett’s book and Mr. John Malone’s Book and use what I have provided to make better and more informed decisions using the complex Capital Markets. Often times? Financing Business basics and using unsexy practices are all it takes to outperform the market as a informed CEO. Thank you.

Godspeed

JS

Standard
Business Articles, Mergers and Acquisitions

Does a increase in Money supply mean Businesses are ripe for consolidation?

I received a question directly from the awesome searching entrepreneurs on Google Search today, So its with great privilege I get to share, explain, and answer this fragmented question to help all the future professional Entrepreneurs, Bankers, Accountants, and Corporate Attorneys out there. At the risk of sounding insensitive this question is slightly off base. So let’s dissect the elements and answer some facts.

“Who controls the United States Money Supply?”

The United States Treasury manages all of the money coming into the government and paid out by it. The Federal Reserve’s primary responsibility is to keep the economy stable by managing the supply of money in circulation. The Department of the Treasury manages federal spending.

So since we go this out of the way. Let’s move on to another question that creates value. Natuarlly we are going to want to ask the Question, “What makes the money valuable in business?”

“What makes the Money Supply valuable in Business.”

The value of any good is determined by its supply and demand and the supply and demand for other goods in the economy. A price for any good is the amount of money it takes to get that good. Inflation occurs when the price of goods increases—in other words when money becomes less valuable relative to those other goods.

If you have never watched the 2007 Business Movie that won all kinds of awards please watch this evil cruel film. It tells a disturbing story about a Oil Magnate mad man willing to go extreme lengths to use, abuse, and use dishonesty measures in business strategy in California in the early 1900’s.

There will be Blood “MOVIE”

“How does money get it’s value?”

The value of money is determined by the demand for it, just like the value of goods and services.

Business Landscape & Business Environment

Take a look at the volatility of the current Business market? It’s constantly changing second by second. It’s been my experience that in order to really look at company’s worth an acquisition development effort you must look at the long term future. Several questions come to mind. “Is the company easy and simple to understand?” “Does the business have a bright future because of the products it sells?”

Warren Buffett is always sharing that the business he looks for are the products and companies we love like Coca Cola. It’s the most recognizable brand in the world. And its future is certainly guaranteed to dominate most beverage shelves in nearly all stores and restaurants. So we can be pretty certain that investing in Coca Cola will be fruitful for investors. Coke is always looking at competition and alway’s buying up the best performing brands. If you did not catch the Coca Cola Acquisition of Body Armor last October? Please read about this Acquisition here. I mention this because I was contacted by a International Business News TV Station in Asia to comment on the transaction.

Acquisition Strategy in the Market

I would love to share a interesting view from the one and Only Mr. Bill Ackman who is the CEO and Founder of New York City powerhouse Activist Investment Firm Pershing Square Capital. At the expense of sounding like a Fanboy of Bill’s investment career? Which I am by the way. Bill personally is a sincere and just all around great guy. I really look up to his career as an example of where I am headed. He too was a Entrepreneur with a really tough road filled with hardship, adversity and impossible rejection. So I take comfort in his story that I am where I need to be.

This may sound ridiculous and surprising to some people who read this. But I am good with criticism I will receive sharing this next bit. Interestingly I will be going fly fishing with him sometime in the near future. But that is another story for another time. Let’s get back to business.

Research The Market For Acquisition Target Opportunities

Bill always said that when a downturn in the Market happens. He and his team of Analysts and researchers at Pershing look for opportunities by looking at Companies stock price that are trading for values lower than it should be. Meaning its undervalued stock price is an opportunity.

Activist Investing Strategy

Bill and his team shocked the Investment world during a market downturn when they made a trade off four hours of research making the Investment Fund Four Billion dollars in profit. Here is the short story.

If Wachovia wealth management company was trading at $1.84 and we look at the annual reports and the Debt on the books, and all the financials during a Due Diligence research session? And we decide the company is undervalued from the free cash flow and then look at the Stock price? We know there is opportunity for profit on this trade.

In doing this we look at the stock price and over all company valuation and decide is the company undervalued? Bill Ackman and his team mate Mick made a trade after 4 hours of research. And bought the Stock at $1.84 and later sold at around $9-$10 dollars a share. They bought 42 percent of the Company stock volume over 4 days. And made 4 billion dollars in profit just days after. Anyways all things considered? Bill’s Pershing Square Investment Fund made out like Bandits into the night. LOL Just incredible story.

Acquisition Consolidation

Before we move on? We must define Consolidation in Business Acquisition strategy? Consolidation in the most simplest of terms? “Is when a entity or a group of Investors Buys one Holding company, then buys other smaller companies or its competitive companies and folds these companies into it’s portfolio of companies creating value plus synergistic dominance in the selected industry.”

Professional Advisory Services with a proven track record to keep you safe during Acquisitions

I sincerely hope this complex post has given you a huge bang for your buck by clicking on my blog post on Google Search? This took me some time to write and rewrite. I won’t be winning any awards with my business blog. But at least I am able to share some basics in finance, business strategy, M&A and Entrepreneurship. If you would like to personally pick my brain and save time and weeks of research time? And if your a Senior Executive who would like a value based second opinion before accepting someones opinion you don’t value or trust? Myself and my team of Professional Advisors would be happy to Schedule a sit down and learn more about your mission.

If your team decides you would like to work with us? We can do the heavy lifting for you. We are also professionals for Executives and Business owners who require sensitive private secure services to protect all your teams professional reputations, leadership positions, and keep your Shareholders happy with your decisions and Job performance. My partners have built and operate company’s you see in the Wall Street Journal. I am lucky to have such wonderful mentors and partner advisors. And they can be yours as well.

Let’s Work Together

Standard