Mordecai Gal: HVAC industry M&A expert? The HVAC business improvement market is already very big, with a value of $25.6 billion in the United States alone. Why the HVAC industry is growing? Before expanding your HVAC company, it’s a good idea to look at why the industry is growing to better understand its sustainability. There’s more than one catalyst for this expansion, which is good news for its long-term viability. First, there’s an influx of new construction projects all over the country, and everything that goes up needs an HVAC system. Spending on construction increased from $809.26 billion in 2010 to nearly $1.3 trillion in 2018. In addition, there were 6% more homes constructed in July 2018 compared to July 2019.
You can also capitalize on this growth by expanding your business in your local area by acquiring another company or merging with it. There is risk in any M&A agreement, but the HVAC industry shows no signs of slowing down because there will always be demand for these services. That makes it one of the safer industries for M&A to work out well for both sides. At the same time, not all mergers and acquisitions are the same, so doing your due diligence before signing any transaction is essential.
If you want a successful M&A deal, you should always work with the right team. Sometimes business owners think they can do it alone and end up making mistakes along the way. Professional deal makers can create the exact leverage you need to reach a successful deal. It is in your interest to have a deal maker by your side as the other side will also have a team of professionals. As Mordecai Gal, operations director at AccessHeat Inc, puts it “Your business should always have proper financial records, especially when you want to exit. It is important that you understand working capital, as it will impact the deal. Have a thorough understanding of how things flow in several accounting statements, such as a profit and loss. You should also have a good idea of your balance sheet when walking into an M&A deal.”
One of the most important things business owners overlook when preparing to exit is the financial state of the business. It is not uncommon to find sellers with unrealistic expectations that may be 5 times more than the actual value of the business. As a business owner, you should first be aware of your EBITDA. Your EBITDA is important as it helps you gauge the profitability of your company. It eliminates some of the non-operating decisions made by a firm’s management, which gives you a better picture of the business’ value. Another way to scrub the numbers is by ensuring that the add-backs are right. Some business owners even carry out annual audits and use a scorecard to gauge their business performance. This helps you gauge whether you are winning or losing.
Evaluate the strength of the existing team, starting by the leadership, all the way to field execution team. You can assess the team by reviewing their background, experience, performance reviews, tenure in the company, and customer feedback. Ultimately, this is perhaps the most critical element of the company, especially an HVAC company since its the team the one that drives all sales and execution. An important consideration from the team is their tenure and time to retirement. Unfortunately, the HVAC industry has experienced a shortage of labor for some time, which makes it particularly important to understand both time-to-retirement as well as talent replacement initiatives.
Pandemic fatigue is a significant issue, too, so we could also see business owners who were thinking of selling in the next five years or so bump up their retirement plans. The stress of running a business during the pandemic was enough for many HVAC and plumbing business owners, pushing them towards the negotiating table in 2021.
The HVAC industry is a pillar in the construction field. Being one of the most profitable businesses, small family-owned companies have flourished in this segment for many generations. Like other viable industries, it is widely understood that there are many moving parts that need to be always operating efficiently in order to keep success at the forefront. Due to the multi-faceted nature of this business class, HVAC companies have evolved into an ideal candidate set to reap the benefits of consolidation and Access-Heat.com are experts in this field. Generational handovers without proper succession plans and lack of a full C-Suite of executives have been the main drivers of the numerous recent mergers and acquisitions. To the benefit of the younger generation once set to inherit these businesses, they are now left with the freedom to pursue higher education and their own personal career fulfillment paths. They have had the burden of taking over the family business removed from their conscience.