Insights – SRS Acquiom

Who we help
- Overview
  
  Whether you’re a buyer, seller, or attorney, SRS Acquiom has the solutions you need for your M&A deal, when you need them.
  Who We Help
- Platform
  Private Equity Venture Capital Corporate Acquirers M&A Attorneys Sell-Side Shareholders
- Featured
  Featured Deals Featured Clients
Solutions
- Overview
  
  SRS Acquiom offers a robust platform of M&A solutions designed to work together or independently to meet your unique needs.
  Solutions
- Solutions
  Pre-Closing Solicitation Payments Escrows Representations & Warranties Insurance Compensation Payments Shareholder Representation
Insights
- Overview
  
  SRS Acquiom is the most comprehensive source of insights into private M&A transactions in the industry.
  Insights
- Categories
  Publications Studies Articles White Papers
- Stay Up to Date
  Newsletters
News
About Us
- Overview
  
  With more than 1,500 deals and over $248 billion in deal value, we help you gain the freedom to do more.
  About Us
- More
  Team

Overview

Whether you’re a buyer, seller, or attorney, SRS Acquiom has the solutions you need for your M&A deal, when you need them.

Who We Help

Featured

Overview

SRS Acquiom offers a robust platform of M&A solutions designed to work together or independently to meet your unique needs.

Platform

Overview

SRS Acquiom is the most comprehensive source of insights into private M&A transactions in the industry.

Categories

Stay Up to Date

Newsletters

Overview

With more than 1,600 deals and over $¼ trillion in deal value, we help you gain the freedom to do more.

More

Team

Gain a deeper understanding of the latest trends in M&A with insights only SRS Acquiom can provide, based on our proprietary data from more than 1,600 deals.

Featured Insights

2017 SRS Acquiom M&A Deal Terms Study

Pre-Registration: 2017 SRS Acquiom Life Sciences M&A Update

Study - Jul 17, 2017

Impact of “Buyer Power Ratio” on M&A Deal Terms

Developed in partnership with the M&A Committee of the American Bar Association’s Business Law Section, this study introduces the Buyer Power Ratio^TM, to analyze private target acquisitions by public buyers.

Study - Jun 22, 2017

2017 SRS Acquiom M&A Deal Terms Study

This study analyzes 795 private-target acquisitions ($139 billion) that closed from 2013 through 2016 in which SRS Acquiom provided professional and financial services.

White Paper - Jun 22, 2017

Market Data and Trends in M&A Deal Terms

An analysis of 795 deals (2013 – 2016) valued at $139 Billion

Article - May 27, 2017

SRS Acquiom Debuts New Brand on 10 Year Anniversary

Why we updated the look and feel of our brand.

Infographic - Apr 5, 2017

Earnout Achievement at a Glance, Part 2

Infographic - Mar 29, 2017

Earnout Achievement at a Glance

Infographic - Feb 28, 2017

What’s Best For Your Deal? Escrows vs. R&W Insurance

Article - Jan 23, 2017

Unexpected Drains on Private Equity Productivity

Learn how to more effectively outsource work related to representations and warranties insurance, purchase price adjustments, and escrow services and help your team focus on more important issues to maximize results.

Article - Jan 4, 2017

Mind the Gap: The Space Between a Post-Closing PPA and R&W Insurance

Considerations for how items excluded from the post-closing purchase price adjustment are handled in a deal with representations and warranties insurance.

Study - Dec 14, 2016

Pre-Registration: 2017 SRS Acquiom Life Sciences M&A Update

An analysis of deal terms and post-closing experience in life sciences M&A transactions

Study - Dec 1, 2016

2016 SRS Acquiom Life Science M&A Earnout Achievement Update

The 2016 SRS Acquiom Life Sciences M&A Earnout Achievement Update presents almost a decade’s worth of experience managing over 100 deals with more than $27 billion in potential milestone payments.

Article - Nov 1, 2016

Tips for 2016 Year-End Planning

As year-end approaches, we offer the following guidance and services to assist in your tax, liquidity and wind-down planning.

Publication - Oct 3, 2016

M&A Transaction Insurance Guidebook

Key Issues to Consider When Allocating M&A Transaction Risk

White Paper - Sep 27, 2016

An Overview of Representations & Warranties Insurance

An overview of representation and warranties insurance

Article - Sep 27, 2016

Escrows vs. Representations & Warranties Insurance

Evaluating the need for escrow versus representations and warranties insurance in M&A deals.

Article - Aug 10, 2016

Top 10 Things to Watch for in M&A Payments

We’ve put together a quick checklist of the top 10 things to watch for in M&A payments to make selecting a payments administrator an easy decision when the time comes.

White Paper - Aug 1, 2016

What to Make of the Great Hill Case

An analysis of merger agreements closed since the November, 2013 Great Hill ruling reveals no apparent consensus on how selling companies are assigning rights of attorney-client privilege related to pre-closing communications.

Article - Jul 1, 2016

Faces of SRS Acquiom: Heather Kelly

Insights from Sr. Director, Acquiom Business Development

Article - Jun 28, 2016

Innovation in Escrow

Why Traditional Escrow Investments May No Longer Work for M&A

Article - Jun 17, 2016

The Importance of Information Rights

If a seller isn’t granted information rights under the merger agreement, an earnout that isn’t performing could descend into a dispute, even if the relationship between seller and acquirer was civil when the deal closed.

Article - Jun 1, 2016

Faces of SRS Acquiom: Daren Di Nicola

A client story from our Senior Director of Acquiom Business Development

Article - Apr 25, 2016

Being Prepared for the Unexpected in M&A Dispute Resolution

Beyond resources and conflict issues, the right to appeal, cost considerations, and the role of arbitrators can all contribute to unexpected results for participants on both sides of an M&A transaction.

Article - Apr 18, 2016

Stock Escrows: Structure Matters

M&A transactions involving escrowed stock are on the rise. As a result, it is important to fully understand the mechanics of stock escrows to maximize efficiency and avoid surprises when it comes time to release the stock to shareholders.

Study - Mar 18, 2016

2016 SRS Acquiom M&A Deal Terms Study

SRS Acquiom analyzes the deal terms of 735 private-target acquisitions valued at $137 billion, to assist you in deal structuring and negotiation and bring you a robust view of the private-target M&A landscape.

Study - Mar 18, 2016

2016 SRS Acquiom M&A Deal Terms Study

An analysis of deal terms from 735 private-target transactions from 2012-2015, seeking to arm deal professionals with robust, reliable information found only at SRS Acquiom.

Article - Feb 24, 2016

Re-engineering Escrow Investment Returns

Ensuring Safe Assets While Improving M&A Escrow Investment Returns

Article - Jan 12, 2016

Watch Out for Conflict Issues in Accounting Arbitrations

Part 2 of 3 in a series exploring issues in arbitration

White Paper - Nov 12, 2015

How Your Deal Treats the Payout of Employee Stock Options Can Have Significant Payroll Tax Implications

Understanding the unique tax implications for ISOs

Article - Nov 12, 2015

Payments Administrators: A Deal Lawyer’s (Not So) Secret Weapon

Engaging a payments administrator that provides a wide range of services can provide that relief and be a breath of fresh air in an otherwise hectic closing.

Article - Nov 12, 2015

Taxation of Interest Earned on the Escrow: Actual vs. Imputed

Understanding how interest earned on escrow deposits will affect deal participants, and to clarify tax reporting requirements for both deal parties.

Article - Nov 5, 2015

Tips for 2015 Year-End Planning

As year-end approaches, we offer the following guidance and services to assist in your tax, liquidity and wind-down planning.

Article - Oct 20, 2015

Limiting Discovery Through Arbitration is Not Without Risk for Sellers

Part 1 of 3: Considerations in Effective M&A Dispute Resolution

Article - Oct 20, 2015

Regulatory Changes Reshape the Liquidity Landscape

Regulatory Overview for Short-Term Investments, including M&A Escrow Deposits (Part 1 of 3 in a series on Changing Regulations)

Article - Sep 1, 2015

Sales Taxes: Whose Tax is it Anyway?

A common indemnification claim that SRS Acquiom sees relates to sales tax exposure of the target company. These claims tend to be complicated because they often involve an assessment of the target company’s interactions with customers in multiple states and the application of these states’ tax laws.

Article - Sep 1, 2015

In Earnouts, Focus on Outcomes Rather than Milestones Envisioned Today

Earnouts are sometimes technically missed for reasons that are caused by changes in business strategy, while the buyer may still be getting the value sought from the company purchased.

Article - Sep 1, 2015

Relationship Management with the Buyer in Earnout Situations

Sellers must successfully navigate the internal relationships, politics, and various strategic motivations of their large company partner to get their product approved and to market.

Article - Sep 1, 2015

Selling Residual Interest to Write Off Investment Losses

SRS Acquiom is sometimes asked to purchase residual interests in unsuccessful investments, so its clients can realize losses for tax purposes in a given calendar year.

Article - Sep 1, 2015

Stock-for-Stock Transactions: Understanding the Role of the Purchaser Rep

The role of the purchaser representative is to ensure that non-accredited investors evaluate the merits and risks of the prospective investment in the acquirer’s stock.

Article - Sep 1, 2015

Pre-Closing Checklist for M&A Seller Management

Often overlooked during deal negotiation, the items on this checklist can prove critical after closing.

Article - Sep 1, 2015

Indemnification Claim or Working Capital Adjustment? OSI Systems v. Instrumentarium

Working capital claims typically are not subject to indemnification baskets or caps, but claims of breaches of representations or warranties are.

Article - Sep 1, 2015

Additional Response Time if Adjustments are Substantial

It typically takes longer for a shareholder representative to review working capital calculations when material adjustments might be made, because both the number of issues and the complexity of such issues tend to increase as the amount of the adjustment increases.

Article - Sep 1, 2015

Your Relationship with Your Shareholder Representative

When considering who should serve as your shareholder representative, you should have a conversation regarding the expectation of the relationship.

Article - Sep 1, 2015

The Reason for the Stockholder Representative’s Authority

Most merger agreements improperly draft the language appointing the stockholder representative.

Article - Sep 1, 2015

The Scope of Power of the Shareholder Representative

The question about where the line should be drawn on the limits of the representative's authority is a good one.

Article - Sep 1, 2015

The Representative’s Access to Information After Closing

Even if the parties agree that access to some information is reasonable, they can differ on how much is appropriate.

Article - Sep 1, 2015

Information Sharing Between the Shareholder Representative and Shareholders

The representative should either be able to communicate with the shareholders or should be able to communicate with a subset of shareholders who are also bound by confidentiality obligations.

Article - Sep 1, 2015

Resignation or Removal of the Shareholder Representative

Merger agreements should make clear that the shareholder representative can resign or be removed by the selling shareholders at any time.

Article - Sep 1, 2015

How Best to Effect Payments

Issues can arise when the parties decide to use an escrow agent that is different from the paying agent.

Article - Sep 1, 2015

Accounting for Unclaimed Transaction Proceeds

Eventually unclaimed merger consideration will be deemed abandoned and escheat to the state after a period of time provided by statute.

Article - Sep 1, 2015

Who Should Indemnify the Escrow Bank?

It should be the principals to the deal, i.e. those benefiting from the transaction, who provide any necessary indemnification.

Article - Sep 1, 2015

Cross-Border Transactions; Watch Out for FBAR

Given the complexity, fickle nature and significant penalties, we advise all shareholders to look at their escrows to determine whether any are held in foreign accounts.

Article - Sep 1, 2015

Perfected Security Interest in Escrow Funds

SRS Acquiom does not believe it is best practice for a merger party to be granted security interest in the escrow.

Article - Sep 1, 2015

Tax Reporting and Payments to Employees

Shareholder representatives and company buyers need to be aware of the proper tax treatment for each shareholder participating in escrows.

Article - Sep 1, 2015

The Problems with Pro Ratas

Pro rata formulas are often complicated and mistakes are frequently made.

Article - Sep 1, 2015

Distribution of Escrow Release Payments

Have the distribution payments default to what the shareholder requests at closing

Article - Sep 1, 2015

How and When to Use Representation and Warranty Insurance

The parties on many deals decline to purchase representation and warranty insurance because they perceive the cost to be too great for the risk that is being mitigated.

Article - Sep 1, 2015

How Private Equity Manages the M&A Post-Closing Process

In private equity transactions the lead investor frequently elects to assume the role of shareholder representative. However, there are significant risks and costs associated with the role.

Article - Sep 1, 2015

Selling Your Company May Require Multiple Law Firms

SRS Acquiom has seen a trend toward having a separate firm that represents the interests of a stockholder or group of stockholders.

Article - Sep 1, 2015

Shareholder Releases and Letters of Transmittal

Even with good exits, a shareholder can always try to argue that the company could have done better.

Article - Sep 1, 2015

Contribution and Joinder Agreements

Recently, SRS Acquiom has seen more transactions in which the acquiring company requires the selling shareholders to enter into side agreements to ensure that certain terms of the merger agreement are enforceable against them.

Article - Aug 3, 2015

Delays in Getting Paid? Seven Tips for Avoiding Problems in M&A Payments

Seven of the most common problems and thoughts about how to prevent them.

Article - Jul 20, 2015

Insurance-backed M&A Escrow Solutions vs. Traditional Bank Products

A comparison of insurance-backed escrow investment solutions to traditional investment products distributed by escrow banks

Study - Jul 17, 2015

2015 Life Sciences M&A Update

This update more than doubles the data available on earn-out milestone achievement rates originally included in our 2012 M&A Life Sciences Study.

White Paper - Jun 1, 2015

New Regulations Will Shake Up M&A Escrow Landscape

Challenges to principal protection and liquidity require new options.

Study - May 18, 2015

2015 SRS Acquiom M&A Claims Study (Sample)

This is a sample of the full study which analyzes post-closing escrow claim activity across 720 private-target acquisitions on which SRS served as the shareholder representative from 2010 through 2014.

Publication - May 13, 2015

Tales from the M&A Trenches

Tales from the M&A Trenches is a culmination of SRS Acquiom’s experience as professional shareholder representative and payments administrator on hundreds of deals—distilled into drafting tips, pointers and best practices.

Article - Nov 3, 2014

Earnouts: How Often Are Life Sciences Milestones Achieved? Tips for Avoiding Disputes

An analysis of earnouts in M&A life science deals related to milestones and tips on how to avoid disputes.

Article - Nov 1, 2014

Maintaining Post-Closing Control While Avoiding the Risks

Article - Sep 12, 2014

Avoiding Improper Lock-up of Escrow Money

Tying up as much money as possible for as long as possible is, all else being equal, a good thing for buyers and a bad thing for sellers.

Article - Sep 1, 2014

Where to Hold the Expense Fund

If the expense fund account is held by the shareholder representative, the arrangement is typically simpler.

Article - Sep 1, 2014

Disbursement of Funds—Who Touches the Money?

It is important to ensure that the representative knows how to properly hold funds to ensure the assets are safely held and invested in order to minimize potential exposure to claims from creditors.

Article - Sep 1, 2014

Legal Opinion Paves Way for Paperless Closings & Online Payments

For decades, M&A deal closings have been completed by mailing piles of paper back and forth between the merger parties, the stockholders and a paying agent.

Article - Sep 1, 2014

M&A Conflict Waivers

Inclusion of conflict waivers has nearly doubled in the past year.

Article - Sep 1, 2014

Satisfying Basket Thresholds

The threshold should be met only after the buyer has suffered actual damages in excess of the basket amount.

Article - Sep 1, 2014

Preparing and Filing Tax Returns

Though it may seem simple, it is impractical for the shareholder representative to prepare the tax return.

Article - Sep 1, 2014

Disappearing Money: The Perils of Multi-Party Notice Provisions

The escrow bank typically does not have any obligation to verify that the representative actually received notice. This presents two related but meaningful risks.

Article - Sep 1, 2014

Clarifying When Attorneys’ Fees Constitute Damages

14% of all claims relate to the buyer looking to recover fees and expenses incurred in connection with the issue rather than losses related to the issue itself.

Article - Sep 1, 2014

Netting Payments vs. Submitting Claims

Many merger agreements do not make clear which option is the intended treatment.

Article - Sep 1, 2014

Definition of Working Capital

SRS Acquiom believes that working capital is based on the company’s final closing balance sheet, and not the buyer’s opening balance sheet.

Article - Sep 1, 2014

Beware of Exclusions When Defining Net Working Capital

Best practice is to ensure that cash is included in the definition of net working capital so that the benefit of a true-up can flow to either party.

Article - Sep 1, 2014

Working Capital Adjustment AND Indemnification Claim? No “Second Bite at the Apple”

Counsel especially familiar with accounting issues should help define the circumstances in which a claim may be denied under the working capital provisions, but might be properly indemnifiable.

Article - Sep 1, 2014

Think Twice Before Including Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities in Working Capital Calculations

SRS Acquiom has seen large purchase price adjustments for reasons that will never affect the combined company’s actual cash position or value.

Article - Sep 1, 2014

Contingent, Unknown and Unquantifiable Liabilities—Working Capital Adjustment or Indemnification Claim?

Contingent, unknown and unquantifiable liabilities are problematic in the post-closing purchase price adjustment process.

Article - Sep 1, 2014

Buyer’s Obligation to Provide Access to Books and Records

Buyer will use reasonable efforts to provide access to the books and records of the Company electronically.

Article - Sep 1, 2014

Consequences of Buyer Not Delivering Adjustment Statements

If the buyer fails to deliver the notice of adjustments within the required time frame... has it forfeited its right to do so?

Article - Sep 1, 2014

Definition of Purchase Price

Merger consideration should be defined as the amount paid at closing plus whatever balance remains at the end point of the escrow process.

Article - Sep 1, 2014

Damages Based on Financial Misstatements

Parties should define in the merger agreement how such damages are to be calculated.

Article - Sep 1, 2014

Do Carveouts to Caps Work the Way You Intend?

Parties should clarify whether indemnification caps are intended to be inclusive or exclusive of each other.

Article - Sep 1, 2014

Assuming Defense of Third-Party Claims: the Moral Hazard Problem

If the party that controls the defense is not the party responsible for any related payments, there can be a moral hazard problem.

Article - Sep 1, 2014

Enforceability of Representation and Warranty Survival Periods—Western Filter v. Argan

A stated escrow period may not be respected.

Article - Sep 1, 2014

Establishing an Expense Fund

Many top litigators suggest that establishing an expense fund is one of the biggest deterrents to claims.

Article - Jul 1, 2014

M&A Conflict Waivers and Privilege Issues

Conflict issues are complex and can have a significant impact on post-closing claims and disputes.

Article - Jul 1, 2014

M&A Payments in Just Minutes

White Paper - Jun 17, 2014

How Private Equity Manages the M&A Post-Closing Process

This paper explores how to mitigate the risks of acting as your own shareholder representative, and how private equity firms can more efficiently manage the post-closing process while retaining complete control.

White Paper - Jun 16, 2014

Legal Opinion Paves Way for Paperless Closings

For decades, M&A deal closings have been completed by mailing piles of paper back and forth between the merger parties, the stockholders and a paying agent. This is hugely inefficient and costly.

White Paper - May 20, 2014

Solving for Administrative Inefficiencies in M&A

Costs related to inefficiencies exceed $5 billion. New services are solving for this.

White Paper - May 1, 2014

Shedding Light on the Terms of Undisclosed M&A Deals

We analyze the financial and legal terms of nearly 500 undisclosed, private-target M&A transactions.

White Paper - Apr 21, 2014

Keeping Investment Funds Out Of Litigation Purgatory

Retention of a professional shareholder representative is increasingly important for a number of strategic reasons.

Article - Mar 31, 2014

M&A Post-Closing Checklist

A list of what should be done prior to closing to minimize the risk of post-closing challenges

White Paper - Mar 1, 2014

Who Owns the Attorney-Client Privilege After Closing?

In most deals, the sell-side law firm’s client is the target company, not its stockholders.

Study - Dec 11, 2012

2012 Life Sciences M&A Study

The 2012 SRS Life Sciences M&A Study analyzes 47 private-target acquisitions on which SRS served as the shareholder representative.

Client Quotes and Stories

See why clients rely on us to
elevate their gain.

SRS Acquiom provides seamless shareholder representation and is a great resource for M&A terms and rep & warranty insurance.

Dave Markland, CFO and Administrative Partner, Tenaya Capital

SRS Acquiom is changing the rules for how M&A payments are administered and how the post-closing period is managed.

Steve Miles, Group Vice President and Sales Director, SunTrust Bank

Most M&A lawyers move on to the next deal without much thought about how tedious the payments process can be for merger parties. SRS Acquiom Clearinghouse is a significant value-add-on to an M&A practitioner’s client toolkit.

Nicholas Deitrich, Retired Partner, Gowlings

M&A deal technology has evolved, but some aspects haven’t changed for decades. Services like SRS Acquiom Clearinghouse show what technology can do to make the deal process more efficient from both an economic and practical standpoint.

John Hughes, Partner, Sidley Austin LLP

SRS Acquiom has earned our business and future business. They make a complicated process simple and keep lines of communication open at all times.

Jim Bullock, President and CEO, Zyga Technology

SRS Acquiom has been flexible and responsive to our many needs. They get the job done and have exceeded our tough standards.

Peggy Tirrell, Assistant General Counsel, Dell, Inc.

SRS Acquiom takes a process that has often been problematic and makes it simple. In particular, their unique online portal provides an extremely useful way for shareholders to track and monitor their escrow balances and status.

Scott Ring, General Counsel and Partner, Bessemer Venture Partners

Unlike most paying agents, a sophisticated payments administrator handles the headache of employee compensation with ease. They provide peace of mind.

Benton Bodamer, Counsel, Goodwin Procter

What SRS Acquiom does is not part of our brain process. We just want things to be done...no pain, no problems. They make sure nothing gets in the way of my deal.

Nils Holum, Vice President, Middle Market Private Equity Firm