Overview
Marlin Equity Partners is a leading private
investment firm with over $1 billion of capital under management. The firm
is focused on providing corporate parents, shareholders and other
stakeholders with tailored solutions that meet their business and liquidity
needs. Marlin
primarily invests in businesses that are in the process of undergoing
varying degrees of operational, financial or market-driven change where our
capital base, industry relationships and extensive network of operational
resources will significantly strengthen a company's outlook and enhance
value.
Having successfully acquired and managed businesses with revenues in excess
of $3 billion, our partners have developed a disciplined investment approach
aimed at satisfying sellers' needs in complex or challenging situations
where speed and certainty are a priority. Whether a business founder or
shareholder is looking to monetize his or her ownership stake, a management
group is seeking capital to facilitate a management buyout (“MBO”) or a
corporate parent is looking to divest a non-core or underperforming asset,
Marlin provides sellers with the transition capital and experience that
allow transformation to take hold. Marlin primarily seeks to invest in
mature businesses with identifiable revenue streams that are operating
through a transitional period, whether driven by industry, sector or company
forces. These transitions are typically the result of technological shifts,
product evolution, end-market or supply chain pricing pressures, management
changes, or industry consolidations, expansions or rationalizations.
Building long-term value is the core of Marlin's investment strategy.
Accordingly, Marlin seeks to partner with outstanding management teams to
stabilize, strengthen and grow our portfolio companies. In addition to
financial capital, the Marlin team provides a network of strategic resources
and relationships that helps management teams weather challenging
transitions and recognize long-term value opportunities within their
businesses. In cases where growth through acquisition is appropriate, Marlin
brings to bear extensive resources to manage the transaction and integration
processes.
Since 2005, Marlin has successfully acquired over 40 businesses across a
variety of industries. Marlin team members have successfully structured and
executed complex extractions from large corporate parents, operational &
financial restructurings, recapitalizations, public-to-private transactions,
MBOs, and buy & build strategies, among others.
Investment Criteria
Marlin Equity Partners looks to acquire businesses that exhibit one or more
of the following characteristics:
- $20 million to $1 billion in revenue (current profitability not a requirement)
- Strong installed customer base with recurring revenue streams
- Scalable business model
- Defensible market position with barriers to entry
- Experiencing some form of financial, operational or market-related transition
- Strong management team with track record of success
- Underutilized or non-core assets
- Solid brand equity with established channel relationships and/or significant marketing power
- Operating in a fragmented industry with opportunities for consolidation
Industry Focus
- Technology
- Healthcare
- Consumer
- Services
- Manufacturing
- Additional Sectors of Interest
Our Principles
Marlin Equity Partners has a long and successful track record of creating
superior returns for our investors by adhering to a core set of principles
that has proven to be the cornerstone of our success.
- Maintaining sensitivity towards sellers' needs by offering speed,
certainty, flexibility and creativity
- Partnering with management to isolate and execute strategies for long-term
value creation
- Recognizing the need to preserve customer, vendor and employee
relationships
- Creating a fluid and seamless transition of ownership
Approach to Value
Marlin Equity Partners' investment strategy includes (i) focusing on
industries exhibiting change, (ii) targeting businesses with sustainable
revenue and customer bases, (iii) partnering with high quality management
teams, (iv) determining the optimal capital structure for an investment, and
(v) participating in strategic decision making with management.
Deal Origination: Marlin actively seeks investment opportunities through
prospective management partners, our own research efforts and our existing
relationships with corporations, business intermediaries, investment banks,
legal and accounting firms and other deal sources. Marlin frequently
partners with management teams that we have worked with in prior
transactions.
Deal Execution: The Marlin team has developed a refined and disciplined
investment approach that gives us the ability to move quickly and
efficiently to complete a transaction on whatever timeline may be required
by the seller. Marlin also endeavors to accommodate the particular
requirements of a seller or its management partners, whether structurally or
otherwise. Flexibility is a hallmark of our success.
Partnering with Management: Marlin takes pride in our ability to generate
long-term value for all stakeholders by effectively partnering with
management teams. With the help of our management partners, Marlin's
investment team has a demonstrated track record of successfully building,
growing and managing our investments to market leading performance and
valuations.
Adding Value: Marlin professionals serve as members of the Board of
Directors for each portfolio company to help the business devise a strategy;
establish an appropriate capital structure; incentivize management and key
employees through bonus and equity plans; identify, structure and negotiate
targeted add-on acquisitions; raise equity or debt capital as required;
recruit management as necessary; and evaluate potential exit opportunities.
Through our operational resources, Marlin is capable of extracting
businesses from larger organizations and, as we complete strategic add-on
acquisitions, successfully integrating those businesses.
Relationships: In addition to our significant capital base, Marlin's
relationships with other financing sources run deep. Marlin has access to
all forms of senior, second-lien and mezzanine debt capital through our
extensive relationships with leading investment banks, commercial banks,
hedge funds and other lending sources. Access to the Marlin capital pool and
its relationships provides our portfolio companies with maximum flexibility
in pursuing their objectives.
Experience: Marlin’s investment strategy has been successfully employed in
over 40 completed transactions since 2005. Marlin team members have
successfully structured and executed complex extractions from large
corporate parents, operational turnarounds, financial restructurings,
management-led buyouts, recapitalizations, traditional leveraged buyouts,
consolidations and aggregations, and growth capital investments, among
others. Marlin is proud to offer creative and efficient solutions to meet
the needs of the seller.
Returns: Over the years, the Marlin investment approach has consistently
generated above market returns for our investors and management partners.
The Marlin team continues to seek opportunities that will build on this
success.
Transaction Types
Marlin Equity Partners is a leading private investment firm that focuses on
transactions where our in-house operational expertise, creativity and
flexibility, and deep capital base can provide speed and certainty to
sellers in complex situations. Marlin has significant experience with the
following types of transactions:
Corporate Divestitures, Carve-Outs and Extractions: Marlin has significant
expertise in acquiring non-core or underperforming businesses, divisions or
product lines from larger corporate parents. Our recently completed
corporate carve-outs include:
Special Situations: Marlin has significant experience in complex
transactions involving various forms of distress. Marlin has structured
“win-win” solutions for stakeholders in special situations, including:
- Bankruptcies
- Out of Court Restructurings
- Operational Turnarounds
Examples of Marlin’s successful turnarounds include:
Public-To-Privates: Marlin has been an active investor in public-to-private
transactions across a variety of geographies and industry verticals. Our
recent public-to-private transactions include:
Management Buyouts & Recapitalizations: Marlin has a long-standing
commitment to partnering with management teams to acquire and/or
recapitalize their businesses. Our recent MBOs and recapitalizations
include:
