Overview
Marlin Equity Partners is a global 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 or a corporate
parent is looking to divest a non-core or underperforming asset, Marlin
provides sellers with flexible capital and the experience that allows
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
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 60 businesses across a
variety of industries. Marlin team members have successfully structured and
executed complex extractions from large corporate parents, management
buyouts, buy & build strategies, operational & financial restructurings,
growth equity investments and public-to-private transactions, among others.
Investment Criteria
Marlin 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 management team with track record of success
- Strong installed customer base with recurring revenue streams
- Operating in a fragmented industry with opportunities for consolidation
- Experiencing some form of financial, operational or market-related transition
- Underutilized or non-core assets
- Scalable business model
- Defensible market position with barriers to entry
- Solid brand equity with established channel relationships and/or significant marketing power
Industry Focus
- Technology
- Healthcare
- Consumer
- Services
- Manufacturing
- Additional Sectors of Interest
Our Principles
Marlin has a long and successful track record of creating value 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’s investment strategy includes (i) targeting businesses with
sustainable revenue and customer bases, (ii) partnering with high quality
management teams, (iii) focusing on industries exhibiting change, (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 additional 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 60 completed transactions since 2005. Marlin
team members have successfully structured and executed complex extractions
from large corporate parents, operational turnarounds, financial
restructurings, management buyouts, growth equity, traditional leveraged
buyouts and industry consolidations, among others. Marlin is proud to offer
creative and efficient solutions to meet the needs of the seller.
Transaction Types
Marlin 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:
Management Buyouts & Recapitalizations: Marlin has a long-standing commitment to partnering with management teams to acquire and/or recapitalize their businesses. Our recent management buyouts and growth equity investments 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:
