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BUSINESS FINANCING

SOME NOTABLE TRANSACTIONS INCLUDE:

2024

SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS ACQUISITION

Acquisition of the Exmouth (Ningaloo Bakery) in northern Western Australia. This iconic local business has been a "go to" for great pastries and lunches forever in Exmouth. I am a significant repeat client I'll admit.....

Well done to young Matt and Jo who are so incredibly excited to make this an even better experience. 

SUCCESSFUL ACQUISITION OF A PREMIUM WATERSPORTS BUSINESS

Referred by one of our accounting partners, we assisted some of the existing shareholders acquire the majority shareholding with the assistance of Westpac. We were able to do so without property security and personal guarantee of the minority shareholder, thanks to demonstrating the strength of the business, the experience of management and equity built within the business. A great result for the client. 

WORKING CAPITAL

During the year, we put in place a number of working facilities to assist our business clients with their needs, covering a wide range of industries and lending products. Industries covered included commercial plumbing, heavy industry electrical services, financial and retail services. 

2023

SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS ACQUISITION 

 

Our existing financial planning client, sought our assistance with the funding of the acquisition of another financial planning practice. We assisted the client in presenting the transaction structure and financials, which were complicated, to secure a competitive and seamless financing outcome. The client now has a successful and substantial financial planning book. 

SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS ACQUISITION

One of our accounting referral partners had a client looking to sell their very successful ceiling business  fixing business to an employee. Effectively this was a management buyout and the vendor wanted this achieved in a very short space of time as there was a need to enter into new contracts in the purchaser's name. Whilst the employee was able to contribute a reasonable amount of equity and security to the acquisition, a large part of the funding was unsecured from a real estate perspective. We ran a competitive financing process and our analysis highlighted the the long track record of the business, the high quality contractual nature of work and impressive margins. We thus secured a largely goodwill based financing which provided for acquisition funding and working capital. The entire process to settlement took less than 5 weeks and with a lender we had originally stated would do the deal. This allowed the client to roll straight into new contract work following settlement. 

SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS PARTNER BUYOUT

2022

This client was introduced to us by one of our accounting partners. They were a very successful plumbing business that operated on one of Australia's offshore territories. One of the shareholders wanted to buy out the other 50% shareholder and continue to run the business. Whilst they real estate that they could offer as security, the location of the various properties did not appeal to traditional lenders, who also heavily discounted the balance sheet assets. 

As the business had substantial cash on the balance sheet, we were able to work with a major non bank lender, that provided part of the acquisition funding as working capital, with the client able to access the balance sheet cash at settlement to fund the balance. Working with the accountants we were able to achieve this in a very short space of time and secured only by director's guarantees. Whilst the funding was more expensive than traditional sources, the reality was that those sources were simply not able to consider the deal due to the location of the business and property assets. The client understood this and was very pleased with the simplicity and speed of the funding, all without putting up any real estate security. 

SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS ACQUISITION AND REFINANCING

2020

The partner of a successful IT consulting business, asked us for assistance to enable the buy out of his 50% partner. This required funding of $1M plus refinancing of a number of property loans. The transaction also needed to settle by 31/12/2020. 

 

Working with the client, we undertook detailed analysis of the business and constructed a detailed Information Memorandum which highlighted the cash flow generation of the business and the ability of the borrower to service the increased debt load. Significantly, the borrower did not have sufficient equity in bricks and mortar security to provide full cover for the new facilities. Despite this, we secured very competitive terms, over a long tenor and attractive pricing, despite the large component of goodwill lending. The selected lender was able to recognise the sustainability in business revenues, quality of management and provided well structured facilities that smoothed out repayments to suit cash flow. 

With a number of facilities to refinance with different lenders by 31/12/2020, we liaised with all parties to ensure completion by that date. 

 

SALE AND LEASEBACK OF MINING EQUIPMENT

2020

 

Working with the corporate adviser of this mid cap Australian gold miner, we sourced asset finance for the sale and leaseback of refurbished mining equipment worth several million dollars. This allowed the release of significant equity back to the client and reflected the ability to source competitive financing options, even in a COVID-19 environment. C4 Capital's access to asset finance lenders through its broker accreditation, provided direct funding options not otherwise available to the client. The funding allows the company to continue to aggressively pursue their growing resource base opportunities. 

COMMERCIAL OFFICE FIT OUTS

2018

Our client sought to buy out their partner from an existing, well established business. There were a number of complex facets to the transaction which did not make it straightforward. Eventually though, working closely with the client and their accountants, we were successful in securing both a large acquisition facility from their existing lender, tailored to their cash flows and also a large surety bond facility, which allows them to compete for additional projects, without being constrained by their existing bank security capacity. 

HEALTHCARE - PHYSIOTHERAPY

2018

We assisted two new physiotherapy clients with the refinancing of existing property and business debt and the acquisition of a new house all in the one transaction, totalling almost $4M in facilities.  With 5 separate practices, different borrowers and properties, plus the new acquisition, this was quite a complicated transaction, with a tight deadline. Ultimately, the client received a great deal from a new lender, which highlighted the fact that the existing bank had been providing business and home loan facilities that were priced well above market. A great saving and better structure for the client, also partnering them with a very competent and proactive new banker specialising in healthcare.  This process highlighted the fact that as a business owner, your banker as a major service provider and your cost of capital, should be benchmarked on a regular basis, to ensure you are optimising your financial arrangements. 

RENT TO BUY FACILITY

2017

Our client was seeking to establish a new line of business, where they would rent their unique product to their clients, on a rent to buy arrangement. This created issues around funding the working capital component of the equipment, before payback over the rent period. Working with our client, we refined the economics and structure and put together a presentation outlining the opportunity to various lenders. In the end we secured an approval from a non existing relationship lender, that understood the business model and strategy. 

SUCCESSFUL MANUFACTURING COMPANY REFINANCING

2016

C4|Capital completes successful refinancing for a new client, through its finance broking services joint venture with MVP Financial.

 

This long established and successful manufacturer of niche industrial conveying solutions, was seeking increased debt facilities to finance its expansion plans due to continued business growth. Despite having a longstanding relationship with its existing bank, the bank was only prepared to increase its funding by a small amount linked to the value of existing plant and equipment. After reviewing the company’s financial position and conducting due diligence on the business, it became obvious that the firm had substantial cash flow generating capacity, was well managed and had a clear growth strategy which had not been adequately recognised by the lender. 

 

Together with the company, C4|Capital prepared a detailed information memorandum with a proposed financing structure, inviting prospective lenders to submit funding proposals. A number of highly attractive offers were received, with the end result that the company refinanced with a new lender, on improved security, pricing and tenor terms. The company is now able to pursue its growth strategy, unfettered by its lending facilities, which provide substantial flexibility to manage cash flows during this important phase. 

 

The refinancing exercise highlighted the benefits of having an independent review of a business’s financing structure, followed by a competitive financing process with a clear understanding of management’s strategy.

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