M&A Advisory
M&A Advisory for the Lower Middle Market
M&A advisory brings a larger-deal playbook to owners of companies up to $100M in revenue: a real valuation, a competitive buyer process, and negotiation that protects your terms, not just your price. It is Wall Street expertise applied to Main Street businesses.
Sell-side focus. Confidential process. Businesses up to $100M in revenue.
- $2.3B+
- Transaction value
- 40+
- Years M&A experience
- 16+
- Industries of strength
- Nationwide
- Market coverage
What M&A advisory gets you
The difference between a good outcome and a great one is rarely the buyer. It is the process. M&A advisory is about running that process well enough to create real competition and hold the terms that matter.
Wall Street rigor
We bring the financial analysis and process discipline of a larger bank to businesses that usually cannot access it.
A competitive process
We create real competition among qualified buyers, which is what moves both price and terms in your favor.
Structure that protects value
Headline price is only part of the deal. We work the terms that determine what you actually keep: structure, escrow, and transition.
How an Iconic M&A engagement runs
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Onboarding
We align on objectives, gather financials, and formalize the engagement.
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Transaction materials
We run the financial analysis and build the models and documents buyers will scrutinize.
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Marketing & buyer development
We run a confidential, targeted outreach process and manage buyer engagement.
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LOI & due diligence
We evaluate offers, select the strongest LOI, and steer diligence to protect the deal.
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Agreement & close
We negotiate the purchase agreement and manage closing to a clean transition.
Frequently asked questions
What is M&A advisory?
M&A advisory is professional guidance for buying, selling, or merging a company: valuation, positioning, running a competitive process, and negotiating the deal. On the sell side, an advisor works to get an owner the best terms while keeping the process confidential and on track.
What does an M&A advisor do?
An M&A advisor prepares the business for market, builds the financial materials buyers expect, runs a targeted outreach process, manages competing offers, and guides the deal through diligence to close. In short, they run the transaction so the owner can keep running the company.
How is M&A advisory different from a business broker?
The line is mostly about deal size and complexity. Business brokers typically handle smaller, more standardized sales; M&A advisors handle larger or more complex transactions that need deeper financial work, a wider buyer search, and more structured negotiation. Iconic covers both ends of that range.
When should I hire an M&A advisor?
Earlier than most owners think. Bringing an advisor in before you go to market gives time to clean up financials, fix value gaps, and plan structure, all of which affect the final number more than the timing of the sale itself.
How much does M&A advisory cost?
Sell-side M&A advisory is usually a success fee tied to the deal size, sometimes with a work fee for the upfront preparation. Larger deals carry lower percentages; ask any advisor for their full fee structure in writing before engaging.
Exploring a sale or a larger transaction?
Share a few details and an advisor will walk you through your options. Confidential, no obligation.