Oxford Advantage
Creating A Vibrant Entrepreneurial Partnership With Management
Why Sellers Come To Oxford
The principals of Oxford have diverse business backgrounds that include extensive deal making, strategy development, business plan implementation, and "hands-on" operating experience. This includes significant expertise in managing manufacturing, distribution, financial services, and selected other companies, including holding senior executive positions at large corporations.
Oxford has the experience and expertise to quickly and accurately assess the fundamental strengths and prospects of a business. This analysis yields realistic transaction structures that meet the objectives of sellers, management and capital markets. Additionally, Oxford recognizes that successful acquisitions can only result from unconditional respect for seller confidentiality.
Oxford builds businesses. Prior ownership's efforts are respected and enhanced. Oxford professionals work well with management and sellers to make a comfortable and satisfying ownership transition. Sellers can be proud of the groundwork they have laid for Oxford's expansion efforts.
Oxford prides itself on creatively structuring transactions to accommodate the specific needs, interests and concerns of each seller. Sellers' objectives, while extremely diverse, have been met through creative thinking, mature discussion and compromise.
Transaction structures attempt to maintain the existing identity of a company wherever possible. The goal is a transaction structure that supports and builds, not threatens the long-term prosperity of the existing business.
Oxford has a proven record of being able to quickly and fairly close difficult transactions, including companies experiencing regressed cash flow due to rapid growth, short term reverses in markets, or inadequate expense control. Oxford's specialists also are adept at working with businesses where management or ownership is in transition.
The keys to success in these situations include the ability to conduct timely due diligence, access to reliable accounting, legal and environmental specialists when necessary, and strong relationships with financial market sources.
Because of its strong professional structure and comprehensive approach, Oxford is able to move quickly, yet prudently, from the inception of a potential acquisition to its closing. Full resources are devoted to a given transaction at all times, with the understanding that lost time may easily translate into lost opportunity.
Working With Management Partnership
Each Oxford investment operates as an independent entity. Rather than creating unnecessary paper flow, management's primary communications with Oxford are through personal relationships rather than formal bureaucratic channels. As a result, managers enjoy the flexibility to effectively operate their business while having access to extensive financial, management and operating resources.
While Oxford provides management with access to a broad array of resources, it relies on managers to run their company. Oxford creates a strong, experienced CEO and senior management team. Decision making is management s function within the parameters of a long-term business strategy and annual budgets.
Oxford structures equity-based compensation programs for key managers of its companies. Equity ownership aligns management and shareholder objectives and rewards company executives for superior performance.
Oxford professionals operate as partners with management. They serve as a sounding board for company management and are available at management's request for analytical support for projects such as designing budgeting or cost systems, evaluating new markets, seeking new plant locations, coordinating environmental cleanup projects, or structuring improved benefits programs and information systems.
In particular, the firm's experience in identifying strategic add-on acquisition targets, evaluating new business opportunities, structuring transactions, and arranging financing enables companies to explore strategically important acquisitions or expansion possibilities.
A proven track record of effectively adding value to existing businesses makes Oxford an attractive investor for management that wants to ensure continued growth opportunities for employees and customers. Oxford has assisted management in growing businesses in many ways: from acquiring related companies, expanding capacity and providing working capital, to increasing operating efficiencies, developing new products and introducing new customers. Operating partners and management teams have, in the past, used Oxford professionals to negotiate with vendors and customers, to intercede in employee, environmental and customer issues, and to coordinate litigation and insurance matters.