Maybe the essential part of being an industry analyst is networking, in a typical week, I talk to vendors, SI’s, end-users, and investors. The role of the analyst is to listen and learn, and where possible, offer constructive advice. The past month or so, it’s fair to say two distinct camps have emerged, somewhat reflecting the current political divides. Those who say nothing will happen till things get back to ‘normal’, versus those that are forging ahead and quite frankly proving that a lot is happening right now. Nor more so is this the case than in the world of M&A.
Though things are certainly a bit quieter than usual, in Information Management, I would have to say that activities have kept going at a surprisingly brisk pace. Just this past month we have seen (and surely missed many others):
DocCorp acquired Verawave
Construxiv Technologies acquired Grit Virtual
Insurity acquired Epic-Premier
AutoDesk acquired Pype
Insight Service Group (ISG) acquired iUnlimited
Aptean acquired Workwise
Industry Dive acquired NewsCred
MPS acquired HighWire Press
SAP plans to spin off recent acquisition Qualtrics
Add to this the fact that several vendors we know are actively looking to acquire, and others in advanced discussions to sell. PEHub for example, reports that TH Lee is now looking to sell Alfresco.
Deep Analysis is not an M&A Brokerage, but we do network widely and actively advise senior executives, both buyers, and sellers. So I would like to think we have a good idea of what is going on behind the scenes in the Information and Process Management world. I can tell you for sure that there are personal anguish and difficulties to resolve during the pandemic. Still, the business itself is thriving, for most.
But that doesn’t mean nothing has changed. If nothing else, both buyers and sellers seem (temporarily at least) to be a bit more realistic about valuations. Previously neglected and unloved back-office tech has risen to new prominence just as some tech niches that were hot pre-pandemic have seen interest in decline. These are dark and crazy times, but like it or not, life does go on, we adjust, we juggle, and we deal as best we can with each new crisis.
So if you are looking to acquire or sell your firm, give me a call. A call that will likely result in nothing more than friendly chat, but occasionally, it may result in something more actionable. For as Marie Antoinette may have once said, “In times of crisis, it is of utmost importance to keep one’s head.”
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