Financial Formulas That Matter

Table of Contents

• Welcome to the M&A Mindset!

  • Interesting Infographic

  • M&A Topic Briefing

  • Articles of Interest

  • Educational Resources

  • Spreadsheet Tips & Tricks

  • Good Reads This Week

  • From The Benchmark Blog

  • Industry Associations

  • Friends of the M&A Mindset

  • Lighten Up!

  • M&A Merch

  • Rate This Week's Issue

INTERESTING INFOGRAPHIC

Each week, I feature a visually engaging infographic that distills a key M&A subject area into an easy-to-digest format. These quick reference guides aim to deliver clarity, insight, and practical understanding at a glance.

Financial Formulas That Matter

M&A TOPIC BRIEFING

In this section, I provide a clear, concise overview of a specific topic, trend, or concept within the realm of M&A. The goal is to educate, inform, and spark discussions on relevant subjects, helping you deepen your knowledge and better navigate the complexities of M&A more confidently.

5 Things That Slow Deals Down

Wall Street Just Named the Most Crowded Trades of 2026

AI stocks. Metals. Crypto.

Surprise, surprise; gold crashed 16%. Silver plunged 34%. Bitcoin dropped to 1 year lows.

All supposedly "uncorrelated" assets moving in lockstep largely because of overleveraged margin.

JPM strategists warn that the same leverage is still a risk.

Those markets may be recovering now, but cascading liquidations could trigger quickly across several asset classes simultaneously.

So much for diversifying away risk, right?

But get this–

70,819 everyday investors have allocated $1.3 billion fractionally across 500+ exclusive investments. 

Not real estate or PE… Blue-chip art. Sounds crazy, right?

Now it’s easy to invest in art featuring legends like Banksy, Basquiat, and Picasso, thanks to Masterworks.

They do the heavy lifting from acquisition to sale, so you can diversify with the strategy typically limited to the ultra-wealthy.

(Past sales delivered net returns like 14.6%, 17.6%, and 17.8% on works held longer than a year.)*

Our subscribers skip the waitlist

_{*Investing involves risk.  Past performance is not indicative of future returns. Important Reg A disclosures: masterworks.com/cd}

ARTICLES OF INTEREST

• How The Great Generational Transfer is Driving Family Business M&A Deals - An unprecedented wave of baby boomer retirements is fueling increased M&A activity among family businesses, as many owners lack succession plans or face complex generational transitions.

• How Young Entrepreneurs Are Buying Small Businesses Through An Investment Tool - and Building Wealth Along The Way - As millions of baby-boomer owners retire without succession plans, younger entrepreneurs are increasingly using search funds to acquire and operate existing small businesses, offering a faster, lower-risk path to ownership while helping solve a growing Main Street transition gap.

• PE Firms Betting Big on Small Businesses - Private equity firms are increasingly targeting smaller, lower middle-market businesses due to their fragmentation, recurring revenue potential, and opportunities for value creation through consolidation.

• Why Mergers & Acquisitions Aren't Just for Big Corporates Anymore - M&A has become accessible to startups, small businesses, and even solo entrepreneurs due to technology, private capital, and new financing options.

• The "Silver Tsunami" is Reshaping Small Business: Why Exit Planning Can't Wait - A massive wave of baby-boomer retirements is creating urgent pressure for owners to plan exits early, as many lack succession plans and risk lower valuations, failed transitions, or closures without proper preparation.

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

• Wall Street Oasis: Elite Modeling Course

• Coursera: Introduction to Finance & Accounting (Wharton - UPenn)

• Wall Street Prep: How To Build A 3-Statement Model

• Corporate Finance Institute: Introduction to Mergers & Acquisitions

• Data Camp: Financial Modeling in Excel

SPREADSHEET TIPS & TRICKS

Master Financial Modeling from Elite Practitioners

6 jam-packed courses with countless cases and 30+ exercises to help you learn financial modeling. Each course is designed to guide you step-by-step in your journey to develop elite modeling skills. Click Here!

GOOD READS THIS WEEK

FROM THE BENCHMARK BLOG

My firm, Benchmark International, a global, award-winning sell-side M&A company, has a ton of great resources that help anyone considering selling or buying a business get more educated on all aspects of the process. Below is just one helpful article. Check out Benchmark International for many more useful articles, news, and resources.

• How Interest Rates Affect Middle Market Businesses

INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS

Trade Associations in the M&A Industry

• Association for Corporate Growth (ACG)

• Alliance of Mergers & Acquisitions Advisors (AMAA)

• The M&A Advisor

FRIENDS OF THE M&A MINDSET

From time to time, we’ll highlight newsletters and podcasts we genuinely read, listen to, and respect across M&A, PE, and the broader deal ecosystem.
No paid placements. No mass promotions. Just thoughtful, high-quality content that complements the M&A Mindset.

Here’s a few newsletters that I’ve signed up for and found interesting. Thought you might enjoy checking them out.

Have something to suggest that we should know about? Reach out. 

Nuclear Stocks Are Surging - These 7 Lead the Pack

For years, investors ignored nuclear.

Now energy demand is rising, supply is tight, and governments are backing buildouts.

Yet parts of the sector still trade as if nothing changed.

The 7 Top Nuclear Stocks to Buy Now report highlights companies leading this rally and positioned to benefit as momentum builds.

Send My Free Report

LIGHTEN UP!

In the fast-paced world of M&A, we can sometimes take things (and ourselves) a bit too seriously, so it’s good to remember to enjoy a lighter moment now and then.

10 of The Worst Investments In History

M&A MERCH

Here’s a find for us finance folks to grab some M&A-inspired swag. Stuff for those of us that speak fluent EBITDA. If you find others that have great deal-themed gear, send them this way so we can let everyone know. Enjoy!

• Merch & Acquisition Co. - Dress Like You Just Closed