Family Business Director

June 21, 2021 M&A Shareholder Engagement Special Topics

Family Business Purpose and Transactions

In this post, we offer a unique perspective from Atticus Frank, CFA who worked in his family’s business for nearly three years prior to returning to Mercer Capital and joining the team’s Family Business Advisory Group. This post focuses on the wisdom, or lack thereof, of transactions. M&A decisions shouldn’t be undertaken without understanding the meaning of the family business to the family (Is the family business a growth engine, a store of value, a wealth accumulation vehicle, or a lifestyle vehicle). Atticus tackles the topic with a story about his family business.

June 14, 2021 Special Topics

Five Questions with Paul Hood

In this post, Travis Harms sat with Paul Hood, a recovering tax lawyer, to speak about one of the most important tasks a business owner will face: estate planning.

June 8, 2021 Special Topics

Crypto, Meme Stocks, NFTs and Your Family Business

Cryptocurrencies, meme stocks, and NFTs are in the news. In the post, we explore what the well-publicized market activity for cryptocurrencies, meme stocks, and NFTs suggest for the value of your family business.

June 2, 2021 Special Topics

Book Review: When Anything Is Possible

Over 80% of trust beneficiaries believe their trust has a negative impact on their lives. Really? That is one of the numerous counterintuitive findings presented by David C. Wells, Jr. in his new book “When Anything Is Possible: Wealth and the Art of Strategic Living.” In our family business advisory practice at Mercer Capital, we help our clients navigate the intersection of family issues and business realities. Built around the framework of wealth structure, identity, and strategy, “When Anything Is Possible” is a timely guide for business owners thinking about the role of wealth in their families.

May 25, 2021 COVID-19 Coverage Special Topics

Making Sense of 2020: Part 4

History, Valuation & the Future

We’ve covered the pandemic’s affect on the operating, investing, and financing decisions made by public companies in our last three posts. This week, we conclude by examining shareholder returns.

May 17, 2021 COVID-19 Coverage Special Topics

Making Sense of 2020: Part 3

Benchmarking Cash Flow From Financing Activities

In the first two parts of this series, we analyzed the operating performance and investing decisions of the companies in our benchmarking universe. This week, we examine the financing decisions of those companies and apply those observations to family businesses.

May 10, 2021 COVID-19 Coverage Special Topics

Making Sense of 2020: Part 2

Benchmarking Cash Flow From Investing Activities

Continuing our benchmarking analysis, we turn our attention this week to how companies made investment decisions in 2020.

May 3, 2021 COVID-19 Coverage Special Topics

Making Sense of 2020: Part I

Benchmarking Cash Flow From Operations

Here at Family Business Director, we believe in the power of benchmarking for family businesses. Done well, benchmarking provides managers and directors with valuable insight and context for evaluating the operating performance of the family business and the strategic investing and financing decisions made by the directors.

For the 2021 edition of Mercer Capital’s “Benchmarking Guide for Family Business Directors,” we have drawn data from the SEC filings of revenue-generating companies in the Russell 3000 index (excluding financial institutions, real estate companies, and utilities). From that data, the Benchmarking Guide focuses on four metrics: 1) the components of cash flow from operations, 2) investing activity, 3) financing decisions, and 4) market performance and shareholder returns.

This first post of four addresses the first metric: The components of cash flow from operations. The benchmarking data raises some critical questions for family business directors as the U.S. economy continues on the path to recovery.

April 27, 2021 Planning & Strategy Taxes

Capital Gains Taxes and Family Businesses

Don’t Let the Tax Tail Wag the Family Business Dog

It was “leaked” last week that the Biden administration is planning to nearly double the federal capital gains tax rate on taxpayers earning more than $1 million from 20% to 39.6%. In states with high taxes, the combined blended rate could top 50%. This week we discuss the capital gains tax and provide some helpful reminders for family business owners.

April 19, 2021 Performance Measurement Planning & Strategy

Getting to the Top

A Peek Inside the Family Capital 750

Late last month, Family Capital released its third annual ranking of the world’s largest family businesses, the Family Capital 750.  As the name suggests, the list includes 750 global family businesses with 2019 revenue ranging from $2.7 billion to $514 billion. in this week’s post, we share what we found when we scrubbed the data.