Michael Mathews is Founder and CEO of SBS Advisors, and brings more than fifteen years of experience providing Merger & Acquisition (M&A) advisory services to both buyers and sellers of businesses. He has completed transactions in the technology, healthcare, financial services, business services, manufacturing, construction, specialty trades, retail and distribution sectors in his career. Based in the Lutherville-Timonium area, SBS Advisors focuses on lower middle market transactions in the Mid-Atlantic region but also services clients nationwide.

Q. Please provide an overview of your suite of services.

A.SBS Advisors positions ourselves as a lower middle market Merger & Acquisition advisory services firm. We define the lower middle market as companies generating $5 to $50 million in annual revenues. We assist primarily business owners in the Mid-Atlantic that are looking to either sell their business or buy businesses as part of a strategic growth plan for their existing company.

Q. Describe the current environment for M&A advisory services.

A.The current activity, actually, is the best that I have ever experienced in my career. And I say that hoping that I do not jinx myself. A number of existing factors contribute to the velocity, led by continuing momentum and growth of businesses in general in the Mid-Atlantic region. The national economy is also thriving. That growth has helped many middle market companies expand their businesses, which make them attractive targets for potential buyers. Funds, from a variety of sources, remain plentiful and fairly easy to access to execute these transactions.

Q. What types of industries are particularly active in the trading?

A. We see activity across all industries but, if I had to identify one, I would select healthcare. This includes single-site or multi-location medical practices. Also, companies that are involved with niche pharmaceutical operations, have developed a product or instrument or are involved in the distribution of pharmaceuticals. We have also worked with independent healthcare service companies and entities that have created software programs to manage consumer records. Another active industry is cyber-security, including those in the government or private sector.

Q. What separates SBS Advisors from the competition?

A.It starts with our singular focus on the lower middle market. We are also extremely strategic and creative, provide value-add services to every assignment and, most importantly, we deliver the results our clients are looking for.

Q. Do you foresee a continuation of this strong activity over the next several years?

A. Always difficult to predict the future obviously, because things change all the time and you never know what issue might emerge to change the dynamics. But, the quality and quantity of our clients is the best that it has ever been, and we fully expect this trend to continue on. Everything goes in cycles. Expectations are that, at some point, interest rates will rise enough to cool things down and the economy might take a dip in a year or so. Until then, we expect everything to continue at the same clip.

Greg Weiner is a Member in PK Law and Co-Chairs the firm’s Corporate and Real Estate Group. He represents emerging and established businesses in a wide range of industries including technology, health care (including urgent care, home healthcare, assisting living and nursing homes), restaurants, breweries, education, construction and professional services (including physician practice groups, accountants, attorneys, software and IT companies and design firms). He assists them with general business matters, as well as employment contracts, wage and hour and overtime issues, independent contractor versus employee classification, real estate needs and financing. Contact Greg Weiner at gweiner@pklaw.com or 410.339.5785.

Pessin Katz Law, P.A. (PK Law) is the ninth largest law firm in the Baltimore area and has been serving clients for thirty years. PK Law maintains full-service offices in Towson, Columbia, and Bel Air and is comprised of more than 50 lawyers. Practice areas include corporate law, real estate, zoning, education law, estate planning, elder law, labor and employment, litigation, insurance law and medical malpractice defense. For additional information, visit www.PKLaw.com