ESOP Formation

Privately held companies are increasingly turning to ESOPs as a viable option to ensure a rewarding business sale and to address succession concerns.

Once you decide to form an ESOP, our investment bankers lead the ESOP process. We coordinate the various parties involved in the transaction and provide support and guidance all the way to closing. We act as the financial advisor to the company and its selling shareholders, providing advice on value, capital markets, and other liquidity options.

As a leader in ESOP advisory services, we have deep capabilities in ESOP transactions. We design and install ESOPs, large and small, across multiple industries nationwide. Our ESOP experts are as innovative as they are effective. In short, we’ve got the expertise to deliver. 

Based on the results of your feasibility study, we put your plan into motion. With your unique goals in mind, we maximize every transaction, quantitatively and qualitatively, to meet your objectives.

We’ll structure a flexible liquidity strategy, allowing you to specify and control the most important issues in the sale of your business. The result? Meaningful liquidity, attractive tax advantages, employee benefits and reduced risk.

Your goals are our priority. We tailor your ESOP transaction to your needs. 

Our investment bankers will work closely with your shareholders to understand their long-term and often multifaceted objectives. We’re committed to structuring a solution that reflects all aspects of your business value and your goals while simplifying complex ESOP issues so you can move forward confidently with your exit strategy. 

We’ll structure the transaction, we’ll negotiate value, we’ll raise the capital, and we’ll close the deal. Our experts will make it all happen, just the way you want and expect. 

The Dual-Track option

Unsure whether you should pursue a traditional M&A transaction or an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP)?

We believe you should explore all viable options, which is why PCE pioneered the Dual-Track sales process, which involves simultaneously pursuing a sale to a third-party buyer (a strategic buyer or private equity group) and a sale to an ESOP. This process allows you to evaluate and compare the most attractive liquidity alternatives that meet your goals.