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In the world of integrated payments and SaaS, acquirers abound and high-quality assets are hard to find. And as we head into 2019, all signs point to the continuation of a robust sellers’ market.

You’re a new boxer/fighter. You started training one year ago. Now, imagine entering the ring for your first true bout. Your opponent is equally matched in height, weight, speed and reach. It appears to be an even match – even to the casual observer. You feel good about your chances as you size up your opponent.

When I hear the expression, “what’s old is new again,” I’m apt to reflect fondly on the days of yore, how something from the past - vinyl records, bell-bottoms, (hell, actually using a phone for talking) - has re-established itself in the contemporary ethos, having undergone a transformation, evolution, or innovation of some kind, and having done so, become a better vers

Merchant acquirers have always caught the attention of investors looking to put capital to work. Recurring, predictable revenue will capture the eye of any sharp investor, and for well over a decade now, investor interest has in no uncertain terms taken root in the merchant processing space.

M&A activity in payments is prodigious, and maximizing portfolio value in a sale has never been more important. Though the heavy level of deal activity in the marketplace is a fairly current phenomenon ( the past 18 months or so), there’s nothing particularly new about trying to maximize the value of the businesses and/or assets we own when we attempt to sell them.

Independent software vendors have seen the light with regard to recognizing and appreciating the value of payments processing.

I recently had the opportunity to attend a Business Solutions Magazine sponsored conference for ISVs, VARs, and MSPs. Though not an owner/operator of the aforementioned business types, I do have a keen interest in the “goings on” of these businesses.

Valuations for ISV platforms with payments integration, and payments processing companies which have vertically integrated high margin, high growth software platforms with measurable EBITDA contribution, are on the rise. The level of M&A activity for both is striking.

Original Article Published in The Green Sheet, Authored 8.8.2016 by Adam T. Hark, Managing Director, Preston Todd Advisors

Original Article Posted to LinkedIn, Authored 7.28.2016 by Adam T. Hark, Managing Director, Preston Todd Advisors