The Strawhecker Group sees M&A activity rising in acquiring sector



Omaha, Neb., May 21, 2010 -- For those seeking proof of economic resurgence following ‘The Great Recession’, The Strawhecker Group (TSG) says to look at the payments industry. Acquisitions are heating up in the merchant-acquiring business according to the consulting firm’s research and their recent client engagements.



“The Strawhecker Group represents multiple active buyers in the acquiring arena,” said TSG founder and President Kurt Strawhecker. “The payments industry withstood the recession better than the overall marketplace, and there are now opportunities to sell merchant-acquiring businesses to buyers that have ready capital and want to move quickly.”



Strawhecker said their buyers are seeking acquisitions or joint ventures with properties ranging in value from $1 million to $75 million. The target acquisitions include enterprise, static merchant portfolios, and portfolios with sales engines or additional Payments technology capabilities. Buyers are primarily interested in portfolios on TSYS, First Data, and Global, as well as portfolios focused on strategic verticals.



TSG regularly releases data to help buyers, sellers and capital investors get accurate and reliable valuations. In April, TSG completed a review of 72 transactions that took place from 2000 to 2010 in the merchant acquiring space, which included analysis of enterprise and merchant portfolio net revenue multiples. The firm has prepared nearly 40 valuation assessments since June 2006, with individual values ranging up to $150 million. In aggregate, these analyses represent more than $1.7 billion in value.



Sellers are encouraged to email acquisitions@thestrawgroup.com for more information.



About The Strawhecker Group



The Strawhecker Group (TSG) is a management consulting company focused on the merchant acquiring sector of the payments industry. From its headquarters in Omaha, Neb., the company specializes in providing financial institutions, acquirers, card associations, ISOs, processors and the investment community with advisory services to maximize growth and profitability. TSG has provided services to 30 of the top 40 acquirers in the United States, and was named the Electronic Transaction Associations (ETA) 2009/2010 Business Partner of the Year in April. The company was founded in 2006 by Kurt Strawhecker and Jamie Savant. Visit www.TheStrawGroup.com to learn more about The Strawhecker Group.