[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]Auctus Capital Partners is pleased to announce it has been named the  Top Investment Bank from Axial,  a private deal network serving professionals who own, advise, and invest in North American lower middle market companies, including more than 3,500 advisory firms and 2,000 corporate and financial buyers.

The 2022 Q1 ranking places Auctus in the Number 1 spot with the highest score in Axial’s League Table with surface data on investment banks to reveal their selectivity, relative attractiveness of their client’s businesses, and their overall sell-side process efficacy.

“Today’s lower middle market businesses require unique, integrated approaches to manage increasingly complex needs and we are grateful for the recognition our leadership has earned,” said Muhammad Azfar, Managing Partner of Auctus Capital Partners. “These rankings are a testament to the result Auctus delivers, strong client partnerships, and our ability to drive consistent and superior outcomes that maximize value and create steady growth for companies we serve.”

Together, the Top 25 Investment Banks are those who work with the most in-demand clients; balance breadth, selectivity, and accuracy in the buyers they engage; and generate the largest number of positive outcomes for their clients. Axial’s Lower Middle Market Investment Banking League Tables aggregate and rank M&A advisors based on their quarterly deal activity. Three factors disproportionately drive league table ranking, including 1) Client quality [based on pursuits per deal], 2) Buy-side targeting [pursuit rate per deal] and 3) Deal outcome [down-funnel LOI and closure activity]. For detailed methodology, see the end of this feature.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text][tombstone-slider][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]

Top 25 Lower Middle Market Investment Banks [Q1 2022]

Axial | Dani Forman |  April 14, 2022

We are excited to release Axial’s Q1 2022 Lower Middle Market Investment Banking League Tables.

Momentum from a record-breaking year of deal-making set the stage for what was expected to be a very active Q1. However, just as the economy was finally beginning to move on from the Covid-era, a new, yet no-less complex set of uncertainties was introduced into the markets: inflation, broken supply chains, and war in Europe triggered extreme volatility in the public markets, and dampened the pace of M&A in the private markets. Global M&A deal value and volume dropped by almost 20% in Q1, compared with the same time period last year.

As we’ve seen in the past, the lower middle market, resilient as ever, remained surprisingly active despite the broader market volatility. New transactions marketed by Axial members increased by 26% YoY. The rate at which buyers on the Axial network pursued those transactions increased by 7% QoQ:

Quarterly Deal Activity Summary

930 investment banks brought deals to market using Axial in Q1. 

See the full list of the Top 25 Investment Banks on Axial in 2022 Q1 here.

League Table Methodology

Unlike traditional league table structures that have remained the same for years, where firms are assessed against deal volume and deal dollar volume, Axial league tables surface data on investment banks that reveal their selectivity, the relative attractiveness of their client’s businesses, and their overall sell-side process efficacy.

The investment banks at the top of the Axial League Table are leaders across the following categories:

• Client Quality: Buy-side demand for engagements represented by the advisor.
• Buy-Side Targeting: The advisor’s ability to balance selectivity, accuracy, and breadth when identifying potential buyers.
• Process Effectiveness: The advisor’s ability to generate positive outcomes for their client.
• Overall Deal Relevance: How many buy-side mandates (financial and strategic) align with the advisor’s engagements.
• Process Selectivity: How broad or narrow are the advisors’ sell-side processes relative to their peers?
• Signed NDAs: How many buyers indicate interest in each of the advisor’s engagements, measured by the number of signed NDAs.
• Buyer Referrals: Feedback we receive from buyers regarding the manner in which the advisor manages their processes.
• Executed LOIs: How many deals the advisor successfully managed to take under LOI with an Axial buyer
• Closed Deals: How many deals has the advisor closed where they involved one or more Axial buyers in the process?

Together, the top 25 investment banks are those who work with the most in-demand clients; balance breadth, selectivity, and accuracy in the buyers they engage; and generate the largest number of positive outcomes for their clients.

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