APBOE is free to use for both buyers and sellers. Buyers only incur cost if they successfully
acquire a practice from the M&A consultant and/or financing costs.
APBOE utilizes a virtual data room for every buyer and seller. The virtual data room received a
SOC 2 Type I report, which attests to their security policies and procedures.
Financing requests can be made on the Apply for Financing page. Depending on the details of
the transaction, each applicant will be routed to possible lenders based on each lender’s credit
policy.
Currently, over 20 banks have the ability to review APBOE applicants. Historic market leaders, including Crestmark Bank, Meta Bank, and Live Oak Bank are participant lenders on APBOE.
The APBOE Index reflects the average multiple on revenue paid for wealth management
practices as reported by the M&A consultants and IBD participants on APBOE. The APBOE Index
does not reflect every single transaction in wealth management mergers and acquisitions.
APBOE representatives are available from 9:00am to 4:30pm EST Monday through Friday. You
can call them at (800)263-4908 or email them at support@APBOE.com
Other buyers cannot view your information. Only sellers verified by both APBOE and their
respective M&A consulting firm have the ability to view your practice information, and only
after you have bookmarked that listing.
Many of our buyers utilize their actual practice name as their display name to promote their
practice and show they are an active buyer on APBOE. Other advisors prefer to remain
anonymous and select a different display name. Buyers can change their display name at any
time.
APBOE does not provide a way for buyers to contact sellers. Rather, only sellers have the ability
to contact buyers. When a buyer is interested in a seller listing, the buyer Bookmarks the listing.
When the seller determines finalists, they will review all buyers’ PurchasingPower rankings that
have bookmarked their listing.
APBOE collects five documents from buyers to verify the information required to obtain a
PurchasingPower score. This is similar to verifying income and assets for a preapproval to
purchase real estate. All documentation is stored in a highly secure virtual data room for each
buyer.
Sellers consider many factors in deciding on finalists aside from PurchasingPower. Several
sellers prefer a buyer in close proximity to their practice, that serves a similar client niche, or
that utilizes a compatible client service model.
The way in which buyers accounts will be managed post-sale is very important to sellers. Sellers
require that they review a prospective buyer’s investment philosophy. Submission of model investment portfolios will increase PurchasingPower scores. In addition, utilizing recognized
outsourced CIO models incrementally increases buyer scores.
Buyers that have a preexisting relationship with a bank that funds advisory loans also have a
relationship with the bankers who will inevitably make decisions about providing financing. In
addition, placing capital in those accounts ensures that prospective buyers have requisite cash
(typically 5% of purchase price) for closing.
Each PurchasingPower factor has a different weighting. For more information on increasing
your PurchasingPower score, contact our APBOE Consulting Team at (800)263-4908 or support@apboe.com.
All APBOE listings are entered onto the APBOE site by the seller’s M&A consultant. If you do not
have an existing relationship with an M&A consultant, we can facilitate an introduction. Please
email us at support@APBOE.com for more information.
There are zero costs (subscription or otherwise) to list a practice for sale on APBOE. However,
all sellers are required to be represented by an M&A expert from a consulting firm or their
broker dealer. In addition, all sellers need to be verified by both APBOE and their respective
M&A consultant or IBD.
M&A consultants act in the best interest of sellers, yet their cost is oftentimes shared or paid in full by the buyer. Sellers who utilize an M&A consultant assemble the most appropriate deal structure, efficiently progress through the acquisition process, and commonly receive higher multiples for their firm.
APBOE can determine the amount of bank financing attainable from the seller’s practice alone
prior to ascertaining buyers credit availability. Through very light cash flow underwriting, our
Team provides sellers with additional insight into an appropriate listing price after receiving the
Seller Bank Financing Analysis.
