Investment Criteria

Sectors

Bessemer Investors targets companies in industries that leverage our experience, network, and value proposition including:

  • Industrials
  • Business Services
  • Consumer

Industrials

Industrials

Business Models & Sub-Sectors

  • Process and flow control
  • Value-added distribution
  • Industrial technology
  • Packaging
  • Industrial services
  • Utility and Infrastructure Services
  • Aerospace and defense

Themes & Attributes

  • Highly-engineered or “spec’d-in” products / components
  • High cost of failure / downtime
  • Intellectual property or other hard-to-replicate advantages
  • Aftermarket parts and services revenue streams
  • Emphasis on safety, security, and/or increasing regulation
  • Aging infrastructure

Business Services

Business Services

Business Models & Sub-Sectors

  • Facility and support services
  • Testing, inspection and certification
  • Lab services and products
  • Business process outsourcing / Contract manufacturing
  • Insurance distribution and services

Themes & Attributes

  • Recurring revenue, predictable demand
  • Specialty / niche focus providing proprietary services / products
  • Emphasis on safety, security, and non-discretionary purchases
  • Enhanced cost benefit to customers and / or conversion of fixed costs to variable
  • Continued trend toward greater outsourcing

Consumer

Consumer

Business Models & Sub-Sectors

  • Residential services
  • Animal health / pet products and services
  • Food and beverage: equipment, distribution, ingredients
  • Franchisors, franchisees, and restaurants
  • Beauty and personal care products, services and ingredients

Themes & Attributes

  • Reoccurring and non-discretionary buying patterns
  • Strong consumer awareness with targeted audiences – platform for product or service extension
  • Highly favorable customer experience

Size

We pursue investments across a broad size spectrum and our platform investments tend to fall in the following ranges:

  • $50 – $150+ million of equity with significant flexibility to scale
  • $5 – $50 million of EBITDA
  • $75 – $500 million of Enterprise Value

Add-on acquisitions of any size.

Characteristics

Bessemer Investors targets businesses that exhibit one or more of the following attributes:

  • Proven, Differentiated Businesses
  • Defensible Market Position
  • Predictable Demand Patterns
  • Multiple Growth Levers
  • Strong Management

Proven, Differentiated Businesses

Proven, differentiated business models with attractive margins and cash flow profiles.

  • Highly-engineered, mission critical, or “spec’d-in” products and services
  • Low product / service cost relative to value or cost of failure
  • High return on invested capital and/or cash flow conversion
  • Compelling unit economics with potential to scale efficiently

Defensible Market Position

Strong, defensible market position in stable or growing end markets.

  • Secular tailwinds
  • Demonstrated ability to gain market share

Predictable Demand Patterns

Stable and recurring demand drivers.

  • Long-term contracts, non-discretionary products, high switching costs, and/or retention rates
  • Replacement parts, consumables, and service revenue streams

Multiple Growth Levers

Identifiable levers for growth and/or enhanced profitability.

  • Positive, long-term organic growth
  • Platform for accretive acquisitions
  • Margin improvement opportunities

Strong Management

Strong management teams with a clear vision for future value creation.

  • Experienced teams with a demonstrated track record of execution

Structure

Bessemer Investors invests across a wide range of situations and structures, including:

  • Majority or minority investments
  • Family or sponsor owned businesses, corporate carve-outs, and public-to-privates
  • Platform acquisitions as well as buy and builds
  • Primary growth capital or shareholder liquidity