What do you do with transaction fees in an LBO model?

Hi all,

When solving a simple paper LBO model, how do you account for transaction fees? Let's say the EV is 1000 and you acquire the firm using 70% debt. Transaction fees are 50 and existing cash is 50. After 5 years cumulative FCFE is 200 and you can sell the firm for 1200. Is it correct that the cash multiple = (1200 + 200 - 700)/300 = 2.33? How do you account for the existing cash and the transaction fess in this kind of calculation?

Many thanks in advance,

Antoine

6 Comments
 
Most Helpful

Your cash on cash multiple is correct.

You deal with the transaction fees and cash in the sources / uses.

Uses: Equity + Debt (1050), Min Cash (0) Sources: BS cash (50), Debt (700), Equity Check (300)

If you have a Min cash requirement or there isn’t enough BS cash to fund the fees, the sponsor has to write a bigger check. That 300 is the “plug” in the equation

 

If $50 existing cash sits on BS then it Needs to be netted against debt at sale. However since min cash is 0 we assume it is used to fund transaction $50 costs instead of hit to equity.

Otherwise it would be (1200+200-700+50)/300 as cash on cash and at entry, the $50 transaction fee is taken out of equity pro forma balance sheet adjustment. 

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