Labstat International

Industry

Contract Laboratory

Company Profile

Established in 1976, Labstat International is the world’s leading independent analytical laboratory dedicated to tobacco testing, research and development, and analysis for regulatory reporting and labeling for major international tobacco manufacturers, governments, university researchers and private interests.

NewPoint’s Role

NewPoint was engaged by a senior executive living in the United Kingdom who had entered into a letter of intent to purchase Labstat. NewPoint’s roleincluded: assisting in financial due diligence; determining the capital structure; raising all levels of capital required to complete the acquisition; and negotiating all closing legal documentation.

Transaction Snapshot

The Purchaser had a relatively small amount of equity but had direct working experience in the highly specialized tobacco testing industry. Through creative capital structuring and successfully negotiating significant vendor financing, NewPoint was able to secure a significant equity interest in the Company for the client, even though a relatively small equity investment was made. Another aspect of the transaction was the number of other stakeholders involved — two of three existing shareholders were bought out, the majority shareholder was reinvesting and continuing as CEO of the business, an existing manger in the business was invited to invest, and outside capital was being provided by a new senior lender and mezzanine investor.