The pitfalls of the DIY deal

Low interest rates, ripe rollup opportunities, and zealous dealmakers made 2015 the ‘Year of the Deal’, driving an estimated 4.3 trillion USD* M&A volume across global business. Labels and packaging saw its fair share of big-money transactions with the Rock-Tenn and MeadWestvaco merger and Ball’s acquisition of Rexam, not to mention Multi Packaging Solutions’ IPO and pursuant 2 billion USD valuation.

Amidst the excitement – and recent slowdown of private equity activity – a number of label entities have decided to manage their own ‘roadshows’, taking their companies to market with their energetic (but M&A-inexperienced) management teams. This has led to some interesting yet troublesome experiences, hampering great enterprises’ ability to pull off what could be the next set of lucrative label deals.