We primarily invest in high quality, lower middle market U.S. companies in the consumer sector.
Founded in 1995, BRS & Co., L.L.C. (“BRS”) is a New York-based private equity investment firm with combined capital invested of over $1.2 billion. BRS specializes in management buyouts and recapitalizations of high quality, lower middle market U.S. companies in the consumer sector with strong market positions and/or growth potential.
Specific areas of the consumer sector in which BRS focus includes specialty retail, restaurants, food and beverages, consumer products and services and specialty distribution.
Since its founding, BRS has made over 50 investments in consumer and select industrial companies in the lower middle market.
BRS’s philosophy is to partner with the management of its portfolio companies, allowing them operational freedom with long-term equity incentives and support. With over two decades of investing in lower middle market consumer companies, the Firm has remained focused and disciplined in its strategy and process throughout multiple financial, market and economic cycles.
BRS Approach
BRS seeks to identify and make control investments in consumer and select industrial companies that have a strong market position in attractive market niches. BRS seeks to make control investments in order to take an active role in driving sustainable earnings growth and creating meaningful shareholder value. BRS believes the strength of its experience and relationships with industry experts helps these lower middle market companies professionalize, grow and build meaningful shareholder value. To each portfolio company, BRS brings experience, expertise and resources in the areas of:
- Strategic long-term planning
- Appoint value-added members to board of directors from BRS’s broad networks of industry professionals
- Identify and prioritize market opportunities including new unit openings, new markets, new product introductions, acquisitions, etc.
- Enhance management tools and capabilities in support of growth
- Acquisitions
- Originate accretive add-on opportunities
- Financing
- Execute and arrange financing for acquisitions and/or recapitalizations
Investment Criteria
BRS seeks to make investments in companies that meet the following investment criteria:
- Led by managers with an established track record of achievement
- Participate in economically attractive, fragmented, niche industries with strong fundamentals
- Demonstrate a sustainable competitive advantage, including an ability to grow, innovate and withstand economic downturns
- Possess strong market positions, attractive cash flow attributes and high return on investment enabling them, inter alia, to service a leveraged capitalization
- Enjoy excellent organic or acquisitive growth prospects
BRS has experience executing the following transaction types:
- Management buyouts of public and privately held companies and divisions of larger companies
- Recapitalizations of closely held businesses in order to provide additional financing or liquidity for existing investors
- Acquisitions of companies seeking the financing required to execute consolidation strategies in fragmented but attractive industries
- Selected equity financings of growth companies that have demonstrated significant potential
- Equity investments in growth companies
- Investments in companies participating in industries in which BRS has extensive investment experience
Target Investments
BRS primarily makes control investments in leveraged buyouts and recapitalizations of consumer companies with significant operations in the United States.
Enterprise Value: $25 – $250 million
Equity Investment: $10 – $25 million
Broad sectors in which BRS invest includes:
- Consumer Products and Services
- Multi-unit Concepts (Fitness, Restaurants, Specialty Retail)
- Food and Nutrition
- Specialty Distribution