The Ledger
Every statement that passed quotation and attribution checks. Mix any filter with any other: certainty 1/5, debate potential 5/5, or both at once.
why aren't all 11 resolved? a statement only gets an assessment when the public record can support or contradict it. opinions and what-ifs never can, and 0 checkable ones are still open, waiting for their date. predictions held up or didn't; assertions are supported or contradicted. on every card: ▮▮▮▮▮ certainty · ▮▮▮▮▮ debate potential. speakers are clickable
Marlin: Microsoft acquiring LinkedIn has zero strategic fit
“I contrast that with Microsoft buying LinkedIn, and I should say that I love LinkedIn. I'm one of the first thousand users of LinkedIn. We use it extensively in my company. I think it's a great service, and yet I think it has zero strategic fit with Microsoft …”
Marlin: Verizon buying Yahoo is a smart move at a smart price
“But I would argue that Verizon buying Yahoo is a smart move that does advance them towards a clear, clear strategic objective, given the fact that, that Verizon had already bought AOL and had announced an objective of making AOL into the leader in consumer ori…”
Marlin: M&A advisory fees range from under 1% to 7%
“You know the bigger the deal, the smaller the percentage. So when you're talking about deals that are a couple of hundred million dollars, you're at under one percent. And when you're talking about smaller transactions, then it could be as much as seven percen…”
Marlin: M&A sellers should over-disclose potential deal-breakers early to build trust
“These transactions are based on trust, and both sides need to trust the other, but part of building that trust is being honest with the people on the other side, and so we tell them to over-disclose if there is a, if there's something that You know, could poss…”
Marlin: M&A sellers should underestimate financial projections if uncertain
“Perfection is to give people a set of forecast, a forecast that you're going to meet and to meet it because it shows a certain level of competence and management control that is impressive when people are going to do that. But you're absolutely right. I tell t…”
Marlin: Fred Wilson is the smartest person at identifying new trends
“Right now, the guy I'm paying the most attention to, I suppose, is a CEO, but he's the CEO of a venture capital firm, and his name is Fred Wilson. And I think he is the smartest guy I know in terms of identifying new trends and taking advantage of.”
Marlin: Joe Mansueto is one of the smartest CEOs in business
“I think Joe Mancueto is one of the smartest CEOs out there. He's done a tremendous job with Morningstar and so I would never bet against him. The particular strategic fit with Morningstar is going to be interesting to watch.”
Marlin & Associates averages 3% to 4% in advisory fees
“For us, I'd say we probably average around three to four percent.”
Marlin & Associates handled $1B in transaction volume in 2016
“For us in 2016, if I think about it was probably someplace around a billion dollars”