Dallas–Fort Worth · Texas
Fort Worth business brokers and M&A advisors
MDR & Associates is a sell-side M&A firm for Fort Worth owners whose companies post annual revenue of $3 million to $100 million, and the Metroplex is home: our corporate office is in Frisco. As Fort Worth business brokers and M&A advisors, we value the company, find qualified buyers without exposing your name and negotiate several offers side by side. The city counted 918,915 residents in 2020, making it the second-largest city in Dallas–Fort Worth, and it is headquarters to American Airlines, BNSF Railway and Bell Textron.
Cowtown's economy: cattle, rails, aircraft and gas
Fort Worth began in 1849 as an army outpost on the Trinity River. The Chisholm Trail cattle drives brought early business, and after the Texas and Pacific Railway arrived in 1876 the Fort Worth Stockyards became a premier center for the cattle wholesale trade, with Armour and Swift running meatpacking plants. The city still calls itself the place where the West begins.
The modern economy is broader. American Airlines Group, BNSF Railway, Bell Textron, GM Financial and Cash America International have been headquartered here, and Lockheed Martin, GE Transportation, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and AT&T have a large presence. Natural gas from the Barnett Shale lies directly beneath the city, and Fort Worth is an aviation and logistics hub. It is the seat of Tarrant County and reaches into Denton, Johnson, Parker and Wise counties.
Pier 1 Imports and RadioShack were headquartered here too. Texas Christian University, Texas Wesleyan University, UNT Health and Texas A&M's law school are in the city, and the Kimbell Art Museum, the Modern Art Museum and the Amon Carter Museum make it a cultural center as well as an industrial one.
Companies in the supply chains around those employers, such as machine shops, parts distributors, maintenance contractors and freight and warehousing firms, are a natural fit for strategic buyers and private equity groups building in aerospace, rail and logistics.
Fort Worth at a glance
- CountyTarrant County (also Denton, Johnson, Parker and Wise counties)
- Metro areaDallas–Fort Worth
- Companies we sell$3M–$100M
- Typical transaction3–9 months
- Fee if we do not closeNone
Selling a supplier to Fort Worth's aerospace and rail companies
If a large share of your revenue comes from a prime contractor or a railroad, buyers will focus on three things: how long the relationship has lasted, which certifications and approvals your company holds, and whether the contract survives a change of ownership. We collect that evidence before marketing starts and present it in the confidential package, so the first serious conversation is about price rather than gaps.
Not every Fort Worth company sells to a giant, of course. Trade companies serving the city's neighborhoods, distributors along the interstates and business services firms all sell on the same fundamentals: earnings that repeat, customers spread across many accounts and a team that stays. For each of them, we find the buyers who value those strengths most and bring them into one process.
We also build a financial recast that shows adjusted earnings, meaning what the company earns once one-time costs and owner-specific expenses are set aside. Across the $3 million to $100 million revenue band we work in, the multiple is most often three to seven times adjusted EBITDA, and concentration, growth and depth of management decide where a company sits in that band. Our manufacturing practice and business valuation service explain how we get there.
How we work with Fort Worth owners
We are a Metroplex firm, and Fort Worth owners meet us at their plant or office, at our Frisco office or somewhere discreet. A principal of the firm is in every negotiation, a VP of Client Engagement is your day-to-day contact during marketing, and every offer is presented to you in person. The engagement is 100 percent performance based: an industry-standard success fee if the company sells, nothing if it does not. Michael D. Rubin started the firm in 2008, and it has more than 250 closed deals behind it.
For the market to the east, see our Dallas page; the rest of North Texas is on the Dallas–Fort Worth region page.
What we sell in and around Fort Worth
Industry decides the buyer, the multiple and the diligence. These are the four sectors we work in most.
Manufacturing
Equipment, real estate, backlog and customer concentration decide what a manufacturer is worth.
How buyers value itHome Services
Plumbing, HVAC, roofing, landscaping and other home service companies — where repeat customers, crews and technicians decide the price.
How buyers value itDistribution & Wholesale
Inventory, working capital and supplier agreements decide what a distributor is worth.
How buyers value itBusiness Services
Recurring revenue and owner dependence separate a two-times business from a six-times business.
How buyers value itStraight answers
Questions Fort Worth owners ask before they sell
Answered in full by the advisors who run the sales. Every Dallas–Fort Worth answer.
The process
How a Fort Worth sale runs
Ten steps in four stages, typically three to nine months. Click any step to see it in full.
- Prepare
- Go to market
- Negotiate
- Close
We also work with owners near Fort Worth
Questions owners in Fort Worth ask
Will a buyer from outside Texas understand what a Fort Worth company is worth?
Out-of-state buyers often know Fort Worth through its aerospace, rail and airline employers. Our marketing package and HD video explain the rest: what your company does, who it serves and why its earnings hold up. We treat every serious buyer on equal terms, which keeps local and national bidders competing.
My Fort Worth company works in the Barnett Shale gas fields. Do you handle that?
Our core sectors are manufacturing, home services, distribution and business services. A company that makes parts, distributes supplies or provides services to gas producers can fit those sectors, and we will tell you honestly at the first meeting whether we believe we can sell it for maximum value.
Do I need to drive to Frisco to work with you?
No. Many Fort Worth owners meet us at their own office after hours or at a neutral location. You are welcome at the Frisco office on Legacy Drive, Suite 220, but the work comes to you.
Talk to an advisor about your Fort Worth company
Four fields, a reply the same business day, and nothing shared with anyone. If you would rather talk, call (855) 637-2776.