Check fraud can be particularly debilitating to a business in terms of the emotional and financial impact as well as reputational damage. Read about one company's experience with this problem.

Before you establish your marketing budget, there are a few questions your organization needs to consider to ensure expectations are clear and your budget will cover your plans for the year.

Raising capital or selling a business is time consuming and requires significant preparation well before the first potential financing partner or acquirer is contacted. This presentation provides insights on that preparing for that process.

Despite the economic downturn, there is an abundance of private capital and continuing long-term interest from financial and strategic acquirers in quality businesses. As part of this presentation, England & Co. will ask a panel of non-control and control investors and acquirers along with a well-known ESOP attorney to explain key aspects of their particular transaction focus and provide their views on how the current downturn is likely to impact overall levels of transaction activity.

Solid middle-market businesses are vulnerable to revenue surprises and market volatility as the impact of COVID-19 on the economy is currently demonstrating. While the long-term prospects of your business may not be materially impaired by temporary decreases in customer demand, delayed projects or supply chain disruptions, the earnings impact can potentially trigger a default under performance-linked financial covenants with a lender.

The accompanying set of exhibits provides an overview of financial trends in distribution between 2005 and 2009. It places special emphasis on the changes between 2008 and 2009. The information related to EASA comes from data provided by participants in the Operating Performance Survey.

The analysis covers 34 different lines of trade in distribution. In developing such a macro-view of distribution, it is not possible to compare most financial ratios directly. For example, some industries have a high gross margin and accompanying high expenses, while others have a low gross margin and low expenses.

What is possible is to compare the direction and magnitude of change. The emphasis is on how much performance changed during the time period covered.