Ridgecrest Advisors’ Client Perficient Acquires PointBridge Solutions
~ Microsoft NSI Partners Join Forces; Deal Expected to be Immediately Accretive ~
St. Louis – February 9, 2012 –Ridgecrest Advisors announced today that its client, Perficient, Inc. (NASDAQ: PRFT), a leading information technology consulting firm serving Global 2000 and other large enterprise customers throughout North America, has acquired PointBridge Solutions, LLC (“PointBridge”), a $17.0 million annual services revenue business and technology consulting firm focused on collaboration, web content management, unified communications and business intelligence, primarily leveraging Microsoft SharePoint technologies. The transaction will increase Perficient’s current annualized revenues to more than $300 million and is expected to be accretive to earnings per share immediately.
“Like Perficient, PointBridge is an award-winning Microsoft NSI partner and we’re pleased to add their proven sales and delivery teams, attractive services offerings, and impressive client roster and bill rates in this well-structured transaction,” said Jeffrey Davis, Perficient’s chief executive officer and president. “The acquisition of PointBridge further strengthens our ability to bring a comprehensive portfolio of business-driven technology solutions to market and is a great way to start 2012.”
“PointBridge’s SharePoint expertise is highly complementary to Perficient’s existing solutions portfolio and focus areas,” said Kathy Henely, Perficient’s chief operating officer. “This acquisition further solidifies Perficient’s position amongst the very largest and most capable Microsoft systems integrator consulting firms.”
The acquisition of PointBridge also:
- Increases Perficient’s market presence in the Chicago, Milwaukee and Boston markets;
- Adds more than 130 consulting, technology, sales and support professionals; and
- Adds client relationships with enterprise customers including American Family Insurance, Caterpillar, John Deere, Jones Lang LaSalle, Wolters Kluwer, and many others.
PointBridge co-founder and chief executive Mike Gersten will join Perficient in a key leadership role, reporting directly to Aaron Sloman, general manager of Perficient’s Microsoft business group. PointBridge partner Todd Golden also joins Perficient.
“Perficient is well known for its expertise across many technology platforms and is regarded as one of the finest Microsoft National Systems Integrator partners in the country,” said Gersten. “This transaction accelerates our collective opportunity to become the leading SharePoint consulting firm in the country.”
The consideration paid in the transaction is approximately $22.0 million and includes $14.4 million in cash and approximately $7.6 million worth of Perficient common stock (based on the average closing price of Perficient’s common stock on the NASDAQ Global Select Market for the thirty trading days immediately preceding the acquisition close per the terms of the acquisition agreement).
Randy Grigg, Managing Partner of Ridgecrest Advisors, advised Perficient on the transaction in his capacity as a registered investment banking agent of Burch & Company, Inc. “The acquisition of PointBridge brings together two leading Microsoft NSI partners while greatly enhancing Perficient’s capabilities and market presence in the highly attractive SharePoint collaboration space,” said Grigg.
About Perficient
Perficient is a leading information technology consulting firm serving Global 2000 and enterprise customers throughout North America. Perficient’s professionals serve clients from a network of offices across North America and three offshore locations, in Eastern Europe, India, and China. Perficient helps clients use Internet-based technologies to improve productivity and competitiveness, strengthen relationships with customers, suppliers and partners, and reduce information technology costs. Perficient, traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market(SM), is a member of the Russell 2000® index and the S&P SmallCap 600 index. Perficient is an award-winning “Premier Level” IBM business partner, a TeamTIBCO partner, a Microsoft National Systems Integrator and Gold Certified Partner, a Documentum Select Services Team Partner, and an Oracle Certified Partner.
About PointBridge Solutions, LLC.
PointBridge is an IT consulting firm that specializes in building high-impact business solutions with Microsoft technology. Headquartered in Chicago, with offices in Milwaukee and Boston, PointBridge is one of the fastest growing Microsoft partners in the United States and one of only a few National System Integrators (NSI) in the United States. PointBridge was recently named a finalist for the Microsoft global Health Partner of the Year, and the winner of Best New Partner in New England and Best Customer Loyalty and Satisfaction in the Central U.S. PointBridge was also awarded the 2009 Microsoft Partner of the Year for Online Services globally.
PointBridge focuses on connecting people to people and people to information with Microsoft technologies. Areas of expertise include: Cloud Services, Information Management, Application Development, Unified Communications and Support Services.
About Ridgecrest Advisors
Ridgecrest Advisors is an investment banking and business consulting firm dedicated to helping technology consulting firms dramatically increase enterprise value. Ridgecrest Advisors helps clients in four core areas:
1. Buy-side M&A advisory: We help technology consulting clients increase enterprise value by successfully executing transactions which fortify, extend or transform their businesses. We have run three of the most active acquisition programs in the sector over the last 15 years and bring deep insight into full lifecycle M&A efforts.
2. Sell-side M&A advisory: We help technology consulting clients achieve premium valuations with attractive deal structures through a process that emphasizes speed and risk mitigation. Our deep industry expertise, expansive relationships with the buyer community and unmatched understanding of the perspectives of acquiring firms provide a unique ability to execute optimal transactions.
3. Business consulting: Our Enterprise Value Optimization program helps technology consulting clients improve relative performance visibility, increase profit margins and reduce business risk. With our extensive experience from evaluating hundreds of consultancies while running acquisition programs, we bring unique insight into key performance indicator benchmarks and best practices of highly profitable firms.
4. Private placements: Our ability to successfully raise capital allows our technology consulting clients to build value through funded strategic investment and reduce personal financial risk by realizing partial liquidity on their ownership positions. We have extensive relationships with private equity and debt financing providers who have experience and/or interest in the technology consulting sector.
All services involving securities are offered through Burch & Company, Inc., member FINRA/SiPC; 4151 North Mulberry Drive, Suite 235; Kansas City, MO 64116; 816.842.4660. Burch and Ridgecrest are not affiliated entities.
