How They Invest: Buy and Build Compounders Maran Capital Founder and CIO Dan Roller | Episode #179
Jan 6, 2024
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Dan Roller, Founder and CIO of Maran Capital, discusses investing in buy-and-build compounders in public markets. Topics include: formation of Maran Capital, choosing hunting ground and creating structural advantages, researching and choosing companies to invest in, buy-and-build basics and examples, potential risks, value vs. growth debate, investing in SPACs, thesis drift and mental models.
The buy and build strategy in investing involves organic growth and value-creating acquisitions, requiring careful capital allocation, strong management, and a disciplined approach to leverage.
Successful buy and build strategies emphasize both organic growth and smart acquisitions, with a stable core business serving as a foundation for growth and diversification.
Proper capital allocation, disciplined leverage, and alignment with shareholders are crucial for the success of the buy and build strategy in order to avoid excessive debt and value destruction.
Deep dives
The Buy and Build Strategy: Creating Value through Organic Growth and Acquisitions
The buy and build strategy involves organic growth and value-creating acquisitions. Companies implementing this approach focus on growing a core business that generates cash flow, which can then be used for both organic growth and strategic acquisitions. A successful buy and build strategy requires careful capital allocation, strong management, and a disciplined approach to leverage. The strategy can lead to compounding returns when executed effectively, as demonstrated by the successes of companies like Armor Holdings and Claris Corporation.
In the case of Claris Corporation, Warren Kanders' next venture after Armor Holdings, the company emphasizes both organic growth and smart bolt-on acquisitions. Claris has a stable core business with low leverage, creating a favorable equity cost of capital for acquisitions. This strategy has allowed Claris to build a diversified portfolio of brands with attractive growth prospects.
Another key example is Turning Point Brands, a company in the other tobacco products and tobacco-related products business. Turning Point Brands pursued a buy and build strategy, leveraging special situations like spin-offs to identify value-creating opportunities. The company's stable core business serves as a foundation for growth and acquisitions.
While the buy and build strategy can be successful, it's important to stay vigilant and assess the effectiveness of each acquisition. Excessive leverage is one common pitfall, and proper capital allocation and alignment with shareholders through shared equity ownership are critical elements for success.
Lessons from Failed Buy and Build Strategies
The buy and build strategy is not without risks, and failures can occur. A prominent example is Valeant Pharmaceuticals, which pursued a buy and build approach but ultimately faced significant challenges. One of the main reasons for failures in this strategy is excessive leverage. When companies take on high levels of debt to fund acquisitions, they become vulnerable to economic downturns or unfavorable market conditions, leading to value destruction. Therefore, using a disciplined approach to leverage and maintaining a favorable equity cost of capital is crucial to the success of a buy and build strategy.
Investors should also pay attention to the management's ability to execute and allocate capital effectively. A strong manager with a proven track record of successful acquisitions can significantly enhance the chances of success. By studying the successes and failures of buy and build strategies, investors can learn valuable lessons and apply them to their investment decision-making process.
Case Study: Claris Corporation's Buy and Build Success
Claris Corporation, led by Warren Kanders, exemplifies a successful buy and build strategy. The company focuses on organic growth and value-creating acquisitions, with Black Diamond Equipment as its primary brand. Black Diamond has a long-standing reputation in the outdoor industry for producing high-quality climbing and outdoor equipment. It resonates with investors due to its strong brand recognition and Kanders' proven track record.
Claris Corporation's journey began with a special situation when Kanders chose not to sell the entire business, triggering a market reaction that led to a significant stock price decline. However, the core business remained intact, and the company leveraged the opportunity to concentrate on its flagship brand. By emphasizing organic growth and selective acquisitions, Claris has built a diversified portfolio of brands in the outdoor industry. Its disciplined capital allocation, low leverage, and alignment with shareholders have been key factors contributing to its success.
Lessons from Claris Corporation's Buy and Build Strategy
Claris Corporation's success in implementing a buy and build strategy offers valuable lessons for investors. Key takeaways include the importance of long-term vision and the ability to resist short-term pressures. Claris' decision to focus on its core brand and invest in organic growth and value-creating acquisitions despite initial market disappointment showcases the importance of staying true to a well-defined strategy.
Additionally, the success of Claris Corporation's buy and build approach highlights the significance of strong management and disciplined capital allocation. Warren Kanders' extensive experience in executing successful acquisitions played a crucial role in generating value for shareholders. Investors can learn from Claris Corporation's disciplined approach and apply similar principles when evaluating buy and build opportunities in their own investment strategies.
The Importance of Ownership in a Business
Investing in stocks is not just about watching prices on a screen, but about owning a piece of a business. It is crucial to approach investments with the mindset of a business owner and focus on the fundamentals of the company.
Asymmetrical Opportunities in SPACs
SPACs offer an interesting investment opportunity due to their unique structure and asymmetrical risk-reward profile. By focusing on high-quality management teams and understanding the downside protection provided by the redemption right, investors can find compelling opportunities in this space.
“What you need to do, I think, is constantly update your thesis as you go, which can allow for longer holding periods, because things do change. And at the same time, I go into investments with a multi-year horizon—but my thesis might be disproven fairly quickly.” – Dan Roller
We explore investing in buy-and-build compounders in public markets. We’re joined by Dan Roller, Founder and CIO of Maran Capital.
Chapters
(00:00:00) – Introduction
(00:01:50) – MOI Global and Dan’s start in the investment world
(00:11:20) – The formation of Maran Capital
(00:14:59) – Choosing your hunting ground and creating structural advantages
(00:21:21) – Researching and choosing companies to invest in
(00:28:27) – How building investment knowledge is like training for the Ironman
(00:32:17) – Examples and basics of buy-and-build companies
(00:41:04) – How buy-and-build can go wrong
(00:51:40) – The value vs. growth debate
(00:54:57) – Investing in SPACs
(00:58:06) – Thesis drift and mental models
(01:02:21) – Resources for learning about investing
Explore the episode notes.
Search and down a transcript and find links to related books, interviews, lectures, and more: outlieracademy.com/21.
About Maran Capital
Dan Roller is Founder and CIO of Maran Capital Management, a boutique, values-driven investment manager that I've been following intently for the last few years. I love the way that Dan sees the world, and I never miss reading one of his investor letters. In this episode, we go deep on how becoming a better investor is similar to training for an Ironman competition, why Dan focuses on what he calls buy and build companies and some of his favorite historic and recent examples there, his approach to investing in special situations and what defines a good or bad opportunity.
I get his thoughts on SPACs and why he sees some interesting opportunities in the world today. Dan is a remarkable investor. Before he founded Maran Capital management in 2015, he worked as an analyst for over a decade at firms like Credit Suisse First Boston, Impala Asset Management, Avesta Capital Advisors, and Scopus Asset Management.
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