J.W. Childs Associates (JWC) specializes in LBOs and recapitalizations of middle-market growth companies. While the firm is opportunistic in seeking growth-oriented investments, they focus on acquiring companies in the consumer products, healthcare, specialty retail and asset management sectors. They target companies with total enterprise values of $150 million to $600 million which have the capability the capability to expand operating earnings at a rate greater than 10% per year. JWC looks for companies with exceptional management teams, significant market opportunities for their products or services, strong barriers to competition, strong brand franchises and/or leading market share positions, high profit margins and opportunities for high returns on investment. They seek to invest in companies with the potential to achieve accelerated revenue growth through new product introductions, product line extensions, shelf space management, expanded channels of distribution and geographical expansion.JWC tends to invest in US companies, but is also particularly interested in investing in North American and Asian companies that offer the potential to combine the strengths and opportunities of the two regions. The firm capitalizes companies with sufficient equity to support growth which often results in lower leverage ratios than are typical for LBOs. The firm involves partners with operational backgrounds in the due diligence process and subsequent development of acquired companies and invests only in transactions in which senior management makes a personally significant financial commitment.
