MHA delivers over £1m of value on successful exit of pest control business
· Posted on: August 11th 2025 · read
Learn how we helped a pest control business secure a 12% higher exit and £650k in savings.
Industry: Pest Control | Service: Corporate Finance | Location: North West
Setting the scene
Our client was in the pest control industry and had been trading for 20 years. They had received an off-market approach and instructed MHA Corporate Finance and Tax Advisory teams to negotiate the original offer received and deliver the transaction.
The challenge
Our client received an unsolicited offer to acquire their business. They wanted to:
Maximise the final deal value.
Extract non-business assets tax-efficiently
Complete the deal in anticipation of potential Capital Gains Tax rate changes.
Our role
We acted as lead advisers on the transaction, guiding the client from initial offer evaluation through to final completion. Our primary objective was to protect and enhance shareholder value while managing the inherent complexities of the deal process.
Our role began with a thorough assessment of the unsolicited offer to determine whether it reflected the true value of the business. From there, we led detailed negotiations to strengthen both the financial terms and the deal structure, ensuring our client achieved a materially improved outcome.
Working collaboratively across MHA’s Corporate Finance and Tax Advisory teams, we structured the transaction to maximise after-tax proceeds, extract non-core assets efficiently, and mitigate potential downside risks. We provided hands-on support throughout the process, including preparing detailed financial analysis, managing all buyer and adviser communications, and ensuring that diligence and legal workstreams remained on track.
Negotiate a stronger deal
Protect shareholder value
Lead and manage the transaction to completion
Our team also played a key role in final negotiations, defending value and ensuring the client retained the full benefit of the improved terms we had negotiated. With a clear focus on timing, we managed the transaction to complete ahead of anticipated tax changes, preserving material tax savings for the shareholders.
In short, we provided strategic, financial, and transactional leadership that gave our client confidence, clarity, and ultimately a significantly better deal outcome.
The value we added
- Negotiated a 12% increase in overall deal value from the original offer that the client received (representing hundreds of thousands of value to our client)
- Increased the proportion of cash consideration paid on completion, to reduce the risk of value attrition through the process.
- Delivered the transaction to pre-agreed timetable, saving our client on Capital Gains Tax before the rates increased, and ensuring professional fees were in line with expectations.
- £500,000 in tax savings – we worked collaboratively with the MHA Tax Advisory Team to extract assets (outside of the transaction perimeter) in a tax efficient manner, increasing after tax proceeds received.
- £150,000 in savings – we successfully defended the buyers position at final negotiation stage, to deliver the transaction at the full negotiated value.
Client testimonials
Working with MHA during the sale of our family business was a positive experience from start to finish. Their expertise and professionalism gave us confidence throughout every stage of the process. They not only ensured our financials were thoroughly prepared and presented but also offered strategic advice that added value during negotiations. Thanks to Phil and Calum with their dedication and support, we achieved a successful sale outcome. I have no hesitation to highly recommend MHA to anyone considering selling their business.
Key takeaways
This case study highlights the importance of using MHA Corporate Finance to negotiate and structure your deal to ensure that you as the shareholder are supported at a crucial time. Our client benefited from our expertise in structuring a deal and navigating the complexities of tax savings throughout the process.
