McLean Group Expands its Business Valuation and Maritime Transaction Advisory Practices with Strategic Investment in DLS Marine (Dufour, Laskay & Strouse)
MCLEAN, VA – March 11, 2021 – The McLean Group is pleased to announce that it has made a strategic investment in DLS Marine, the leading maritime asset valuation and appraisal firm in the United States. Established in 1968, DLS has assembled a technical staff of professionals comprised of the largest concentration of NAMS certified surveyors and ASA certified marine appraisers in the industry. DLS is headquartered in New Orleans, LA and has offices in Houston, TX, Tampa, FL, and Norfolk/Hampton Roads, VA.
“The combination of DLS and TMG is an ideal fit. The two firms have known each other for years and their respective cultures are aligned. Additionally, together the two firms provide one of the most comprehensive business and asset valuation practices in the United States, with approximately 50 valuation professionals providing a breadth of capabilities and expertise supporting a broad range of client engagements. Together, the two firms have approximately 400 regular valuation clients” says Ryan Berry, Managing Director of The McLean Group’s Valuation Advisory Practice.
Ryan continues “often we have clients with fixed asset appraisal needs to go along with their business valuation requests and to be able to offer them both under one umbrella will streamline the approach and speed up the entire process.”
Harry Ward, President of DLS Marine said, “After having successfully worked with The McLean Group’s team of valuation advisors for several years it’s apparent that the combination of two firms together is a fantastic fit. Often we have clients who need business valuations or complex securities valuation services in addition to the asset appraisal services that we provide. To be able to offer all of these services directly is a clear differentiator in our markets.”
About The McLean Group
For over 30 years, The McLean Group has been providing investment banking and financial services offerings focused on the Defense, Government & Intelligence (DGI), Security, Critical Infrastructure, Maritime, Facility Services, Unmanned Systems, and Public Safety markets. Our 60+ professionals bring deep industry experience and relentless execution to every client engagement. We provide solutions that blend financial creativity with operational expertise. Whether we are providing transaction advisory, valuation opinions, or growth capital, our services are unmatched in these core markets. Learn more at www.McLeanLLC.com.
RECENT NEWS
McLean advised Vanteon on announced acquisition by PDW
The McLean Group served as exclusive financial advisor to Vanteon Corporation on its announced acquisition by PDW Holdings, Inc., an American drone company that designs, engineers, and manufactures unmanned systems and solutions for defense and public safety. Based in Rochester, NY, Vanteon brings more than 40 years of advanced communications, RF, and software-defined radio expertise to PDW, strengthening the company’s ability to deliver resilient connectivity and next-generation sUAS capabilities at the tactical edge. The transaction reinforces The McLean Group’s continued leadership advising Defense and Unmanned Systems sector companies through transformative transactions. […]
Labor Retention and Quality of Earnings: Understanding People-Driven Margin Risk
Workforce stability is one of the most overlooked drivers of earnings quality and in people-driven businesses, it can make or break a transaction.Workforce stability is one of the most overlooked drivers of earnings quality and in people-driven businesses, it can make or break a transaction. In this article, The McLean Group’s Financial Consulting team examines how labor retention risk surfaces during a Quality of Earnings analysis, why below-market compensation and key-person dependencies can distort reported EBITDA, and what buyers and sellers should evaluate before reaching the diligence table. From government contracting to IT services and professional services, the people behind the numbers matter just as much as the numbers themselves, and understanding that dynamic is increasingly essential to assessing the true sustainability of earnings in any middle market transaction.[…]
How Earnouts Affect Transaction Valuation: The Technical Framework Under ASC 805
Earnouts are one of the most powerful and most misunderstood tools in middle-market M&A. When buyers and sellers cannot agree on value, a well-structured earnout bridges the gap. But under ASC 805, the accounting treatment is anything but simple: contingent consideration must be measured at fair value on Day One, classified as liability or equity with real P&L consequences, and remeasured every reporting period for the life of the arrangement. For PE sponsors and portfolio company CFOs, the decisions made at the term sheet stage, including metric selection, settlement structure, and discount rate methodology, determine not just deal economics but how results are reported to lenders, boards, and investors long after close. This article breaks down the technical framework so you can structure earnouts that work the way you intend them to. […]