Overview
Established over 100 years ago in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, Baker Roofing Company (Baker Roofing or the Company) has grown to become one of the largest roofing contractors in the nation. The Company has been family-owned and -operated since its inception. Today, Baker Roofing operates 27 locations along the East Coast, serving eight states from Florida to Pennsylvania. Baker Roofing offers a range of commercial and residential roofing services, as well as metal fabrication, roof coatings, and building envelope restoration.
Situation
Baker Roofing’s culture rests on its foundational mission statement: “We shall do good work. At a profit if we can, at a loss if we must, but always good work.” This commitment to quality has held true for the Company since 1915 and remains a central part of who they are. To preserve this legacy, Baker Roofing’s owners sought a business transition plan that would support future growth, reward employees, retain talent in a competitive industry, sustain expansion in key regional markets, and provide an ownership exit strategy and liquidity event for key stakeholders. A comprehensive evaluation of various transition strategies revealed that a 100% ESOP would best achieve the Company’s goals.
Solution
After being referred by an SES client, Baker Roofing engaged SES ESOP Strategies (SES), along with its affiliated law firm, Stevens & Lee (S&L), to conduct a transaction analysis to help the shareholders and the Company evaluate the best path forward. During this analysis, SES presented a range of value, financing scenarios and modeled multiple ESOP structures.
Throughout the transaction process, SES provided support with financial due diligence, modeled the proposed ESOP transaction, negotiated the term sheet and led a capital raise process to secure third-party financing. Attorneys from S&L prepared the necessary ESOP transaction documents and worked to ensure that an integrated long-term incentive plan would continue to reward current and future Company leaders. To accomplish Baker Roofing’s goals, SES and S&L collaborated to navigate complex financial and legal tax structures, ultimately providing the optimal strategy for both the Company and its sellers. This approach allowed the sellers the option to defer taxes on the gain from the sale under Section 1042 and enabled the Company to elect S Corporation status after the transaction, becoming a 100% S ESOP-owned corporation, effectively exempt from federal and state corporate income taxes.
The decision to transition Baker Roofing to its fifth generation of ownership was guided by a deep commitment to honoring the Company’s legacy and the people who helped build it. With that in mind, leadership sought a solution that would reflect their values and long-term vision. “We wanted the Company’s transition to its fifth generation of ownership to be exceptionally rewarding for our employees,” said Mark Lee, President of Baker Roofing. “SES ESOP Strategies and Stevens and Lee worked with us to provide a solution that was custom fit to our needs, navigating our existing goals and objectives to ensure we were rewarding employees in alignment with our culture and legacy, all while adhering to our tight deadline.”
For more information on this transaction, please contact Ed Renenger, at 610.478.2238, Ken Wanko at 215.285.7190, Paul Fusco at 215.508.5642, Ethan Stambler at 919.200.0912 or Kyle Priebe at 215.508.5637.