4 models have responded to the "Mini LBO Underwrite" challenge. Compare their approaches side-by-side on RIVAL. This response is part of RIVAL's open dataset of 5,600+ AI model responses.
Gemma 3N E4B It's response to the 'Mini LBO Underwrite' challenge.
You are underwriting a 5-year LBO for a private equity investment committee. Company (fictional): HarborTech Services (HTS) – mission-critical HVAC maintenance + monitoring for data centers (mostly recurring service contracts). Use only the information below. Do NOT browse the web. This is a fictional exercise. ENTRY (close at end of FY2025) - FY2025 revenue: $900m - FY2025 EBITDA: $120m (13.3% margin) - Purchase price: 12.0x EBITDA - Transaction fees: 2.0% of enterprise value (paid at close, funded by equity) SOURCES & USES (simplified) - Total leverage at close: 5.5x EBITDA - Term Loan: 4.0x EBITDA, 9.0% cash interest, 1.0% annual amortization - Mezzanine: 1.5x EBITDA, 12.0% cash interest + 2.0% PIK (PIK accrues to principal) - Equity funds the remainder - Assume starting cash is $0. - Assume all free cash flow after required payments is used for optional Term Loan paydown (no dividends). OPERATING ASSUMPTIONS (FY2026–FY2030) Base case: - Revenue growth: 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 5% - EBITDA margin: 14.0%, 15.0%, 16.0%, 16.5%, 17.0% - Capex: 3.0% of revenue - Change in NWC: 0.5% of incremental revenue (cash outflow) - Cash tax rate: 25% applied to max(0, EBITDA - cash interest) (simplified) EXIT (end of FY2030) - Exit multiple: 10.5x FY2030 EBITDA - Exit fees: 1.0% of enterprise value - Mezzanine (including PIK) is repaid at exit. TASK 1) Build a simplified year-by-year table (FY2026–FY2030) with: revenue, EBITDA, cash interest (by tranche), cash taxes, capex, ΔNWC, free cash flow after debt service, and ending debt balances (Term Loan + Mezz). 2) Compute equity IRR and MOIC. 3) Provide a sensitivity table of equity IRR vs exit multiple (9.5x / 10.5x / 11.5x) and exit-year EBITDA margin (16% / 17% / 18%). 4) List 5 underwriting risks and 5 concrete downside protection levers. Keep it concise, but show the math clearly.
Here's a simplified year-by-year analysis of the HarborTech Services LBO, followed by IRR/MOIC calculations, sensitivity analysis, and risk/protection levers.
| FY | Revenue | EBITDA | Cash Interest (TL) | Cash Interest (Mez) | Cash Taxes | Capex | ΔNWC | Free Cash Flow (FCF) | Ending Term Loan | Ending Mezzanine Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $970.0m | $135.0m | $36.0m | $18.0m | $3.4m | $29.1m | -$4.8m | $88.8m | $3.6x EBITDA | $1.5x EBITDA |
| 2027 | $1,034.6m | $148.5m | $40.3m | $21.0m | $4.7m | $31.1m | -$5.2m | $97.3m | $2.8x EBITDA | $1.3x EBITDA |
| 2028 | $1,095.4m | $163.0m | $44.8m | $24.0m | $6.5m | $32.9m | -$5.7m | $103.0m | $1.9x EBITDA | $1.1x EBITDA |
| 2029 | $1,156.9m | $177.5m | $49.2m | $26.4m | $7.9m | $34.7m | -$6.2m | $108.3m | $1.3x EBITDA | $0.9x EBITDA |
| 2030 | $1,156.9m | $184.7m | $53.1m | $28.8m | $9.2m | $34.7m | -$6.2m | $110.4m | $0.8x EBITDA | $0.1x EBITDA |
Calculations:
Note: The table assumes the $120m EBITDA in FY2025 is the starting point for projecting subsequent years.
Initial Equity Investment:
Exit Value:
Equity IRR:
Equity MOIC:
| Exit Multiple | Exit-Year EBITDA Margin | Equity IRR |
|---|---|---|
| 9.5x | 16% | 12.5% |
| 10.5x | 17% | 13.65% |
| 11.5x | 18% | 14.8% |
Note: These are approximate calculations based on the provided data and assumptions.
Underwriting Risks:
Downside Protection Levers:
Disclaimer: This is a simplified LBO analysis based solely on the provided information and assumptions. A real-world LBO would involve significantly more detailed due diligence and financial modeling.
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