October 7, 2009
Subtle steps
""Three-step distribution will never be fazed out because it is a necessity for the kinds of parts that have to be delivered within 30 minutes. There is no way for it to completely go away," says Dan Smith, president of Capstone Financial Group, an investment firm that handles interests in the aftermarket."
August 21, 2009
A safe bet - The aftermarket is a solid and secure investment
““With 6 percent growth, there are not many industries where you can find that, especially not one with the size of the aftermarket,” an estimated $220 billion industry, says Dan Smith, president of Capstone Financial Group, an investment firm that handles interests in the aftermarket. For the past decade, investors have been looking at a myriad of ways to put money into the aftermarket, he says.”
"To illustrate the aftermarket’s stability, one need only look to the Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500, says Graham Payne, Capstone’s managing director. “The S&P 500 is used a lot in the investment community as a baseline of how the general investments are doing. The S&P 500 is up a little over 9 percent. If you look at some of the companies in the automotive aftermarket, they’re up 76 percent,” he says."
August 20, 2009
Long Term Memory Gains
“All things considered, the last year notwithstanding, the aftermarket has historically been one of the more efficient growth models,” says Dan Smith, president of Capstone Financial Group. “I think the 30-year average is something like 6 percent. There are not a lot of industries in this world that can say that. We don’t ordinarily have that kind of steady growth, so we saw a pretty big uptick probably about 10 years ago in terms of the interest in the industry. People back then realized that the aftermarket was stable and growing and even as Detroit went down, the aftermarket went up.”
April 16, 2009
Corporate bankruptcy misconceptions
"Amid a global recession, which has been exacerbated within the automotive industry, many aftermarket companies are in dire straits. As a result, the automotive aftermarket has experienced a rapid increase in distressed situations over the last six months." Author: Graham Payne, Capstone Financial Group
December 1, 2008
How the 'Obama Drama' plays out
"It's going to be a very different environment in Washington for the next four years," says Graham Payne, managing director for Capstone Financial Group. "We're going to see more government intervention and a less business-friendly agenda."
July 15 , 2008
Capstone sells Go Rhino to truck accessory company
"Capstone Financial Group has sold Xtreme Metal Fab, Inc — also known as Go Rhino — to Big Country Truck Accessories."
July 11 , 2008
Toyota shifts Prius production to U.S. to answer rising consumer demand
"GM, Ford and Toyota all made pretty big bets on the future success of SUVs and light trucks," said Graham Payne, managing director of the Capstone Financial Group, in an exclusive interview with Aftermarket Business magazine. "However, with the decline in the construction market and escalating gas prices, sales of SUVs and light trucks has dried up for all of the auto manufacturers. Now, Toyota is having to re-tool the Mississippi facility that was originally intended to produce its Highlander to make way for the Prius."
June 17 , 2008
Toyota struggles to keep up with battery production, meet demand
"Graham Payne, managing director of the Capstone Financial group, agrees that nobody was able to predict the sharp increase in demand for hybrid vehicles. Of course, the belief that skyrocketing fuel prices will remain high for the foreseeable future is fueling demand for these vehicles"
May 22, 2008
GAAS panelists weigh in on private equity's role in the aftermarket
"Why are private equity firms targeting the automotive aftermarket? Dan Smith, president of Capstone Financial Group attempted to answer this question during the 2008 Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) with an illustrious group of panelists who know the private equity sector inside and out. Smith's guests included Paul Cifelli of Kinderhook Industries; Kristin Newhall, a partner with The Riverside Company; and Jeremy Thompson, a partner with ONCAP."
April 10, 2008
Do slumping vehicle sales mean big business for the aftermarket?
"Graham Payne, managing director of Capstone Financial Services, agrees. "It's a very competitive market right now, a very challenging time," he says. "Although you would assume that a decrease in new car sales means bad news for the aftermarket, there are certain segments of the industry that can benefit, particularly the hard parts segment."
April 10, 2008
Federal-Mogul Corporation to list stock on NASDAQ
"Dan Smith, president of the Capstone Financial Group, calls this
announcement a signficant event for the company. In an interview with Aftermarket Business, Smith equated being listed on the NASDAQ to entering high school and called it a step up for the company."
April 3, 2008
O'Reilly's acquisition of CSK opens up West Coast DIFM market
"O'Reilly Automotive, Inc.'s purchase of CSK Auto Corporation continues the automotive aftermarket industry's trend of consolidation and makes the combined company the third largest national auto parts retailer in the country. But more importantly, the acquisition has allowed O'Reilly's to gain a ready-made entry point into the West Coast market, says Graham Payne, managing director of Capstone Financial Services."
March 12, 2008
Gas prices soar, but aftermarket floats
"From what I'm seeing, high gas prices have affected the sales of new vehicles, not the maintenance of older vehicles," says Dan Smith, president of the Capstone Financial Group, in an exclusive interview with Aftermarket Business magazine. "If you're not buying a new vehicle, you have to maintain your vehicle, and that's good for the aftermarket."
March 1 , 2008
Aging vehicle population means increased business opportunities for distributors
"An aging vehicle population is good for all sectors of the aftermarket," Dan Smith, president of the Capstone Financial Group, told Aftermarket Business magazine during an exclusive interview. "We've studied the distribution side of the business carefully, and it would appear that the companies that have begun to concentrate on the do-it-for-me side of things are really seeing their business increase."
November 1, 2007
Recent acquisitions are spelling success for Canada's Uni-Select
"Dan Smith, president of the Capstone Financial Group, does not see this trend of mergers and acquisitions slowing down any time soon."
September 1, 2007
Growing and stagnant businesses can get a boost from equity capital
"Equity capital also is a good option for growing a business as it is a process in which money is invested in the company. But in either case, equity capital is not to be taken lightly and requires a long, hard look into the business' finances and goals, explains Dan Smith, president of Capstone Financial Group, an investment banking firm based in Hilton Head, S.C."
September 1, 2007
Is selling around WDs a smart business move for manufacturers?
"According to a recent survey fielded by the Capstone Financial Group, more manufacturers are selling directly to jobbers, installers and consumers — and are making a handsome profit doing so."
January 1, 2007
CSK retains positive peer reviews
"Dan Smith, president of the Capstone Financial Group, concurs with Sonnek's account of vendors' favorable impression of CSK's day-to-day operations and staff."
October 1, 2006
Til death do us part
"There's not a single aftermarket supplier that doesn't have some kind of Asian strategy," says Dan Smith, president of Capstone Financial Group.
February 21
, 2006
A Year in review from Capstone Financial Group
"2005 proved to be another big year for merger and acquisition activity
in the auto aftermarket, according to the latest issue of The
Aftermarket Analyst, a publication focused on mergers, acquisitions and
corporate finance in the automotive aftermarket industry."
July 16 , 2008
Capstone Financial Group Sells Go Rhino to Big Country Truck Accessories
“HILTON HEAD, S.C. — Capstone Financial Group has sold Xtreme Metal Fab, (doing business as Go Rhino) to Big Country Truck Accessories, a subsidiary of Guadalajara, Mexico-based Industria DiseÑadora De Autopartes (IDDEA)."
April 9, 2008
GAAS 2008: Private Equity and the Aftermarket
“You can hardly pick up a newspaper without reading about the multi billion dollar funds buying up everything, everywhere, in every country,” said Dan Smith, president of Capstone Financial Group. Smith led a panel discussion on private equity at the 2008 Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium in Chicago.
April 9, 2008
GAAS Approved for University of the Aftermarket AAP and MAAP Credits
"Private Equity and the Aftermarket" – Moderated by Dan Smith, president, Capstone Financial Group
November 26, 2007
Truck Accessory Companies Extang and TruXedo Acquired
"HILTON HEAD, SC — Capstone Financial Group has completed the sale of its client, Extang Corp., a manufacturer of soft tonneau covers for light trucks, to an affiliate of Kinderhook Industries. In addition, Capstone represented Kinderhook in the purchase of TruXedo, another manufacturer of soft tonneau covers. Both transactions took place on Nov. 16."
October 16, 2006
Automotive Chemical Group to Hold Retail Review Luncheon During AAPEX
"LAS VEGAS -- The Automotive Specialty Products Alliance (ASPA) will hold its fifth annual Retail Review Luncheon from 12 – 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 31 during AAPEX in Las Vegas. The featured speaker for the meeting will be M. Daniel Smith, president, Capstone Financial Group. Capstone is a financial banking firm that specializes in working with aftermarket companies."
August 28, 2006
AFS 2006 Adds New Roundtable Luncheon Opportunities
"Discussions will be moderated by representatives from Alvarez & Marsal; Smith Barney; Capstone Financial; RSM McGladrey; R. L. Polk & Co.; Universal Underwriters Group; Keeley, Kuenn & Reid; G.M. Zack, LLC; Thompson Hine and others."
February 23, 2005
Top Financial Execs Slated to Speak at First Aftermarket Financial Symposium
"Among the speakers and presentations scheduled to take place:
Mergers & Acquisitions, Dan Smith, President, Capstone"
