Clarke Advisors LLC
Clarke Advisors LLC provides sell-side and buy-side M&A advisory, capital-formation, valuation and merchant-banking services. The firm states a focus on transportation, logistics, warehousing, supply-chain and related technology companies, with nationwide coverage of buyers, sellers and alternative forms of capital.
What stands out about Clarke Advisors LLC
Clarke Advisors LLC combines M&A advisory and capital-formation services with a merchant-banking group that structures direct equity investments, mezzanine financing and commercial lending. Its stated transaction range is $10 million to $250 million, while its contact page describes a $10 million to $250 million revenue focus and its Merchant Group identifies companies with $1 million to $5 million in EBITDA as acquisition targets.[1][2][3][5][7]
What does Clarke Advisors LLC do?
Clarke Advisors LLC identifies its mailing address as 100 Easy Street, Unit 3466, Carefree, Arizona 85377. The firm describes itself as serving lower-middle-market transactions and companies, with stated transaction capability between $10 million and $250 million.
Its platform combines M&A advisory, capital formation, valuation and merchant-banking capabilities. The firm states that it covers buyers, sellers and alternative forms of capital on a nationwide basis.[1][3]
Clarke publicly lists sell-side and buy-side M&A advisory, targeted offerings, prospective-buyer research, investor research, acquisition financing, due diligence, private-equity sales and exit strategies.
Additional stated capabilities include institutional equity placements, venture-capital origination, recapitalizations, private debt, mezzanine capital, debt restructuring, business valuations and fairness opinions.[2]
Owners comparing advisory firms can also review Auxo’s M&A advisor vs. business broker vs. investment bank comparison, advisor-selection guide, and sell-side advisor evaluation framework.
What should a business owner evaluate before hiring Clarke Advisors LLC?
Owners evaluating Clarke can examine its stated transportation, logistics and supply-chain focus, its sell-side advisory and buyer-research services, and its published examples across trucking, warehousing, 3PL, freight and intermodal businesses. The firm’s stated capabilities also include valuation, due diligence and capital formation.
Before engagement, an owner should clarify the proposed fee and term structure, the buyer universe for the specific company, the confidentiality process, the role of Finalis Securities LLC, and whether the proposed mandate is advisory-only or could involve principal capital from the Merchant Group. The sources cited for this profile do not establish those engagement-specific terms.[1][2][5]
What are the proposed retainer, success fee, minimum fee, expense reimbursement, tail period and termination provisions
Which specific buyers and private-equity groups are likely to be contacted for the owner's sector and company size
Will Clarke or an affiliate invest principal capital, and if so, how are conflicts handled
What size transactions and clients does Clarke Advisors LLC focus on?
Clarke states that its industry focus is the supply chain, including transportation, logistics, warehousing and related technologies. Its materials also describe M&A advisory services for shipping, logistics, supply-chain and technology middle-market companies.[3][4]
The representative-transactions page lists Elder Logistics’ purchase of Bowen Transportation for $5,000,000, with Clarke identified as providing buyside services. It also lists JM Transports as an $8,250,000 company sale and Patriot Transit as a $6,000,000 company sale.
Additional listed examples include AG Express Inc. as a $6,000,000 company sale and United Global Logistics as a $13,000,000 company sale.[7]
The firm’s stated transaction work includes company sales, buy-side acquisitions, targeted offerings, strategic sales, acquisition financing, capital raises, private-equity sales, recapitalizations and other forms of capital formation.
Clarke states that it can handle lower-middle-market transactions between $10 million and $250 million. Its Merchant Group separately states that it was established to acquire closely held companies with $1 million to $5 million in EBITDA.[2][3][5]
What does Clarke Advisors LLC publicly disclose about fees, process and engagement terms?
The official M&A advisory page does not publish a universal advisory-fee percentage, minimum fee, success-fee schedule, termination fee, tail period or standard engagement-term schedule.
The official representative-transactions page identifies illustrative transactions and some transaction values but does not provide a complete closing date, buyer identity, consideration structure or fee information for every listed transaction.[2][7]
Clarke Advisors states that it is not a registered broker-dealer and that Clarke Advisors and Finalis Securities LLC are separate, unaffiliated entities. The firm states that securities are offered through Finalis Securities LLC, which it identifies as a FINRA and SIPC member.
Clarke’s disclosure identifies Finalis Securities LLC’s Office of Supervisory Jurisdiction at 450 Lexington Ave., New York, NY 10017.[1]
The firm’s representative-transactions page states that its listed transactions were originated and placed by Clarke Advisors LLC or Norman E. Clarke, including transactions completed before Clarke Advisors LLC was formed. This attribution should be distinguished when evaluating the firm’s historical transaction examples.[7]
Questions to ask before hiring Clarke Advisors LLC
What are the proposed retainer, success fee, minimum fee, expense reimbursement, tail period and termination provisions?
Which specific buyers and private-equity groups are likely to be contacted for the owner's sector and company size?
Will Clarke or an affiliate invest principal capital, and if so, how are conflicts handled?
Which entity signs the engagement and which entity performs securities-related activities through Finalis Securities LLC?
Which transaction examples were completed by Clarke Advisors LLC after formation versus by Norman E. Clarke before formation?
How are valuation ranges, earn-outs, seller notes, rollover equity and working-capital adjustments handled?
Sources & research notes
- Official website / firm overview
- Services / capabilities
- Industry / market focus
- Industry focus
- Transaction size / criteria
- Transaction / portfolio evidence
- Transaction / portfolio evidence
How this profile was researched
Auxo profiles are prepared from publicly available primary and authoritative sources and reviewed for entity identity, factual support and disclosure consistency. When a fact cannot be supported by the reviewed public record, the profile identifies it as something to confirm directly rather than inferring it.
Independent research profile
This profile was prepared by Auxo Capital Advisors from publicly available information believed to be reliable and is provided solely for informational and educational purposes. It is not an endorsement, recommendation, ranking, solicitation, or representation regarding the profiled firm, its services, qualifications, transaction experience, regulatory status, financial condition, or suitability for any particular person, company, transaction, or investment.
Information obtained from third-party and public sources may be incomplete, inaccurate, outdated, or subject to change, and Auxo Capital Advisors makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, as to its accuracy, completeness, or timeliness. Readers should conduct their own independent diligence and consult appropriate professional advisers before engaging any advisor, intermediary, investor, lender, acquirer, or other transaction counterparty.
Broker-dealer and securities disclosure
Auxo Capital Advisors is an affiliate of Weild & Co., Member FINRA | SIPC. Securities-related activities and securities transactions are conducted through Weild & Co.
Nothing contained on this page constitutes an offer to sell, an offer to purchase, or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any security, investment product, or financial instrument. Nothing on this page constitutes investment advice, a recommendation regarding any security, or a recommendation to enter into any transaction with the profiled firm or any other party.
Any securities transaction, capital-raising engagement, investment-banking engagement, or other securities-related activity involving Auxo Capital Advisors or Weild & Co. is subject to applicable regulatory requirements, internal review and approval, suitability and other applicable diligence requirements, and the terms of a separate written engagement or transaction agreement, as applicable.
Inclusion of a third-party firm in this directory does not imply affiliation with, sponsorship by, endorsement by, or any other relationship with Auxo Capital Advisors or Weild & Co. unless expressly stated otherwise.