Clayton Capital Partners — M&A Advisory Profile

Clayton Capital Partners Research

Advisory Approach

Clayton Capital Partners is one of the nation's top independent investment banking firms specializing in middle-market M&A advisory services. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, CCP has established itself as a leading boutique investment bank focused exclusively on serving business owners and entrepreneurs in the lower to core middle market. The firm's thesis is straightforward: owners achieve the best outcomes when they work with advisors who combine deep M&A expertise with entrepreneurial thinking and an unwavering commitment to client success. Kevin M. Short, the firm's Managing Partner and CEO, encapsulates this philosophy in his acclaimed book "Sell Your Business for an Outrageous Price," which synthesizes decades of experience helping owners of mid-sized companies ($10M-$250M in enterprise value) achieve above-market multiples—often 2x the industry average. Clayton Capital Partners focuses on satisfying the complex needs and objectives of their clients through institutional-quality exit planning and M&A advisory, combining the rigor of larger firms with the agility and entrepreneurial spirit of an independent boutique.

Sector Focus

Clayton Capital Partners maintains active M&A practices across manufacturing, healthcare services, technology, aviation, and business services. Within manufacturing, their team has particular depth in precision fabrication, injection molding, specialty chemicals, and process equipment manufacturing. They have deep expertise in healthcare services M&A, particularly physician practice management groups and healthcare staffing models. The firm also advises on telecommunications and software transactions, aerospace/defense electronics manufacturing, food processing and beverage distribution, and general business services.

Their deal track record demonstrates broad industry coverage with concentration in discrete and process manufacturing, where operational complexity creates valuation gaps that Clayton's team is uniquely positioned to bridge. The firm's advisors include several former operators and business owners, giving them credibility and understanding when discussing working capital optimization, vendor concentration, key customer dependencies, and operator economics with both buyers and sellers.

Deal Track Record

Clayton Capital Partners has completed more than 300 transactions with aggregate value exceeding $1 billion. Notable recent and representative deals include:

DSI Process Systems (beverage equipment manufacturing) sold to Statco Engineering and Fabricators (strategic buyer), a California-based supplier of UHT thermal processing systems for the dairy industry
DIT-MCO International (aerospace/defense electronics testing equipment) sold to Capital For Business and Sage Capital (PE/financial buyers), expanding their portfolio of mid-market manufacturing businesses
FlexoOne (flexographic and digital label printing) acquired by Brook + Whittle, one of North America's largest pressure-sensitive label manufacturers
iNDIGO Health Partners (hospital medicine and telehealth services) sold to Sound Physicians, a national healthcare organization providing hospital medicine and critical care services
Sterling Aviation Holdings (corporate aviation management and FBO services) sold to Landmark Aviation, a Carlyle Group portfolio company
LMR Plastics (precision injection molded parts) sold to Parkway Products, an injection molding company serving automotive, aerospace, and industrial markets
Allied Appliance Sales (appliance marketing to hospitality/multifamily) sold to Indoff, a distributor of commercial interiors and office products
TruePath Technologies (cloud-based monitoring software) sold to FirstLight Fiber, a Northeast fiber-optic and telecommunications service provider

These deals showcase Clayton's capability across sell-side advisory (majority of engagements), buy-side support, and occasional recapitalization mandates. Their buyer network spans private equity firms, strategic acquirers, and financial sponsors. Recent awards recognition includes "Investment Banking Firm of the Year" from M&A Today Global Awards (2025), Acquisition International (2025), and Finance World Review (2026).

Process & Fee Structure

Clayton Capital Partners follows a consultative engagement model focused on comprehensive exit planning. Their process typically involves:

Exit Planning Phase: Working with business owners to clarify objectives, valuation expectations, timeline, and desired buyer profile
Preparation Phase: Building and preserving value through operational improvements, financial statement preparation, and quality of earnings analysis
Process Execution: Confidential buyer outreach, management presentations, due diligence coordination, and negotiation support
Closing Support: Documentation review, deal structure optimization, and closing coordination

The firm emphasizes institutional-quality process management—comprehensive buyer identification, organized data rooms, and structured deal progression. Engagement structures typically include a monthly retainer (credited against success fee) combined with a success fee, though specific rates are customized per engagement. The firm works with clients in the $10M-$250M TEV range, with demonstrated comfort at both ends of that spectrum.

Buyer Network & Strategic Positioning

Clayton Capital Partners maintains relationships with a diverse buyer ecosystem spanning financial sponsors, strategic acquirers, and operator groups. From their deal history, they've successfully placed transactions with:

Private Equity / Financial Buyers:

Capital For Business (St. Louis-based middle-market PE)
Sage Capital (St. Louis-based PE for small/mid-market businesses)
Carlyle Group (through Landmark Aviation acquisition)

Strategic Acquirers:

Statco Engineering (process equipment)
Brook + Whittle (labels and packaging)
Sound Physicians (national healthcare services)
Landmark Aviation (aviation services)
Parkway Products (injection molding)
Indoff (business products distribution)
FirstLight Fiber (telecommunications/fiber services)

Their buyer network is particularly strong in the Midwest and Southeast, with emerging activity in Texas and Western markets. The firm leverages its multi-office presence (St. Louis HQ, Denver, Dallas) to facilitate geographic expansion and multi-state transactions.

Competitive Positioning

Clayton Capital Partners differentiates from other middle-market advisors through:

Deep entrepreneurial expertise: The leadership team consists of former business owners and operators who understand the seller's perspective, not just the transaction mechanics
Valuation accuracy: The firm's focus on achieving "outrageous prices" (above-market multiples) is backed by systematic approaches to value creation and buyer positioning
Process rigor: Clayton emphasizes exhaustive buyer outreach, comprehensive data room preparation, and structured deal progression vs. quick processes
Operator credibility: Several team members have experience running manufacturing companies, healthcare businesses, and technical services firms, lending credibility when discussing operational improvements and buyer fit
Advisory independence: As a purely independent boutique (not part of a larger conglomerate), Clayton maintains sole focus on M&A advisory without cross-selling pressures or conflicts of interest

Team

Clayton Capital Partners has approximately 35+ professionals across its three offices. Key leadership and team members include:

Executive Leadership:

Kevin M. Short, Managing Partner & CEO: 20+ years in M&A advisory, author of "Sell Your Business for an Outrageous Price," recognized leader in the M&A Advisor industry. Has orchestrated 250+ transactions worth $1B+ aggregate value
Paula K. Reeb, CPA, Managing Director, CFO: Former KPMG auditor with deep experience in M&A financial analysis and business valuations

Senior Advisors:

Mark W. Flenniken, CExP (Dallas): 30+ years working with entrepreneurs and mid-market companies, advocacy-based problem solving approach
Glenn O. Kraft: Healthcare industry specialist, former CFO of major healthcare networks, deep experience in healthcare M&A and compliance
Diane M. Steinkamp: Former finance manager at Monsanto, multi-national M&A experience, business valuation expertise
Brent Becker: 20+ years in operations and strategic M&A, held President roles at portfolio companies of Barry-Wehmiller and various PE-backed businesses, brings buy-side perspective

Professional Team: The firm maintains junior bankers, analysts, and project managers across its three offices to support deal execution and client management.

Geographic Coverage & Market Presence

Clayton Capital Partners operates from three primary locations:

St. Louis, MO (Headquarters): Core market with extensive Midwest coverage (Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, Arkansas)
Denver, CO: Mountain West and Western market coverage
Dallas, TX: Texas and South-Central market coverage

The firm has completed transactions across all major US markets and maintains relationships with buyers and advisors nationally.

Not a Fit If

Clayton Capital Partners typically declines:

Businesses below $10M total enterprise value (outside their primary focus)
Businesses seeking quick sales without proper process (CCP value is in systematic buyer outreach)
Situations with significant unresolved litigation or regulatory issues
Asset sales without going-concern operations
Sellers wanting minimal engagement or limited buyer outreach

Market Recognition

Clayton Capital Partners has received extensive third-party recognition:

Ranked as #4 in U.S. Lower Middle Market by Axial
Named "Investment Banking Firm of the Year" by M&A Today Global Awards (2025, 2024)
Named "Best Independent M&A Investment Bank" by Acquisition International (2025)
Named "Investment Banking Firm of the Year" by Finance World Review Awards (2026)
Named "Best Investment Banking Firm of the Year" by Corporate America Today
Named "Best M&A Advisory Firm" by Acquisition International (2024)
Ranked by Thomson Reuters, FactSet Mergerstat, and Investment Dealers' Digest as a top U.S. M&A firm since 2007

Kevin Short was recognized as a "Titan 100" honoree, acknowledging his leadership and impact on the St. Louis business community.