Two Companies Will Collaborate on IP-Centric M&A Transactions and Patent Portfolio Divestitures, Acquisitions and Auctions
Suffern, N.Y. – October 22, 2012 – IP Holdings LLC (IPH), an IP-centric merchant banking organization affiliated with General Patent Corporation, has entered into an agreement with Brooks, Houghton & Company (BHC), a middle market merchant banking firm, to jointly provide intellectual property-related mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and patent brokerage services. This alliance will enable both firms to combine their respective expertise and strengths to create a one-stop shop for clients seeking to acquire or divest significant IP portfolios or seeking to sell or acquire IP-rich businesses or business units.
Under this agreement, both companies will provide deal flow, with IPH providing intellectual property expertise and BHC providing investment and merchant banking expertise and resources. IP Holdings is an affiliate of General Patent Corporation (GPC), the oldest patent monetization company in the world. IPH provides IP advisory and IP brokerage services.
BHC is a merchant banking firm dedicated to providing the highest quality service and execution to middle market and emerging-growth companies. BHC’s services include private placements of debt and equity, M&A advisory, valuation and fairness opinions, general corporate finance advisory, and BHC-directed investments in interim and bridge capital. Brooks, Houghton Securities, Inc., a division of BHC, is a registered broker-dealer and a member of FINRA.
“Entering into a strategic alliance with Brooks Houghton will open a new chapter in the business of IP merchant banking,” says Alexander Poltorak, Managing Director of IP Holdings and CEO of General Patent Corporation. “We look forward to collaborating with BHC in providing outstanding IP-focused merchant banking services to midsize and emerging growth companies."
Gerald H. Houghton, President of BHC, stated, “We are very pleased to announce our alliance with IP Holdings which will enable us to better serve our clients and explore new opportunities involving the increasingly important intellectual property asset class. BHC’s involvement and success in the IP space to date will be enhanced by this partnership with IP Holdings.”
Recent patent transactions including the $4.5 billion Nortel patent auction, the $1.2 billion sale by AOL of its patent portfolio to Microsoft and the $12 billion acquisition of Motorola Mobility (largely for its extensive patent portfolio) by Google are just a few recent examples that demonstrate the need for specialized expertise to advise companies on IP-related transactions and to execute M&A deals where significant value is in IP assets or large patent portfolios are involved. Although these examples represent larger transactions, similar situations are occurring for middle market and emerging growth companies with meaningful IP assets or portfolios which will be the primary focus of the partnership. IP Holdings and Brooks, Houghton jointly provide a unique mix of talents, experience, expertise and resources for clients involved in IP-related acquisitions, divestitures and mergers.
About IP Holdings LLC
As a member of the GPC Group of Companies, IP Holdings, headquartered in Suffern, N.Y., is an affiliate of General Patent Corporation (GPC), the oldest patent monetization company in the world. Founded in 2000, IP Holdings is an IP-centric merchant banking organization providing IP advisory services, IP-related financial services and IP brokerage. For more information, visit www.ip-holdings.com.
About Brooks, Houghton & Company
Founded in 1989, Brooks, Houghton & Company is a merchant banking firm dedicated to providing corporate finance advisory services and direct investment to middle-market private and public companies as well as emerging growth companies. BHC’s banking products include private placements, M&A, valuation and fairness opinions, general corporate finance advisory, and investments of interim debt financing. For more information, visit www.brookshoughton.com.