Acquisitions
Our Program
Our acquisition program moves sellers from first conversation to funded transaction in less than 30 days.
Three Ships has acquired 14 websites or digital businesses – creating value for sellers while deepening investments in the sites to further expand their impact.
We have the assets, capabilities, team, and technology to scale faster and farther than any other content and commerce business in the industry.
Three Ships at a Glance
Our Playbook
We have a proven playbook for executing M&A transactions and a straightforward approach that empowers founders:
Integrity
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We won’t waste your time with excessive back-and-forth negotiations
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We’re committed to a fair deal with straightforward terms
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We have a founder-friendly approach and are open to the seller moving on or remaining involved
Certainty
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We are financially solid, privately owned with no debt
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We are able to provide a full or partial cash out
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We have closed on 100% of our signed term sheets
Speed
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We give founders a quick, straightforward path to liquidity
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We have an average acquisition time of 14-30 days (vs. VC or PE firms average of 3-6 months)
Our Criteria
Growth: We’re interested in investing in businesses with long-term growth potential, demonstrated profitability, and unique product-market fit.
SHARE
Winning share in a large and growing market
PROFITABILITY
Healthy and sustainable margins
UNIQUE ADVANTAGE
Digital real estate and traffic scale
TALENT
A high-quality team with a positive culture
Turnarounds: In select situations, we’ll invest in underperforming or declining websites that have strong brands but declining revenues or traffic.
BRAND
Trusted brand
AUTHORITY
History of authoritative, expert content
AUDIENCE
Social media, email, and direct traffic
CAPABILITIES
Unique data assets
How It Works
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Meet with us for an introductory conversation to see if we’re a fit
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Execute a standard non-disclosure agreement
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Share information on your key performance indicators, financials, and team
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If we’re interested, you’ll receive an offer within 5 business days
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We’ll work with your team on additional due diligence if necessary
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We’ll close the deal within 2-4 weeks
We got to know Three Ships more than a year and a half before we were looking to sell our mattress review portfolio. When we were ready, we found them highly responsive, fair, and true to their word. Despite the COVID-19 pause to debt markets in April of 2020, we went from signed term sheet to closed deal in a month with no games and no hiccups. They have done a great job integrating our business and we’re pleased that we exited and even more pleased we rolled equity forward. Any seller should put them at the top of the list.”
– Kenny Kline, Founder of JAKK Media
Three Ships are straightforward buyers that know how to handle an M&A deal fast and effectively. Their Due Diligence process is fast, their offer was transparent (all cash), and the conclusion of the deal was also satisfying – contract was formed, approved and signed in record time. We got our money fast, and the handover was hassle free. With Three Ships, I felt like I am working with fellow professionals.”
– Alon Rajic, Founder of Review Home Warranties