Capital raise · Auto Aftermarket

Auto Aftermarket Capital Partner LPA: An Independent Sponsor's Counsel

Drafting Capital Partner LPA on auto aftermarket deals, with the structure protection and capital connectivity an independent sponsor actually needs.

EV range $8M to $90M EV EBITDA $2M to $16M Audience Independent Sponsor
The deal context

The economics on a auto aftermarket platform deal usually hinge on a handful of structural decisions. Capital Partner LPA is one of them.

The typical auto aftermarket platform sits at $8M to $90M EV with EBITDA in the $2M to $16M range. The thesis runs on service-center or specialty-shop regional roll-ups. Technician shortage is the single biggest valuation risk. Underwrite the bench, not the bays.

The moves

How Capital Partner LPA actually gets structured.

  1. Anchor on a 20 percent carry above an 8 percent preferred return, 50/50 catch-up.

  2. Build a one-vote, one-LP majority for any waterfall change.

  3. Define key-person and removal-for-cause provisions narrowly.

  4. Make distributions quarterly, with an annual true-up against the waterfall.

  5. In auto aftermarket, layer in technician retention pool defined and funded as part of the Capital Partner LPA workstream.

The common mistake

Reusing a fund LPA template for a deal-by-deal structure. The economics, governance, and waterfall need to be different.

Jason's take
"The LPA outlives the deal. Draft it like the next ten deals will be governed by the same paper."
Jason Powell · Capital Partner LPA
Capital after close

The deal is one thing. The capital that opens up after close is another.

Refinancing, recaps, growth rounds, and the right strategic conversation eighteen months early are all downstream of relationships that take years to build and minutes to use.

MONTH 18
Senior refi
MONTH 24
Dividend recap
MONTH 36
Growth equity
YEAR 4–5
Strategic exit
WORK WITH JASON

Bring the auto aftermarket deal. Get Capital Partner LPA done right.

Direct counsel from a securities and M&A attorney with billions in structured transactions, the independent-sponsor-native playbook, and the capital markets network that opens up post-close.