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Employee Stock Ownership Plans

Expertise

An ownership structure that benefits owners, employees, and the long-term success of the business

Employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) can provide business owners with a unique succession vehicle, creating liquidity while preserving the independence of the companies they’ve built. They also give employees an opportunity to share in the value they help create.

But an ESOP is more than a transaction. Success depends on thoughtful planning, sound governance, and a structure that supports the organization’s goals, people, and financial health.

Whether you’re exploring employee ownership for the first time or managing an established ESOP, our team brings deep industry experience and multidisciplinary expertise. Our guidance spans the ESOP life cycle, from feasibility analysis, valuation, and transaction planning to assurance, tax, and employee benefits consulting.

No two ESOPs follow the same path. Each has its own objectives, stakeholder priorities, and workforce. We help business owners and employee-owned companies understand their options, make informed decisions, and build a sustainable foundation for success.

Solutions

Integrated services for organizations evaluating, establishing, and operating employee ownership structures.

Feasibility analysis

Help owners determine whether an ESOP meets their business, financial, and succession goals.

Repurchase obligation planning

Forecast future obligations, evaluate funding strategies, and support employee-ownership sustainability.

Insights

MORE INSIGHTS

Employee benefit professional working on their laptop.

Uncover hidden value: Why due diligence should include total rewards

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Is an ESOP a viable exit strategy for your construction company?

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Create value across your portfolio with the power of total rewards

Article / 5 min read

Two investment advisers in suits discussed private fund reforms.

Selling to an ESOP: Choosing a tax-smart strategy for succession

Article / 8 min read

How an ESOP can help construction company owners sell well

Article / 6 min read

Two women discussing the Maran Settlement and ESOPs at a laptop

Maran settlement may make ESOPs more expensive

Article / 5 min read

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Client Experience

Expertise that extends beyond the transaction

ESOPs affect more than ownership. The decisions that make an ESOP effective are more interconnected than they may appear, which is why a deliberate, coordinated approach matters. Drawing on more than 50 years of ESOP experience, we help clients understand those connections and guide the process with the best interests of the owners, employees, and business in mind.

We serve organizations across a range of industries and customize our approach to each client’s circumstances, objectives, and business model. No matter which stage you’re in, you’ll benefit from guidance grounded in both technical expertise and practical industry knowledge.

As our ESOP practice leader, Blake Wieringa, puts it: “People drive the success of a business. For the right business owner, an ESOP can create an opportunity to realize value while preserving what made the organization successful in the first place: its employees, its culture, and its legacy. It’s an option worth understanding before deciding what comes next.”