RSM GmbH, one of the leading auditing and tax consulting firms in Germany, is advising Vectron Systems AG, a leading provider of intelligent, digitalised cash register systems, on the acquisition of 100% of the shares in acardo group AG and 100% of the shares in acardo activation GmbH.
With more than 240,000 installations, Vectron Systems AG is one of the largest European manufacturers of POS systems and the market leader for POS solutions in the German-speaking countries and Benelux in the catering and bakery sectors. The spectrum of digital cloud services also offered ranges from loyalty and payment functions to online reservations and online reporting. All services are directly connected to the POS system.
For more than 20 years, acardo has been developing innovative MarTech solutions and sales promotion concepts for the food retail, drugstore, non-food, entertainment and health care sectors and is considered a pioneer in coupon marketing. The company, which is headquartered in Dortmund, introduced electronic coupon clearing in Germany for the first time 20 years ago and connected various checkout systems. Its customers and partners include more than 30,000 retail outlets as well as over 600 leading brands from the consumer goods, health care and entertainment industries, including Coca-Cola, Nestlé, Unilever and Warner Bros.
Through the acquisition, Vectron wants to make itself significantly less dependent on the business with POS systems, as in future the revenues will be divided between the three areas of POS systems, the continuously expanded digital value-added services and the marketing services of acardo, which have now been supplemented by the acquisition.
An interdisciplinary team from RSM conducted financial, tax and IT & cyber due diligence for the transaction and advised on the purchase agreement negotiations. The financial due diligence was led by WP Volkmar Berner, RSM partner and Head of Transaction Advisory Services (TAS), supported by Vladimir Batalschtikov (Manager). The tax due diligence was the responsibility of WP, StB Oliver Schmitz (Partner) and WP Christian Weyers (Partner) with the support of Julia Specker (Manager). Responsible for the IT & cyber due diligence were Gregor Strobl (Partner) and Jonathan Schläger (Manager).
