Case Studies

Financial Advisor to a Family-Owned Walnut Grower

J.S. Held Acquires Element Forensic Engineering, Expanding Insurance-Focused Capabilities for Mid-Market and Large Loss Property Claims Across Canada

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Home·Financial Advisor to a Family-Owned Walnut Grower

The Situation

J.S. Held was retained as financial advisor by a $17M family-owned walnut grower facing significant financial and operational challenges. The company was operating under a lender forbearance agreement with $20M in debt and declining performance. Its revolving line of credit had been frozen due to concerns about financial reporting and cash flow visibility.

How We Advised

Our team helped management improve financial reporting, enhance lender communications, and develop actionable short- and long-term cash flow forecasting capabilities. Through these efforts, the company restored lender confidence by demonstrating improved financial discipline and reporting rigor.

The grower successfully refinanced its debt with the existing lender, exited forbearance, regained access to its revolving line of credit, and entered the critical harvest season with renewed working capital and a significantly stronger financial foundation to support future growth. To further strengthen the organization’s financial infrastructure, our team helped recruit and hire a part-time controller to maintain effective financial reporting and lender communications moving forward.

Our Solutions

Improved cash flow visibility and financial reporting:

  • Built a detailed 13-week cash flow forecast
  • Developed a comprehensive monthly forecast extending through year-end
  • Implemented ongoing variance analysis and improved reporting practices

Repaired a strained lender relationship:

  • Strengthened lender communications and improved the company’s financial reporting package
  • Advised on cash management and expense prioritization to preserve liquidity
  • Supported refinancing with the existing lender and the company’s exit from forbearance, helping restore access to the revolver

Remedied an under-resourced internal finance function:

  • Assessed financial reporting needs and defined the required role
  • Assisted in the recruitment and hiring of a part-time controller
  • Established practices to sustain reporting rigor and lender communications going forward

Related Practice Areas

> Liquidity Management 
For companies in distress or undergoing rapid growth, ensuring sufficient cash flow to support operations requires a methodical approach to liquidity management marked by multi-department input, cross-constituent communication, prioritization, and negotiation. 

 

> Solutions for Distressed Situations
We deliver integrated solutions for distressed and insolvent businesses that maximize recovery, mitigate risk, and restore enterprise value. Our experts are retained to help distressed organizations stabilize operations, protect stakeholder interests, and execute turnaround strategies. We take an operationally-focused approach that looks beyond the balance sheet to minimize further degradation and build a path to sustainable growth.

Key Contacts

For additional information about the engagement or to learn more about our services, contact:

Our Experts