This document is a weekly update on the lower middle market mergers and acquisitions (M&A) landscape, specifically dated for the week of August 6, 2025. It provides an overview of market conditions and exit preparation strategies for company founders. The market update highlights a significant drop in Q1 2025 deals compared to the previous quarter, attributing some valuation compression to uncertainty from trade policies, while noting that valuations remain high in certain resilient secto...