John Barnes, Finance Expert in Manakin-Sabot, VA, United States
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John Barnes

Verified Expert  in Finance

Finance Expert

Location
Manakin-Sabot, VA, United States
Toptal Member Since
October 12, 2017

John was an equity research analyst at RBC and BB&T—covering the freight transportation sector and generating more than $25 million in commissions. He pivoted to entrepreneurship where he acquired six freight transportation companies and served as a fractional CFO to four more. Freelancing exposes him to a variety of companies and industries, allowing him to leverage his financial and operational experience to maximize value.

Career Highlights

President
VA Beach Express
Equity Research Analyst
BB&T Capital Markets

Education Highlights

Bachelor's Degree
Augusta College

Case Studies

Work Experience

President

2017 - PRESENT
VA Beach Express
  • Sourced, screened, performed due diligence, and acquired six freight transportation companies with a total revenue of more than $3 million.
  • Led a cross-functional integration effort, eliminating duplicate routes and reallocating capacity, resulting in cost savings of $125,000 in three months.
  • Led the build-out of the business support function by hiring back-office staff and formalizing the fleet management, risk management, and human resources job responsibilities.
  • Built the financial model which included a sensitivity analysis, a cash flow forecast, and an investor returns summary for the combined entity.
  • Created a separate services business that was aimed at providing back-office support for other freight transportation companies of similar size which generated $30,000 in incremental revenue.
Focus areas: Revenue & Expense Projections, Operational Finance, Due Diligence, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Budgeting, Capital Budgeting, Financial Statements, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Strategic Planning

President

2016 - PRESENT
Sabot Advisory
  • Provided fractional CFO services to four mid-tier companies for the past 16 months.
  • Built detailed financial forecasting models with an emphasis on sensitivity analysis and benchmarking.
  • Developed a strategic plan for a client's geographic expansion, leading to new business wins totaling more than $4.5 million in revenue in the first 12 months of implementation.
  • Created a formal business plan for each client, including customized pitch decks specified to the target audience.
  • Expanded the existing bank relationships and helped secure a total of more than $4.25 million in new financing.
Focus areas: Financing, Capital Raising, Controller, CFO, Presentation Development, Investor Relations, Revenue & Expense Projections, Competitor Analysis & Profiling, Investment Thesis, Investor Presentations, Investment Briefs, Valuation Analysis, Valuation, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Investments, Business Planning, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Cash Flow Forecasting, Cash Flow Modeling, Financial Modeling, Corporate Finance, Equity Valuation, Capital Budgeting, Budgeting, Profitability Analysis, Financial Statements, Due Diligence, Equity Research, Financial Research

Equity Research Analysis, Air Freight and Surface Transportation

2009 - 2016
RBC Capital Markets
  • Led a team of three analysts covering twenty-five companies across the air-freight and surface transportation sectors.
  • Established equity research coverage of US-based freight transportation companies and coordinated global research effort with analysts based in Canada, London, and Germany.
  • Led an aggressive engagement effort with buy-side clients—leading to an increase in commissions to a run rate of $15+ million.
  • Published more than 400 reports annually on topics ranging from individual company analysis to sector outlooks.
  • Created branded research reports focused on thematic topics, including a deep dive on Amazon's emerging freight transportation capabilities and the "Uberization" effort of the freight transportation sector.
  • Voted #6 financial analyst in 2016 Institutional Investor Poll.
  • Selected as the #2 stock picker in the aircraft and logistics sector by Thomson Reuters in 2016.
Focus areas: Investment Briefs, Investment Thesis, Investor Presentations, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Investments, Cash Flow Modeling, Financial Modeling, Corporate Finance, Equity Valuation, Equity Research

Equity Research Analyst

2005 - 2009
BB&T Capital Markets
  • Led a team of five analysts covering fifty-five companies across the air-freight and surface transportation sectors.
  • Reestablished equity research coverage following the departure of the firm's prior research team by rolling out coverage of fifty companies in a sixty-day period and unifying the research effort under a single franchise.
  • Reengaged with buy-side clients which led to an immediate and material recovery in commissions, achieving a run rate of $12.5 million.
  • Built detailed financial models of companies under coverage, including sensitivity and valuation analyses.
  • Wrote research reports that attained regular readership from over 150 buy-side clients.
  • Selected as the #3 stock picker in the road and rail sector by Financial Times-StarMine in 2009.
  • Voted the #4 stock picker in the heavy machinery and materials sector by the Wall Street Journal in 2009.
  • Selected as the #2 stock picker in the airfreight and logistics sector by Forbes-Starmine in 2007.
  • Voted the #6 earnings estimator in the air-freight and logistics sector by Forbes-StarMine in 2006.
Focus areas: Investment Briefs, Investment Thesis, Investor Presentations, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Investments, Cash Flow Forecasting, Cash Flow Modeling, Financial Modeling, Corporate Finance, Equity Valuation, Equity Research
2011 - 2013

Master of Business Administration (MBA) Degree in General Management

College of William & Mary - Williamsburg, VA, US

1988 - 1992

Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration

Augusta College - Augusta, GA, US

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