HEICO: Parts for Planes - [Business Breakdowns, EP.150]

This is Matt Reustle. Today we are breaking down HEICO. HEICO is an aerospace business, most notably operating in the aircraft parts and repairs market. This is another case study of a very successful business in a nonobvious niche market. To break down HEICO, I am joined by Eric Ruden, an analyst at Ironvine Capital. We cover the fascinating story of the Mendelson family and how they've built HEICO into what it is today. And if you haven't listened to the 50X Podcast on TransDigm, it makes for an excellent pairing with this HEICO breakdown. So please enjoy this breakdown on HEICO. Pair with TransDigm on 50X. For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here. ----- This episode is brought to you by 10 East. 10 East is a platform where qualified investors can co-invest on a deal-by-deal basis across private equity, private credit, real estate ventures, and other one-off opportunities typically unavailable through traditional channels. It's no surprise that founders, executives, and portfolio managers from leading investment firms are using 10 East to diversify their personal portfolios. Their level of sourcing and diligence is institutional grade. To learn more, check out 10east.com. ----- Business Breakdowns is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Business Breakdowns, visit joincolossus.com/episodes. Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here. Follow us on Twitter: @JoinColossus | @patrick_oshag | @zbfuss | @ReustleMatt | @domcooke Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com). Show Notes (00:00:00) Welcome to Business Breakdowns  (00:02:53) First Question - Understanding the Aerospace Market (00:06:58) The Role of HEICO in the Aerospace Market (00:15:03) The History and Evolution of HEICO (00:20:23) Introduction to Mendelson Brothers and their Business Operations (00:22:58) The PMA Business and its Growth Drivers (00:28:49) The Role of HEICO’s Go-to-Market Strategy Against OEMs (00:40:05) The Role of M&A in HEICO’s Growth Strategy (00:43:46) Comparing HEICO and TransDigm (00:48:35) HEICO’s Financial Model (00:50:06) Potential Risks and Challenges for Heico (00:57:55) Key Lessons from Heico’s Business Model