The 21st annual Barnes Buchanan Conference — which aligns the security alarm industry with the financial sectors interested in the recurring monthly revenue (RMR) model — imparted a positive outlook on industry performance and countless options for making money. Held the first week in February at The Breakers Hotel in West Palm Beach, Fla., the conference was hosted by Barnes Associates, St. Louis, Mo., and Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, Pittsburgh.
This year’s conference featured six different sessions — from issues affecting alarm company operators such as cybersecurity and competition, to investment trends in the security business. However, the one session most attendees came to see was Michael Barnes’ two-hour Industry Overview. Based on a compilation of research from Barnes Associates, supplemented with additional research including SDM’s Industry Forecast Study and SDM 100, the overview examined four areas: industry growth; industry structure including the competitive landscape; operating metrics among security companies; and acquisitions/market values.