The Mystique of Business Valuation for Privately Held Companies
As a Business Valuation and Merger and Acquisition firm, we often receive the following question from entrepreneurial business owners – how do I know what my business is worth? Business owners are commonly looking for an estimate of value for partnership matters, succession planning or to determine if they should consider selling now or sometime…
Is Now the Best Time to Sell Your Business?
While the importance of timing is paramount, it tends to be underestimated when considering the sale of a business. Determining the “right” timing is increasingly difficult in today’s environment with many complicated external factors impacting business value and marketability.
Why a business owner can benefit from obtaining a Business Valuation
For most business owners, their company is their most valuable single asset. So why is it that we tend to know the value of our stock portfolios, our homes and even our cars but don’t have a clear realistic understanding about the value of our business? Doesn’t it make sense to know the value of…
Questions business owners always ask about the sale of their business
Selling a business is a once-in-a-lifetime endeavor for many business owners. It is critical, therefore, that you are fully informed prior to moving forward with the business sale process. Having specialized in managing the sale of privately held companies for the past 30 years, I have received many questions about the business sale process.
Questions Acquirers Always Ask
When pursuing the sale of your company, it is important to be prepared. Being prepared not only means getting your books and records organized and preparing a quality descriptive executive summary of your company, it also involves educating yourself to properly address the common questions that will inevitably be asked by prospective acquirers.
Expertise Improves Close Rates
You’ve been considering selling your business for some time when you get that interesting email in your inbox: “Dear Business owner:
Negotiation: The Key to a Winning Sale
You’ve thought about it, perhaps spending some sleepless nights debating what to do next with your New York or New Jersey based business. Now you’ve decided it’s time to sell. You have good reasons for the sale—reasons that shouldn’t scare a prospective buyer. So now comes the fun part—or so you think.
Using Your Strengths When Selling Your Business
The term “independent business owner” doesn’t just refer to your life as an entrepreneur. It also denotes the mindset that life as a business owner demands. You’re confident, independent, and maybe a bit stubborn. These vital traits have helped your business thrive, but can work against you when you’re ready to sell.
How M&A Advisors Add Value for Sellers
Selling a business can be expensive and overwhelming, so owners often balk at the prospect of driving up costs by working with an M&A Advisor. Owners who do, however, almost universally believe their banker added value.
4 Common Worries About Selling a Business
Selling a business can feel complicated and overwhelming. It’s normal to have some concerns when you begin. No deal is a certainty, but working with an expert in the industry who is deeply knowledgeable about the business sales process can increase the odds of a successful closing.
What is Included in a Letter of Intent
In mergers and acquisitions, a letter of intent or term sheet can clarify expectations and responsibilities to both parties. The primary purpose is to ensure the parties agree to key terms before they utilize significant resources in pursuit of an acquisition. Here’s what to include, and how to structure an acquisition letter of intent.
10 Factors That Can Destroy an M&A Transaction
As many as 80% of small and middle market businesses that go up for sale never close the deal. Many begin the negotiation process only to see a deal fall apart. These 10 factors are common culprits.
Guide to Structuring the Sale of Your Business
Selling your business can be equal parts daunting and exciting. You’ll need to address legal, tax, and practical considerations. One of the most daunting legal complexities is deciding how to structure the sale: as a stock or asset sale? Let’s look at the key features of the two sale varieties.
A Guide to the Purchase Agreement for Business Owners
During the sales process, you’ll probably sign a letter of intent (LOI) that initiates the process of due diligence and grants the buyer a limited period of exclusivity. After that, you’ll need to draft a purchase agreement. This incorporates the terms in the LOI, adds negotiated terms and conditions, and will be the point of…
Does it “Pay” to Sell Your Company?
The decision to sell or retain a business is a question pondered by many business owners. Selling a business is a momentous decision and involves critical analysis and contemplation. Although there are a myriad of factors that influence this decision, most of the pertinent issues fall into two primary categories: Financial and Lifestyle Considerations.
How to Present Your Company to Maximize Value
Typically, the market will establish a price range for a company, just as it determines a price range for products and services; however, value maximization can only be achieved when the universe of qualified and motivated prospects fully appreciate a company’s future growth and earnings potential.
The Future of Your Employees Under New Ownership
Typical high-level concerns for business owners considering the sale of their business include maintaining confidentiality, understanding and obtaining a realistic company valuation, formulating a favorable deal structure, and choosing the right professionals to represent them in the process.
Partnership Disputes & Understanding Company Value
Sun Mergers & Acquisitions’ sister company, Sun Business Valuations, conducts business valuations for a wide variety of purposes. These reasons include negotiating a sale, securing financing, settling a legal dispute, and for a shareholder buyout to name a few.
When is a Merger the Right Move?
While you may be thinking about selling your business, the timing may not be right for an outright sale. Perhaps the shareholders remain passionate about the business and want to increase its value prior to pursuing a traditional sale.
New Year, New Goals, & a New Outlook for Your Business
For many companies, 2011 can be categorized as a transitional year. Business owners finally appeared to be settling in and getting comfortable with the “new normal” that has presented itself after years of unpredictability and turmoil resulting from a wavering economy.
Shareholder Buyout & Acquisition Considerations
Industry: Healthcare Technology including health information systems, health information technology, consulting, and training.
A Seller’s Emotions During the Business Sale Process
Having handled the sale of privately held companies for nearly 30 years, I have witnessed the full gamut of emotions experienced by clients during the business sale process. The majority of business owners are “Type A” personalities, and when undergoing the sale of what is typically considered their most prized asset, emotions can run rampant.
Key Legal Matters to Understand in the Business Sale Process: An In-Depth Look into the LOI & Purchase Agreement
Letter of Intent When selling a company, a Letter of Intent (LOI) is signed by all parties to indicate that the buyer and seller have reached an agreement-in-principal as to the substantive business points of the transaction.
Seller Remorse… Is This the Right Thing to Do?
I have found seller’s remorse to be the most significant emotional barrier that impedes the life-long goal of selling a business. In handling the sale of over 300 businesses in my career, I have never experienced a situation in which seller remorse was non-existent during what is typically a once-in-a-lifetime event and an entrepreneur’s largest…
When Preparation Meets Opportunity
As a business owner, you constantly must make adjustments, face down competition, and manage change with resilience, but are you truly ready to capitalize on what may be the greatest financial transaction of your lifetime, or have you compromised your position with procrastination?
All Revenue Is Not Created Equal
Revenue composition has a major impact on the value of your company. A business owner should always have a realistic understanding of the factors that increase or detract from business value, regardless of their intention and timing of selling the business. A common misconception is that someone can estimate the value of a business based…
How to Select the Ideal Business Valuation Firm
Business valuations are not a commodity. There are many differentiating factors that elevate one firm above another in terms of quality, expertise, certification, and service. A number of elements should be considered in determining which business valuation firm will best service your particular needs and the engagement at hand.
Pepperdine University Report Finds Positive Outlook for Lower Middle Market Businesses
Study Points to a “Seller’s Market” Ripe for Acquisition and Identifies the Most Active Industry Sectors.The International Business Broker Association (IBBA) and M&A Source in conjunction with Pepperdine University prepare quarterly reports regarding the market conditions for businesses being sold in the “Main Street” market (values of $0-2 million) and lower middle market (values of…
Why All Business Owners Should Understand EBITDA!
What Is EBITDA and How Does It Impact a Company’s Valuation? Before your eyes roll up into your head, take a few minutes to read this very important article! EBITDA is used to analyze a company’s operating profitability before non-operating expenses (such as interest and other non-core expenses) and non-cash charges (depreciation and amortization).
Preparing Your Business for Sale
Careful preparation and advanced planning can significantly increase the likelihood of a successful business sale and have a positive effect on valuation. The following are proactive steps a business owner should take prior to beginning the business sale process:
Tips for Choosing the Right Business Broker or M&A Firm
You’re the expert on your business. You’ve seen it through ups and downs and invested years to build your business. It might seem like a no-brainer that you’re the ideal person to sell what you’ve built but there are significant advantages to using a qualified business broker or M&A advisor.