Some years ago, when Ted Kennedy was running for president of the United States, a commentator asked him why he wanted to be president. Senator Kennedy stumbled through his answer, almost ending his presidential run. Business owners, when asked questions by potential buyers, need to be prepared to provide forthright answers without stumbling. Here are three questions that potential buyers will ask: Why do you want to sell the business? What should a new owner do to grow the business? What makes this company different from its competitors? Then, there are two questions that sellers must ask themselves: What is your bottom-line price after taxes and closing costs? What are the best terms you are willing to offer and then accept? You need to be able to answer the questions a prospective buyer will ask without any “puffing” or coming across as overly anxious. In answering the questions you must ask yourself, remember that complete honesty is the only policy. The best way … [Read more...]
Blog
Is Your “Normalized” P&L Statement Normal?
Normalized Financial Statements – Statements that have been adjusted for items not representative of the current status of the business. Normalizing statements could include such adjustments as a non-recurring event, such as attorney fees expended in litigation. Another non-recurring event might be a plant closing or adjustments of abnormal depreciation. Sometimes, owner's compensation and benefits need to be restated to reflect a competitive market value. Privately held companies, when tax time comes around, want to show as little profit as possible. However, when it comes time to borrow money or sell the business, they want to show just the opposite. Lenders and prospective acquirers want to see a strong bottom line. The best way to do this is to normalize, or recast, the profit and loss statement. The figures added back to the profit and loss statement are usually termed “add backs.” They are adjustments added back to the statement to increase the profit of the company. For … [Read more...]
Do You Have an Exit Plan?
“Exit strategies may allow you to get out before the bottom falls out of your industry. Well-planned exits allow you to get a better price for your business.” From: Selling Your Business by Russ Robb, published by Adams Media Corporation Whether you plan to sell... … [Read more...]
The Devil May Be in the Details
When the sale of a business falls apart, everyone involved in the transaction is disappointed – usually. Sometimes the reasons are insurmountable, and other times they are minuscule – even personal. Some intermediaries report a closure rate of 80 percent; others say it is even lower. Still other intermediaries claim to close 80 percent or higher. When asked how, this last group responded that they require a three-year exclusive engagement period to sell the company. The theory is that the longer an intermediary has to work on selling the company, the better the chance they will sell it. No one can argue with this theory. However, most sellers would find this unacceptable. In many cases, prior to placing anything in a written document, the parties have to agree on price and some basic terms. However, once these important issues are agreed upon, the devil may be in the details. For example, the Reps and Warranties may kill the deal. Other areas such as employment contracts, non-compete … [Read more...]
Two Similar Companies ~ Big Difference in Value
Consider two different companies in virtually the same industry. Both companies have an EBITDA of $6 million – but, they have very different valuations. One is valued at five times EBITDA, pricing it at $30 million. The other is valued at seven times EBITDA, making it $42 million. What's the difference? One can look at the usual checklist for the answer, such as: The Market Management/Employees Uniqueness/Proprietary Systems/Controls Revenue Size Profitability Regional/Global Distribution Capital Equipment Requirements Intangibles (brand/patents/etc.) Growth Rate There is the key, at the very end of the checklist – the growth rate. This value driver is a major consideration when buyers are considering value. For example, the seven times EBITDA company has a growth rate of 50 percent, while the five times EBITDA company has a growth rate of only 12 percent. In order to arrive at the real growth story, some important questions need to be answered. For example: Are the … [Read more...]
What Are Buyers Looking for in a Company?
It has often been said that valuing companies is an art, not a science. When a buyer considers the purchase of a company, three main things are almost always considered when arriving at an offering price. Quality of the Earnings Some accountants and intermediaries are very aggressive when adding back, for example, what might be considered one-time or non-recurring expenses. A non-recurring expense could be: meeting some new governmental guidelines, paying for a major lawsuit, or adding a new roof on the factory. The argument is made that a non-recurring expense is a one-time drain on the “real” earnings of the company. Unfortunately, a non-recurring expense is almost an oxymoron. Almost every business has a non-recurring expense every year. By adding back these one-time expenses, the accountant or business appraiser is not allowing for the extraordinary expense (or expenses) that come up almost every year. These add-backs can inflate the earnings, resulting in a failure to … [Read more...]
A Reasonable Price for Private Companies
Putting a price on privately-held companies is more complicated than placing a value or price on a publicly-held one. For one thing, many privately-held businesses do not have audited financial statements; these statements are very expensive and not required. Public companies also have to reveal a lot more about their... … [Read more...]
Top Ten Mistakes Made By Sellers
1. Neglecting the day-to-day running of their business when the business is for sale or an offer is in process with the reasoning that it will sell tomorrow. Remember, it is your business until the day it transfers. Run it like you normally do to the end. 2. Starting off with too high a price with the assumption the price can always be reduced and not offering realistic terms. Put yourself in the buyer’s shoes and think about what is needed in order for a buyer to move forward. 3. Assuming that confidentiality is a given. Confidentiality takes work to maintain. Work with a professional who understands this and will treat your business like it was there business. 4. Failing to plan ahead to sell / deciding to sell impulsively. Buyers are looking to buy on-going, cash flowing businesses with strong books and records. Prepare your business for sale. 5. Expecting that the buyers will only want to see last year’s P&L. Today’s buyers are much more sophisticated and educated. Buyers … [Read more...]
Why Sell Your Company?
Selling one’s business can be a traumatic and emotional event. In fact, “seller’s remorse” is something a lot of business owners experience. The business may have been in the family for generations. The owner may have built it from scratch or bought it and made it very successful. However, there are many times when selling a business is the best course to take. Here are a few of them. Burnout – This is a major reason, according to industry experts, why business owners consider selling their business. The commitment needed can take its toll over the years. No one to take over – Sons and daughters can be disenchanted with the family business by the time it’s their turn to take over. Family members often wish to move on to their own lives and careers. It is also common for family members to not have the skills or determination it takes to operate a business. More and more business owners come to realize they are better off selling the business to a third buyer and invest their … [Read more...]
Who Is the Buyer?
Buyers buy a business for many of the same reasons that sellers sell businesses. It is important that the buyer is as serious as the seller when it comes time to purchase a business. If the buyer is not serious, the sale will never close. Here are just a few of the reasons that buyers buy businesses: Laid-off, fired, being transferred (or about to be any of them) Early retirement (forced or not) Job dissatisfaction Desire for more control over their lives Desire to do their own thing A Buyer Profile Here is a look at the make-up of the average individual buyer looking to replace a lost job or wanting to get out of an uncomfortable job situation. The chances are he is a male (however, more and more women are going into business for themselves, so this is rapidly changing). Almost 50 percent will have less than $100,000 in which to invest in the purchase of a business. In many cases the funds, or part of them, will come from personal savings followed by financial assistance … [Read more...]
View Matt Coletta's LinkedIn profile