REALISING VALUE IN YOUR BUSINESS
SELLING A BUSINESS
YOU SPENT YOUR LIFE BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS
WE SPEND OUR LIVES REALIZING WHAT YOU DESERVE
We specialize in selling mid-sized, private businesses to strategic acquirers. Because of our hands-on approach, we only ever work with a small number of clients at any one time.
We understand that business owners’ life stages change – retirement, divorce, family wealth planning etc. Whatever your reason for sale, we have a proven model for you to achieve an optimal exit.
By gaining a thorough understanding of your business, your transaction objectives and the current market condition, we deliver clear and objective strategic advice in order for you to make informed and relevant business decisions.
OUR SERVICE TO YOU
We will
Brainstorm and identify the most important value proposition that your business has to offer to potential purchasers
Draw up a comprehensive purchaser profile and establish the most suitable and practical strategy
Conduct comprehensive valuation of your business using industry best-practice valuation techniques that are widely accepted by the market
Assist in the preparation of key marketing materials, including Information Memorandums, Executive Summaries, Financial Models, Term Sheets and much more
Assist with legal documentation, settlement procedures and all other matters for a smooth handover
THE LEGAL SALES PROCESS
1. Marketing Preparation (2-3 weeks)
We will prepare for you:
- Information
Memorandum - Financial Model & Valuation
Methodology - Executive Summary
- Virtual Data Room
- Marketing Strategy
4. Legal Documentation (2-3 weeks)
We will:
- Instruct your solicitor to start drafting the sales and purchase contract based on the terms agreed in the Letter of Offer
- Assist you with final due diligence as and if required by the purchaser’s solicitor, accountant and/or other advisors regarding detailed operational, financial and other information relevant to the business
- Instruct the purchaser to deposit the “Contract Deposit” into our statutory trust account. You now have peace of mind that the sale is now binding
2. Purchaser Screening (4-6 weeks)
We will:
- Meet with the potential purchaser and understand motivations, objectives and future plans if take-over happens to determine purchaser suitability
- Get the purchaser to execute a Non-Disclosure Agreement, which protects your sensitive information
- Provide suitable purchasers with limited, and high-level-only information
5. Settlement Procedures (4-6 weeks)
We will:
- Assist you in all major settlement issues including adjustment amount calculations (tax, employment liabilities, utilities, lease, royalties, stock, debtors and creditors etc)
- Arrange pre-settlement stock-takes, adjustments, title transfers, sign-offs
- Instruct the purchaser to pay the settlement amount on settlement date
- Upon written confirmation from your solicitor of successful settlement, release the Contract Deposit held on trust to you
- The entire business sale transaction completes
3. Offer Acceptance (1-2 weeks)
We will:
- Get our in-house solicitor to prepare a formal, written, “Letter of Offer” setting out high-level terms and conditions of the offer including price and other “soft” terms. The potential purchaser signs the Letter of Offer
- Discuss with you the merits of the offer for your acceptance or amendment for further negotiation
- Instruct the purchaser to deposit the “Initial Deposit” into our statutory trust account
TIPS FOR SELLERS
PREPARATION OF INFORMATION
It is vital for business owners to prepare information relevant to the operation of the business thoroughly and accurately for potential purchasers to make informed and timely decisions.
Are the last 3 years’ of financial statements (Profit & Loss Statement, Balance Sheet, BAS Statements, Tax Returns) readily available?
What information can be shared in which stage of the transaction?
What are the cost savings that can be realized via the acquisition?
What assistance is needed to prepare the necessary information?
GOAL SETTING
It is vital for business owners to have clear goals – objectives that business owners hope to achieve from the transaction
Ranking of the goals – what must be achieved, what can be compromised?
How much value to be put on different aspects of the sales process – price, speed of execution, and certainty of execution?
VALUATION EXPECTATIONS
It is vital for business owners to have logical and reasonable expectations on how much a business is worth
Which valuation methodology should be used? Replacement value, Discounted cash flow, comparables or a combination of them?
What are the key highlights of the business that add value and what are the ones that are potentially negative to valuation?
What is the state of the economy that dictates what’s realistically achievable?
TERMS OF THE OFFERING
What exactly is included in the sale of the business?
What are the “hard terms” and “soft terms” that are part of the offering?
What “sweeteners” can be offered to the potential purchaser to close the deal?
