Valuing a business is a crucial aspect of understanding its worth in the market. There are various methods employed by analysts and investors to determine the value of a business, each with its own advantages and limitations. Below are a few commonly used methods:
For business owners, buy-sell agreements are important tools for ensuring a smooth transition of ownership in cases such as death, disability, or retirement. These agreements set the terms for how an owner’s shares or interest in the company will be bought or sold—i.e., who has the right to buy and at what price.
A significant number of business owners do not know how much their business is worth. That can be a source of conflict in the face of unfortunate events such as a divorce or a partnership separation. But it can be even more painful when the business owner plans to retire, only to find out the business isn’t worth as much as they expected.
Supply chain issues are a big concern for businesses right now. Forced shutdowns, crisis forecasting, labor issues, and logistics all played (or are still playing) a part in the current shortages. Business has not snapped back to normal.
A stay bonus provides an incentive for an employee to stay with the company during and after a sale. They’re designed to protect the company in times of change.
Delays are one of the biggest problems contributing to deal failure. The longer the process drags on, the more likely it is that a) someone gets fed up and moves on or b) something big will happen, economically or geopolitically, that disrupts the deal.
When you’re ready to retire, or exit your business, you may think selling to a competitor is your only option. But competitors are seldom your best buyer. They’re rarely willing to pay top value because they’re already established in the market.
Labor issues are affecting the M&A market. For some business owners, it means decreased value because they can’t find people to maintain operations or replace the owner after a sale. But labor shortages are also sending buyers to market. When they can’t hire the talent they need to grow organically, they look to expand through acquisition instead – buying companies with fully staffed teams.
Tom West is considered by many to be the founder of modern day business brokerage. A few years ago, he calculated what percent of businesses on the market actually sell. For most small businesses, those with sales of $10 million or less, he figured fewer than 25% actually transition to a new owner. There are a lot of factors driving down success rates, but here are the five I hear about most often:
From 9/11 to the Great Recession to COVID-19 – after every hiccup in the world, buyers want to know how your business stood up against adversity. In 2015, buyers were still asking, “But how’d they do in 2009?” Today, buyers want to know how you’re getting through the global talent shortage.