Selling your company is one of the most important decisions you will make in your life. It is important to assess your exit options as there will be several deal structures for you to consider when selling. An expert adviser such as Knightsbridge can help by working with you to set a clear plan in place for the best interests of you and your company.
No matter the exit option, and whether you are only just starting to think about selling your company or the plans are already in motion, our experienced professionals are comfortable with jumping in at any point of the process. Many of our clients go into the process having thought little about preparation, but with an expert in your corner a smooth transaction can be achieved.
How you can prepare
The main thing for a company owner to do in preparation for a company sale is to get their finances in order. Doing this effectively will speed up the process and could attract a better quality of buyers down the line. Speaking to an adviser early can help you prepare.
Along with ourselves gaining a further understanding of your company, valuation experts and buyers alike will want to study your company’s financial foundations. Providing the following documents will make for a successful and straightforward business valuation:
- Profit and loss statements
- Tax filings and returns
- Records of purchases
- Licences, deeds and premises documents
- A regularly updated overview of your company’s finances
- Credit reports
Aim to provide these documents in an organised and timely manner to maximise the potential pull of buyers. We recommend providing statements for the last three financial years in which your company has operated.
Where we come in
Our primary aim is to fully understand your motivations for a sale, your objectives and what you want to achieve. This allows us to analyse what stead your company is in and to tailor a bespoke service to suit your selling requirements.
We engage with you and your business to realise its unique value drivers and selling points. Our team will take the time to get to know you and your objectives in detail before customising the company sale process to your exact objectives.
This bespoke, highly personalised approach means your requirements will always be met and you will be able to achieve the best possible outcome for your business, particularly in terms of deal structures and value expectation.
Obtaining a valuation
An experienced company sales adviser such as Knightsbridge can assist with setting realistic aims for your exit, accounting for potential circumstances that can fluctuate the valuation and what a buyer will be willing to pay.
By exploring every avenue within our range of corporate finance services, we discover the best possible route to realising your company’s worth. Our expertise lies in looking beyond simply the tangible characteristics of your company and instead demonstrating the value drivers unique and appropriate to each interested party.
There are traditional aspects when valuing a business – multiple of profit, turnover, comparisons with acquisitions in the respective industry, all of which are essential to valuing a company. However, it is also worth bearing in mind that the value of a company is determined by how much a buyer is prepared to pay for it. Therefore, by creating competition and generating more interest, the value increases.
Leave it with us
A hands-on adviser will take away the mental load from you as a shareholder, so you can focus your attention and energy on the company’s performance. We will oversee due diligence on your behalf – a comprehensive investigation that encompasses your company’s operations, assets and employees.
Knightsbridge combines its vast experience with backed resources – as a proud member of the K3 Capital Group, the UK’s #1 mid-market UK company sales specialist, we provide a holistic service through our sister companies, including in-house tax support.
We are experts across every stage of the company sale lifecycle process, with an unparalleled buyer reach which consists of UK and overseas trade buyers, private equity firms and alternative investment buyer types alike.
Speak to an expert today.