How to Position Your Business for a Successful Sale

Authors: Brit Lanier, CPA; Alex Aufdenkampe, CPA

Selling a business can be a pivotal step for any entrepreneur. Ensuring you adequately prepare is crucial to attract the right buyers and obtain the best value. In our experience, a successful and smooth sale process comes down to a few essential items: 

• Understanding your business and any liabilities or risks that could impact valuation.
• Identifying the types of buyers who would be interested in acquiring your business.
• Finding and engaging experienced M&A professionals who understand your industry and market.

Proactively addressing these items can enhance credibility, maximize value and instill confidence in potential buyers.

Understanding Your Business 

Having well-organized and up-to-date financial and operational data is essential to entice potential buyers. Gather information from the past three to five years, including financial statements, tax records, contracts and other vital business records. This comprehensive data package will demonstrate transparency and make the due diligence process smoother for potential acquirers. If this information is not readily available, consult with a CPA firm to determine if they can recreate the historical data through other means.

Buyers will scrutinize your business to assess its actual value. Therefore, it is essential to identify and consider potential liabilities or risks that impact their valuation. Addressing and mitigating these issues early on can help build confidence in potential buyers.

Sell-side financial due diligence can uncover areas where you can optimize financial performance, address inefficiencies or achieve synergies. This proactive approach builds trust and confidence, facilitating smoother negotiations and a higher chance of a successful sale. By improving these aspects, you can maximize the overall value of your business.

Undergoing sell-side due diligence gives you a more intricate view of your business and gives potential buyers credible and trustworthy financial information. This transparency can instill confidence in potential buyers and expedite the negotiation process.

A thorough Quality of Earnings report reveals underlying accounting practices and identifies any irregularities that may affect reported earnings. This process gives you a clearer picture of your business's financial health, helping you address any discrepancies before presenting it to buyers. Quality of Earnings analyzes historical data to determine normalized earnings. Understanding the company's sustainable income is crucial for accurate valuation and portraying the business’s true potential to potential buyers.

While financial performance is essential, you should also consider other factors that can add value to your business. Consider a solid and loyal customer base, valuable intellectual property, growth potential, and current market conditions. Highlighting these strengths can attract strategic buyers who recognize the potential for synergy. Your advisors (bankers, accountants and attorneys) should be well-versed in these areas and walk you through the best way to position each item with potential buyers. 

Identifying Potential Buyers

Understanding how private equity groups and strategic buyers assess companies in your industry is crucial to effectively gauge your business's value. Factors like the consistency of cash flows, industry trends and the continuity of the management team can significantly influence valuation. Knowing what buyers seek allows you to highlight your strengths during negotiations. By determining which buyer type you are targeting early in the process, you can make better decisions on how your business runs to enhance how these buyers view you. 

Engaging Mergers and Acquisitions Professionals

Once you understand how buyers value your business, begin working with an experienced investment banker to identify interested parties, which can lead to multiple offers. Their network and knowledge of the market can significantly impact the outcome of the sale, maximizing value for your business.

Seller financing or earn-out arrangements can provide additional incentives for buyers and bridge potential valuation gaps. These arrangements showcase your confidence in the future performance of your business, making it more attractive to potential acquirers.

Selling a business can be intricate, involving legal and financial complexities. Enlisting the expertise of investment bankers, accountants and lawyers specializing in mergers and acquisitions can provide valuable guidance. Ensure that these professionals have experience assisting similarly positioned businesses in your industry. We often see first-time sellers engaging their long-term lawyers and accountants without the requisite knowledge, which can lead to significant issues as the deal progresses. 

Positioning your business for acquisition readiness is a multifaceted process that requires careful planning and collaboration with industry professionals. By organizing comprehensive data, understanding buyer perspectives and maximizing value through strategic considerations, you can attract the right buyers and obtain the best possible outcome for your business. Additionally, engaging experienced advisors offers numerous advantages, such as enhanced credibility, proactive issue mitigation and increased value, making it a valuable step in selling your business. With thorough preparation and expert guidance, you can navigate the complexities of the mergers and acquisitions landscape and achieve a successful sale.

If you need assistance preparing your business for a sale, the Moore Colson Transaction Advisory Services Practicecan help. Our professionals can provide expert guidance in preparing historical data packages, analyzing cash flows and pinpointing the best market positioning. Don’t hesitate to contact us for more information.