Whether you are a minority shareholder exiting a business, of whether you are part of the majority who remain it’s often difficult to agree a price at which the shares of a departing shareholder will be sold.
It’s not uncommon for a shareholder, especially a minority shareholder, in a company to wish to sell their shares. This might be due to retirement, ill health, or due to a dispute.
Even if the reasons for the shareholder exiting are uncontentious, it can be difficult for shareholders who may have worked together as colleagues for some time to become involved in negotiating a price. Equally for the board of directors who remain it can be important to be seen to be fair.
In these circumstances a well-reasoned independent valuation opinion can resolve any disputes and facilitate the transaction. Indeed, sometimes the company’s articles will provide for an independent view to be sought.
Our valuations are based on a full appraisal of the company and its trading performance, and we document fully our analysis and our reasoning. This allows all parties to see why a particular figure is appropriate. Sometimes negotiation beyond the valuation opinion may be required, for example as regards how and when any consideration may be paid.
Having delivered our valuation opinion, we can help negotiate or mediate between the parties, and our thoughtful, yet plain speaking approach has allowed us to resolve many such disputes.
We’re M&A advisers as well as business valuers. And we’ve helped many business owners with their exit planning and business grooming, and with selling their business when the time comes. This means that we can give you a truly savvy commercial view on your business. We support this using extensive databases which we use in our M&A work and informed by our direct experience of how buyers view businesses.
Our reports are detailed, so you can see and understand what specifically will drive the value of your business. And if you want, we’ll give you a view on what strategic premium over and above its basic valuation your business might command in a sale.
Are you a business owner with questions about valuing a business? Get in touch for an informal chat – every call is treated as confidential and there are no obligations attached. We’re here to be helpful.