Valuing a business is a tricky process – there are many factors to consider, and it pays to seek professional advice. Below is a rough guide on just a few of the elements you will need to consider when deciding what your business is worth, and getting a business valuation.
“Why should I get my business valued?”
You don’t need to know the value of your business to run it effectively – but if you want to set out a business plan, its worth finding out. Getting a valuation will be useful for considering retirement, selling your business, seeking investors or expanding the business. Having an accurate impression of the value of your business puts you in a strong negotiating position in any of these situations, and will arm you with the market knowledge required to make the best decisions.
“Can I value my business myself”
Valuing your business yourself is a difficult and sometimes inaccurate process. For one, it’s very complex. There are many variables to consider, all of which will impact your business’ true market value: turnover, profit, and cash flow will all affect the selling price, as will the location of your premises, the industry or sector your business is involved in, the health of your local economy and local competitors to name a few. Ultimately, only you can decide the figure that you would be happy to sell your business at, but unless you have a great deal of experience buying and selling businesses, it pays to get a professional opinion of your business’ market value.
“Who can value my business accurately?”
Business Transfer Agents, Accountants, and Chartered Surveyors can all provide you with business valuations – who you choose should depend on what you need the valuation for. If you want to sell all or part of your business, it’s worth speaking to a selection of local or sector-specialist Business Transfer Agents, to get an accurate sales value of your business. The valuations that these agents offer you will generally be free, on the basis that if you sell your business through the agent they will take a commission upon completion of the sale.
If you want to value your business for the purposes of securing a loan, company accounts or taxation, you can commission a Chartered Surveyor or Accountant to provide you with a professional valuation. You will have to pay for this valuation, but it will be an official document that you can present to your bank, investors and the courts if required.
“How will an agent value my business?”
An agent will use their knowledge of the local market and their experience of previous comparable business sales to give you an accurate estimation of what your business will be worth. They’ll take into account your business’ financial and geographic position, as well as buyer’s demand for businesses of your type. In many cases, they may already have a number of potential cash buyers who are interested in businesses like yours – their relationships could be very helpful if you go ahead with a sale.
“How much does it cost to value my business?”
You can request a business valuation for free, right here. Simply go to the business valuations request form, enter some basic details about your business and your details will be passed to a select number of key commercial agents who specialise in your sector and area. They will then call you with a free, no-obligation valuation based on recent completions and current market trends.
Click here to arrange a Professional Valuation
