EBITDA+ Evaluate the Gap.
Avoid the value gap that scuttles sales!
Welcome to the first post in our series detailing Morgan Shaw Advisory’s, EBITDA+ SIX STEPS TO SUCCESS. Our methodology for maximizing the sale of a business and to help business owners achieve their successful exit.
Whilst already a well-established financial metric, also widely used to value businesses, in this context EBITDA+ SIX STEPS TO SUCCESS stands for:
Evaluate the Gap
Bridge the Gap
Information
The Deal
Due diligence
After the event.
Let’s ‘Begin with the end in mind’ – a nod to one of Steven Covey’s Seven habits of highly effective people. We need to understand your goals and objectives, where we’re going and what your success looks like, whilst identifying any gaps.
The first gap is often in the value of a business, and there are many ways to conduct a business valuation. But, what really matters at this stage is:
What it’s technically worth – provided by a valuation expert, advisor or accountant who calculates a price based on the tangible and intangible assets and, taking into account prevailing market conditions.
AndWhat an owner wants or needs from the sale of the business.
The difference between these two numbers defines ‘the gap’ and once we know this number, then we can start considering how to ‘Bridge the Gap’ to avoid scuttling the sale.
Before we do that, it’s important to understand what can influence valuations. This can help us bridge those gaps and improve our scorecards by considering areas such as:
Financial strength/Quality of earnings: P&L, balance sheet, margin, bank ratios/covenants, budgeting/forecasting achievement, financial reporting/literacy, statutory payments
Market attractiveness
Company attractiveness: ease of running the business and integration; Capex, labour; buildings, room for growth, etc.
Competitive advantages
Revenue profile
Client profile
Business development
IT systems and business processes
Intellectual Property (IP)
The brand, marketing and promotion – always remember that brands sell businesses as well as products
People
And, business maturity.
Fit for sale
Your business needs to be in top shape across a wide range of areas. Especially if you’re working with an experienced buyer, as they’ll undoubtedly expose any areas of weakness.
Improving your ‘scorecard’ can excite a buyer and get them moving more quickly, as-well-as improving your financial outcome and terms of the sale. This is where companies like Morgan Shaw Advisory excel. Experienced corporate advisors (like MSA) keep sales on track, utilize value-adding processes that are proven, effective and efficient. And, all the while, keeping everyone involved safe and sane during a highly charged and emotional time. Working with a professional can add significant value to your business and will ultimately result in more favourable transaction terms, a more efficient process and a higher purchase price.
To ensure you don’t miss a post in this series and to get on the pre-release list for an eBook giving you all the steps and more… just click here.
If you want to better understand how you can engineer your own $30 million-dollar exit or to find out more about the EBITDA+ SIX STEPS TO SUCCESS process and avoid the value gaps, connect with the Morgan Shaw Advisory team here.