How to Make Sure Your New Business is a Sound Investment
26/02/2015
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We all know the feeling of getting caught up in the excitement of buying a business.
However, it’s important to do your research if you want to avoid uncovering any nasty surprises when you finally sign on the dotted line.
The process of due diligence involves thoroughly checking the information the seller has provided to satisfy yourself that the business is a good prospect.
It sounds complicated, but it doesn't have to be.
This guide will take you through the steps you can take to make sure the business you're looking to buy is a sound investment.
On the money
The first thing to consider is the company’s financial position.
You’ll need to perform a thorough evaluation of its incomings and outgoings, together with any future projections.
Here's what you can do:
Ask to see a minimum of three years’ worth of tax returns as well as balance sheets and cash flow statements, though you may be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement before becoming privy to sensitive commercial information.
Check that bills are being settled – and payments being received – regularly and on time and that both profit margins and cash flow are healthy.
Factor in the costs of any bad debts, too.
And don’t overlook sales records.
Analyse them carefully to discover how the company is performing and whether there are spikes and dips that may correspond to seasonal patterns.
See if your seller is willing to provide figures on the company’s biggest customers (in code, if necessary, to protect their identities) so you can explore buyer behaviour more accurately.
Keeping it legal
The ramifications of missing an important legal loophole can be disastrous.
For instance:
Imagine if you committed to buying a business without ensuring that the lease on the premises it occupied was transferable.
Make sure you instruct a solicitor experienced in business transactions and check copies of all contracts and legal documents (leases, purchase agreements, distribution agreements and such).
You may also need to verify that the business is adequately insured and that required licences and permits are valid.
If you’re inheriting employees as part of the deal, it makes sense to learn everything you can about the terms and conditions of their contracts.
Business opportunities
Gaining a thorough understanding of your prospective business’s strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities is a key part of the due diligence process.
The more you can discover about the business itself, the market in which it operates, areas where there may be room for growth and factors which could stifle it, the more prepared you’ll be for the challenges that lie ahead.
Analyse business operations carefully.
Study industry and economic data to ascertain whether sales seem likely to grow, decline or level out, and consider whether current pricing strategies are realistic.
If your offer includes equipment and / or stock inventory, make sure that their valuation reflects condition, age and market conditions.
Now, with the three elements in this guide to double-check, you'll be sure that your investigations at the pre-contract stage are thorough.
This leaves you with much greater chances of acquiring a business with real potential!
Interested in buying a business? Take a look at the businesses for sale we currently have available.
For more relevant information and guides such as this one, visit our Knowledge Hub.
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