A Video Overview- How Can Axis Assist Me When I Sell My Business?

How Can I Sell My Business with Axis?

Here at Axis Partnership we pride ourselves on our ability to assist people considering an exit as professional Business Brokers.  This video is a brief overview to show how the assistance of an experienced agent working with you, your legal team and your accountants can help smooth the transition from initial contact and preparation through valuation, the commencement of marketing, introductions, due diligence and completion of sale.  

Robin Boxall-Hunt, Managing Director of Axis Partnership

About

Join Me on Google Plus

I Want To Sell My Business Via A Management Buy-Out (MBO)

I Want To Sell My Business To My Management Team

Traditionally it is well documented that less than one in five business owners would consider selling their businesses to their management team.  The reasons are obvious – Management Buy Outs (MBO’s) need careful thought and planning.  However since 2008 and the impact on appetite and demand in the Mergers & Acquisitions sector as a whole, the perception of MBO’s have begun to change and they have become more popular with a number of key advantages.  As a Business Owner, do the benefits of an MBO outweigh the potential risks?

Advantages Of An MBO

So what are the advantages of an MBO?  Rather than have to go to the market place, the Buyer has instantly been found, and the Vendor will be confident that they have the same business ethics and ethos to ensure client relationships are preserved and the name of the Company and legacy is maintained.  Also one of the main advantages is that confidentiality can easily be contained in-house, removing the risk of competitors finding out that the Company is on the general market and any detriment affect from this relating to clients or staff.  MBO’s allow Vendors to be more comfortable about structuring a deal over a longer period of time than they would do with an unknown 3rd party, ensuring there is minimal disruption.  The risk involved in the change of power can therefore be minimised.

Disadvantages Of An MBO

As with everything in business there is another side to the argument, with the main case against MBO’s being that as the Vendor you are limiting the competitive number of Buyers to just one!  A Company being marketed for sale in the open market could easily generate 8-10 potential purchasers, where an offer price could be significantly higher due to synergetic or competitive reasons.  Funding is also a common problem with MBO’s and can be the main cause for the deal to fail, whereas Buyers generated from open marketing would need to provide proof of funding, normally before serious negotiations even get started.  Often Vendors find themselves having to agree to a lower value deal with the MBO team than the Company is actually worth, due to this being the maximum amount they can raise.  Also a point for note is should discussions get underway for an MBO then there could be the risk of the management team not keeping their eye on the ball and the Company’s current performance could begin to suffer.  Alternatively, and even more or a concern to a Vendor, is that should the sale fall through, the Company would be left with a severely demotivated management team.  If the Vendor then looks to take the Company to the general market this instability would devalue the Company accordingly.

The Key to Success

The starting point is to ascertain whether or not the management team will have the appetite, ambition and leadership capability to grow the business, followed by access to finance, as this is the critical part! Anyone thinking "I want to sell my business," should seek specialist help and advice to ensure that a succession plan is carefully implemented so that a flexible, staged exit can be managed, ensuring that sensitive issues and individual aspirations can be dealt with. Working alongside experts in this field can ensure that the business is made as attractive as possible in order to achieve the necessary finance and of course, allowing the Vendor to achieve the full value of their Company!

Adam Croft, Senior Business Broker

About
Join Me on Google Plus

A Video On Due Diligence- What Happens Once A Deal Is Agreed?

When you sell your business, agreeing a deal isn't the end.

At Axis, we do more than just introduce you to buyers, we stay with you throughout the whole of the Due Diligence process.  When you sell your business, you need to be aware that there's still a great deal of legwork, preparation and negotiation as buyer's agents go through your business with a fine tooth comb after you accept their offer.  This video explains the ways Axis can assist you during this period, and explains some of the reasons we may be needed.

Robin Boxall-Hunt, Managing Director of Axis Partnership

About

Join Me on Google Plus

How To Maximise A Buyers Finance Model To Your Advantage

What do ROI and IRR mean and how can understanding them help sell my Company?

All astute Business people, and in particular financially driven Buyers (Venture Capitalists, Private Equity Firms etc), will know the cost of equity and will only make investments that provide a return in excess of that cost within a reasonable timeframe.  In general terms, financial Buyers of SME Companies are looking for a Return on Investment (ROI) or Internal Rate of Return (IRR) in the range of 20-35%, depending on the sector of operation and the risks associated with that particular industry.  Providing proof to this type of Buyer that purchasing your business at your valuation expectation will allow them to achieve the IRR thresholds they are looking for is vital.  

How can I calculate this?

Here's a step-by-step summary of how you perform the analysis:

For example, if I want to sell my Company which has a £2 million value expectation, for simple terms let's say that an appropriate debt-to-equity ratio in the current M&A environment is 50 percent debt and 50 percent equity.  In this case, an acquisition of my business could be financed as £1 million in debt and £1 million in Buyer's equity.

What happens next?

1.  The first stage is to understand how the acquisition of your businesses will be financed, as this is pivotal in positioning your Company at an attractive IRR.  Talking to a finance firm, Bank or broker who specialise in M&A deals in your sector will allow you to confirm the current level of debt to equity which deals are being based on.  Once you have this information you can use this ratio and apply it to your value expectations to see whether they are realistic in the current market.  

2.  The next stage is to determine the forecasted sales, overheads and free cash flows of the business over the next five years, including the cost to service the debt amount used in the acquisition.

3.  Calculate the equity remaining for the Buyer assuming that the Company will be sold after five years at a conservative multiple of EBITDA (usually the same as the entry multiple).

4.  Use the initial equity investment determined in No.1 above, the free cash flows after debt servicing in No.2 and the equity remaining for a Buyer upon a subsequent sale in No.3 to calculate the potential IRR on their investment.

Hopefully, this analysis proves that the valuation of your business will earn your Buyers a return on investment in line with industry standards, or ideally a much more higher and attractive uplift. If not, you might have to reassess the reasonability of your valuation expectations. Effectively in this analysis, you have taken the Buyer's IRR and used it to your advantage, creating a ‘win-win’ scenario when negotiating a deal.

Valuing a Company is more common sense and financial calculations than science or magic, and of course every Buyer will value you differently, the key is to find the Buyer who will pay the highest price and effectively has the greatest need for the acquisition to occur.  If you are prepared to instruct advisors who know the market and how to tailor information for each individual Buyer, you can work toward getting the valuation you want.

Adam Croft, Senior Business Broker

About
Join Me on Google Plus

A Video On Marketing- How Can Axis Attract Those Buying A Business?

How does Axis contact people buying a business?

Axis has a number of ways to contact potential purchasers; as well as our known buyers we have a personal relationship with in our core sectors, we have extensive databases and market directly, through email, online and through social media.  For many of our clients, confidentiality is of paramount importance and marketing is tailored accordingly.  As our video explains, we can reach people buying a business through a variety of means throughout the sales and marketing process.

Robin Boxall-Hunt, Managing Director of Axis Partnership

About

Join Me on Google Plus

Warranties & Indemnities – A Basic Guide If You Sell Your Business

What Are Warranties & Indemnities For?

If you choose to sell your business and manage to find a Buyer, once the Buyer has reviewed all of the information provided in the Due Diligence bundle, they will assess with their advisors the areas that they perceive are a risk, or that there is potential for a future liability to arise from.  Acquiring Companies is naturally a risky process, and Business Owners who are risk adverse will never be successful in growing through this method.  However, as every successful Business person would agree, if there is potential to limit your risk then it would be foolish for this route not to be taken.

Warranties are included within the Sales or Business Purchase Agreement, and are basically comments stating the current standing of the Company, protecting the Buyer from any ‘skeletons founds in the closet’ once they have taken ownership.  Warranties are usually generalised to cover the Buyer for standards areas, such as ‘The Company has no outstanding HMRC liabilities’ or ‘The Company currently does not have any outstanding grievance claims from previous/current staff’.

Within the contract the Warranties will be defined to cover a set period of time, and are usually capped at a maximum amount equivalent to the purchase price paid for the Company.  During Due Diligence if the Buyer finds out about a potentially liability or area of concern, and they wish to specifically protect themselves against this, then they will include details of this under the Indemnities.  For example “Should any claims arise in relation to the CVA then the full amount payable will be borne by the Vendors including any legal costs or interest” or “Should Mr James be successful in their claim of unlawful dismissal against the Company then the full compensation and legal costs will be borne by the Vendor”.

How Can A Broker Help In This Instance?

Having the correct advice in this situation is crucial for Vendors, as warranties and indemnities can be up to the financial consideration you received for the Company, and can be in place for up to 7 years after the sale.  This means that 7 years after you have sold your Company, and in reality either spent or invested the money elsewhere, you could be taken to court and forced to pay back the money you received if you have breached the warranties or indemnities within the contract you signed.  The key thing in place to protect Vendors from this scenario is the ‘Disclosure Letter’, a document which allows you to detail any areas of the Company that may breach the stated warranties for the Buyer to review before purchasing the Company.  This allows you the opportunity to make the Buyer fully aware of any issues before signing the contract, meaning they cannot come back and look to claim against these points in the future.

Obviously any disclosures that are made need to be made in full, and there is the risk of the Buyer walking away at this stage if they find out information that they are not willing to proceed with.  Understanding the Company, and honestly reviewing the areas that Buyers may see as a concern or want to warrant against at the outset, is one of the most important things to review when you sell your business, and talking through with professionals can save time, costs and emotional stress at a later stage.  Once your advisor or broker is aware of any potential issues then these will be raised with a Buyer at the appropriate stage, ensuring that these issues are factored into any deal and form part of negotiations, and removing any ‘last minute’ surprises for either party to ensure the sale concludes.

Adam Croft, Senior Business Broker

About
Join Me on Google Plus

A Video Explaining Valuations- How Does Axis Value My Business?

How Does Axis Value My Business?

When valuing your business it is crucial to consider not just the financial performance, but also the business itself.  No two businesses with the same turnover are going to have the same value, and a professional valuation is essential to determine the operational strengths and weaknesses of a business.  Another crucial factor is your industry. Ask yourself- would I be able to accurately value my business without knowledge of my industry?  Combining these factors with the variables of market forces and the individual needs of potential purchasers, a valuation can be based on much more than just your most recent accounts.  This video gives a short overview of valuations at Axis, and how we can help you.

Richard Haden-Scott, CEO of Axis Partnership

About

Join Me on Google Plus