Selling: Do You Need a Fairness Opinion?
Much has been written about “fairness opinions” due to the financial manipulations among companies such as Enron, Tyco and others. The conflict in the use of fairness opinions was (and is) that an investment banking firm not only handled the sale of a company, but also got paid for doing a fairness opinion. For example,…
What Do the Following Companies Have in Common?
This is just a partial list: Church’s Chicken, Uno Chicago Grill, Charlie Brown’s, Domino’s Pizza, Burger King, Cinnabon, Sizzler. The first response would be that they are all in the food business, and that’s correct. Now name the second thing that they all have in common? Give up? Well, they (and many others) have been…
Does Your Company Have Pricing Power?
If Starbucks raised the price of a cappuccino, sales most likely would not be affected. If your attorney raised his or her hourly rate, would you switch law firms? If a company or service firm does not have pricing power, then its value is less than it should be. Here are a few ways to…
A Seller’s Dilemma
When one sells their house, the best deal is usually the highest price. When one decides to sell their business, there may be other factors to consider. Many buyers are similar to the “overlooked” buyer described below, serious and qualified; and most sales of businesses are win-win transactions. However, there are a few exceptions, and…
What’s Your Business REALLY Worth?
A recent article in INC magazine titled”Street Smarts,” by Norm Brodsky (his column is worth the price of the magazine) addressed the subject of the title above. However, in the very first paragraph of the article, Mr. Brodsky stated, “Unfortunately, most of them [business owners] have grossly inflated notions of what their companies are worth.”…
Is Your Company Hiding an “Orphan”?
Does your business have an orphan product or service that is doing okay, but doesn’t seem to fit into your core business? Many companies, private equity groups and even some individual buyers are seeking product lines to augment existing ones, or even to build a business around. Here are just a few of the reasons…
Keys to Improving the Value of Your Company
The first key is to have your accountant take a look at your accounting procedures and make recommendations on how to improve them. He or she may also help in preparing financial projections for the coming year(s). Getting your company’s financial house in order is very important in establishing the value of your firm. The…
What Are Your Company’s Weaknesses?
Every company has weaknesses; the trick is to fix them. There is a saying that the test of a good company president or CEO is what happens to the company when he or she leaves. Some companies–on paper–may look the same, but one company may be much more valuable due to weaknesses in the other…
When Is A Company In Trouble?
Companies can be in trouble or headed for it for many reasons. However, most of them can be linked to one or more of the following: • Lack of proper focus • Poor management • Poor financial controls • Loss of key employee(s) • Loss of important customer(s)/client(s) • Not keeping up with technology • Quality control or other operating issues • Legal…
What Sellers Don’t Expect When Selling Their Companies
In the proverbial “perfect world,” business owners would plan three to five years ahead to sell their companies. But, as one industry expert has suggested, business owners very seldom plan to sell; rather, selling is “event driven.” Partner disputes, divorce, burn-out, health, and new competition are examples of events that can force the sale of…