Buyers re-trade the price after due diligence
Messy accounts, one-off profits and undocumented contracts give buyers reasons to cut the offer.
How we fix itWe run a pre-sale review, fix what we can and prepare vendor-ready financials.
Corporate Finance
Exit planning and preparing your business for sale
The best exits are planned years ahead. We prepare the numbers, the structure and the tax position before buyers ever see them.
One working dayTypical reply time to every enquiry
Fixed feesAgreed in writing before work begins
FCCA-ledSenior, qualified oversight on every engagement
ConfidentialStrict confidentiality, NDA on request
Sound familiar?
The problems we are usually asked to solve
Most owners sell once. Buyers do it for a living. The gap in experience shows up in due diligence, when the price is renegotiated over issues that could have been fixed a year earlier. Exit planning closes that gap and puts you in control of the timing, the terms and the tax.
The business depends on you
If you are the relationships, the know-how and the decisions, buyers will discount the price or demand a long earn-out.
How we fix itWe build a plan to reduce owner dependency and demonstrate a management team.
You will lose a large slice to tax
Sale proceeds can face heavy tax if the structure and timing are not planned in advance.
How we fix itWe model the after-tax outcome of different routes and plan reliefs and structure early.
You do not know the right time to sell
Selling in a weak year or an uncertain market costs value.
How we fix itWe benchmark your performance and market conditions and set a realistic exit timetable.
What you get
- Exit readiness reviewA candid assessment of what a buyer will find and what will affect value.
- Quality of earnings and normalisationAdjusting profits for one-offs and owner costs to present a credible earnings figure.
- Value enhancement planPriority actions over 12 to 36 months to lift value and reduce risk.
- Tax and structure planningModelling share sale, asset sale and alternatives such as management buy-out or employee ownership trust, with specialist tax input.
- Information memorandum and data roomFinancial content and data room preparation, ready for buyer scrutiny.
- Deal supportNegotiation support, completion mechanics and post-sale proceeds planning.
Best suited toOwner-managers planning to sell within one to three years, shareholders seeking a buy-out and families considering succession.
The outcomeA higher, firmer price, fewer surprises in due diligence and a tax outcome you understand before you sign.
How it works
- ScopeWe agree the objective, timetable and the information needed.
- AnalyseWe test the numbers, value the business and identify risks and levers.
- AdviseWe present findings and negotiate with you on price, structure and terms.
- CompleteWe support completion, adjustments and the post-deal financial position.
Questions we are often asked
How early should I start planning an exit?
Ideally 24 to 36 months before you want to sell. Some improvements, such as clean accounts and reduced owner dependency, take time to show in the numbers.
Do you act as a business broker?
No. We prepare the business and the financial case, and we work with brokers, M&A advisers and lawyers who run the sale process where one is needed.
Can you help if I am selling to my management team?
Yes. We model the buy-out, the funding and the tax effects, and support negotiations between the parties.
Tell us what is on your mind. We will tell you honestly how we can help.
Send a short note. A senior member of the team replies by email, normally within one working day, and every first conversation is confidential.