Exit planning

Value in a business is not enhanced without investment of either time or money. Our exit planning identifies the “Value Enhancers” and “Value Detractors” in a business through a systematic process and prioritises where the time and money should be spent to generate the greatest return from a value perspective.

Through regular sessions and the use of a tailored action plan we ensure that the steps needed to maximise value are identified and then most importantly adhered to.

There will be areas where we will be able to assist and support the business, drawing upon skills from across Roffe Swayne. However many of the actions will be internal to the business and may take several months or even years to achieve.

Whether it is over a three month or five year period any planning that the business undertakes is proven to generate a return when it comes to exiting the business and therefore it is never too late to start.

Each business is different and there may be a specific focus needed in additional areas, but the key elements of our work tend to be:

• Explaining the overall sale process and what a purchaser typically looks for in making an acquisition
• Through a tailored questionnaire, understanding all the key factors behind your business, be it historic or future financial performance (covering turnover, gross profit or overheads), staffing, products and services or technology
• Identifying the key factors that drive your market
• Reviewing the strength of the balance sheet and identify any areas of concerrn
• Highlighting the strengths and weaknesses in your business
• Researching the latest transactional activity in your sector and identifying potential purchasers at an early stage
• Preparing an outline valuation report that assesses your value in the eyes of a potential purchaser (this can form the benchmark against which improvements in your business can be measured)
• Preparing an action plan which will identify those areas on which attention is needed to enhance value
• Staying in regular contact, to review financials and other milestones that the business has achieved and review progress made on the agreed action plan