Selling a business
Selling a company or business is often a stressful affair, and one that has serious implications for you. This is because the sale not only directly affects the future of the company or business, it also has a major impact on you personally. Baker Tilly Corporate Finance can advise and guide you throughout the entire sales process from the preparatory work, drafting the necessary documentation and identifying and approaching prospective buyers, through to conducting the due diligence investigation, conducting the negotiations and drafting the legal contracts.
The three phases of a business sale
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Before actually starting the process, you have to think about preparing the business for the sale, for instance by reducing the risk profile for a prospective buyer or optimising the working capital to increase the value of the business. The actual process of selling the company then begins with analysing the business, carrying out a valuation and preparing the necessary sales documentation, so that your company is presented effectively. We will also draw up a list of potential buyers to approach.
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We can approach prospective buyers anonymously. Depending on our approach, interested parties will be sent the documentation (after having signed an NDA of course). Based on responses, we will schedule preliminary talks and ask prospective buyers to express their interest in the form of a bid. We then examine the bids, support you with the negotiations and (in case of an attractive offer) draft a letter of intent. Prior to the negotiations, we advise you on the strategy to take. We can also take on practically any intermediary role necessary to ensure that the relationship between you and the potential buyer is not compromised.
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The final phase involves structuring the transaction. The letter of intent is the starting point for this phase, as it broadly establishes the terms and conditions. We then assist you during the due diligence that the buyer carries out to verify the information you have provided. We make a pre-configured digital data room available for you. The nature and extent of our audit depends on the agreements reached with the buyer. The results of the due diligence investigation together with the letter of intent are the basis used to draw up the purchase agreement.
Baker Tilly International
We collaborate closely with other corporate finance departments in the international Baker Tilly network. Through our network, we regularly come into contact with international companies, often major corporations, who are interested in acquiring Dutch companies. These organisations often have a strategic interest in this, which could help you secure a higher selling price.
2022 transaction overview
In 2022, we advised clients on 153 assignments, ranging from acquisitions and due diligence investigations to valuations and financing options. The total value of the acquisitions came to €233 million, and the average transaction value was €6 million. Our clients operate in a wide range of industries, which we’ve listed below. You can read about these clients in the references, or get in touch with us so that we can discuss what we can do for you.
