Screening bidders
Unless you understand your company’s value in the current market, you can’t possibly decide whether a bid is fair. Your advisor will appraise your business, which includes reviewing its financial statements, assets and intellectual property and researching recent sales of similar companies in your industry.
It’s also important to know your bidder’s acquisition strategy. Does the buyer operate strategically and pursue only those companies that offer cost synergies and whose products and services complement its own? This type of buyer is more likely to pay a higher-than-market rate for an acquisition it really wants. Or is the bidder interested in buying your company as cheaply as possible so it can resell it in a couple of years? These “financial” buyers are less likely to negotiate on price.
True intentions
To ensure an unsolicited buyer can put its money where its mouth is, your advisor will find out whether it’s well capitalized or overleveraged. If the buyer doesn’t have the cash to make an acquisition, it needs to qualify for bank financing — which can be tough in the current market.
Your advisor can also help you screen for fraud and unfair dealing. A buyer might have a history of trying to snap up businesses on the cheap or through hostile bids, or it may be known for not honoring preliminary agreements. It’s usually best to walk away from such buyers.
Happy ending
In the end, Emily learned that her business was worth more than her unsolicited bidder was offering. With the help of her M&A advisor, she prepared for sale and approached several other potential buyers — one of which made Emily an acquisition offer she happily accepted. •
Other articles in the August 2013 Edition of Business Matters: