Business valuation: Knowing your company’s worth
Understanding your business’s value is more than a number on a balance sheet – it’s a crucial indicator of your company’s health and future potential. Whether you’re considering a sale, seeking investment or growth via acquisition, an independent valuation provides invaluable insight into what your business is worth.
In this blog, we’ll guide you through the essentials of a business valuation, helping you understand your business’s worth in clear terms.
Why business valuation matters
First, let’s address why knowing your business’s value is essential.
This figure’s critical for entrepreneurs and business owners when selling their business, undergoing growth via acquisition, or raising capital. Investors and lenders will use this data to gauge the risk and potential investment return.
Understanding your company’s valuation can also support with tax planning and with legal matters such as the drafting of Shareholders’ Agreements.
A valuation also helps set realistic employee expectations on share options and ownership stakes. For companies that offer shares to their employees, a current, independent valuation undertaken by our Corporate Finance Team, ensures that employers and employees clearly understand what those shares are truly worth. This transparency can strengthen the alignment between company objectives and employee efforts, enhancing productivity and motivation. It also aids in recruitment and retention, providing a competitive edge by attracting top talent who see the potential for growth and financial reward.
Furthermore, regular business valuations may be required for insurance purposes, providing also valuable support for insurance assessments and claims. Having an up-to-date valuation will ensure you have adequate coverage to protect against losses, whether from physical assets, business interruptions or other risks. This proactive approach can significantly mitigate financial impacts when unexpected events occur, providing a buffer to help maintain business stability and continuity.
The foundations of business valuation
Business valuation is grounded in several methodologies, each serving different purposes and business types. The three most common approaches are the asset-based, earning-value and market-value methods.
ASSET-BASED APPROACH
This method calculates your company’s total net asset value by subtracting the value of liabilities from the value of assets. It’s straightforward and practical for companies with significant physical assets.
The asset-based approach is most commonly used where the business is either lossmaking, or produces relatively low profits compared to its asset base. Typically, the balance sheet valuation would be more relevant to a business seeking to wind up which requires a clear assessment of tangible assets, therefore this presents a lower valuation indication. This method provides a solid foundation for negotiations with creditors or during bankruptcy proceedings, where tangible asset values are crucial for equitable settlements. Stakeholders can make more informed decisions by offering a clear picture of the company’s physical asset base, potentially leading to more favourable negotiation outcomes.
This method also serves well for older, established companies looking to streamline operations or divest of non-core activities and assets, aiding strategic decision-making to enhance financial efficiency.
However, the asset-based approach can fail to reflect the full potential of future earnings, particularly for businesses in rapidly growing industries or those with significant intangible assets such as brand loyalty, strong long-standing customer relationships or intellectual property.
For these types of companies, an asset-based valuation may underestimate the market value, especially if their income and profits are more driven by such intangibles than any capital-intensive operations.
EARNING-VALUE APPROACH
For a going concern business, this is the most common method of valuation which focuses on the earnings potential of a business. The earning-value approach, particularly through the discounted cashflow (DCF) method, forecasts future cashflows and discounts them back to their present value.
The earning-value approach is most appropriate in situations where future operations are critical in determining a company’s value. This is especially beneficial for start-ups and high-growth companies where past financials may not indicate future potential.
By focusing on projected future cashflows, this method helps these companies demonstrate their value based on growth forecasts and upcoming profitability. This can be crucial in attracting venture capital or other forms of investment, as it outlines a growth trajectory that can yield high returns, making it an attractive prospect for forward-thinking investors.
The earning-value approach also comes with challenges. It heavily depends on the forecasts’ accuracy, making it susceptible to errors due to overly optimistic assumptions or unforeseen market shifts. Changes in economic conditions, competitive actions or regulatory environments can all drastically alter future cashflows compared to predictions.
The earning-value approach also requires a deep understanding of financial modelling and market dynamics, which can be a barrier for businesses without access to skilled financial analysts and modellers.
MARKET-VALUE APPROACH
This method involves valuing your business based on the selling price of similar businesses in the market.
The market-value approach is particularly useful for business owners looking to sell or merge, providing a relevant indicative valuation based on actual market transactions. This method can facilitate the negotiation process by setting valuation expectations based on a market-tested benchmark.
It also reflects current investor sentiment and market conditions, offering a real-time snapshot of what investors are willing to pay for similar businesses. This can be invaluable for business owners who want to ensure they receive fair market value based on current trends rather than historical financials that may not fully capture the current economic climate.
On the downside, the market-value approach can be problematic in industries that are either highly specialised or undergoing rapid changes. For businesses in these sectors, comparable market data might be scarce and quickly outdated, potentially misleading valuations. In such cases, the lack of relevant comparables can lead to a valuation that does not accurately reflect the business’s unique aspects or future prospects, either undervaluing it in a niche market or overvaluing it in a declining one.
Key drivers affecting business value
Several factors influence a business’s value. Market conditions, industry performance, customer diversity, brand strength, financial health, revenue trends and profitability are pivotal.
Economic conditions, such as interest rates and inflation, also play a role. For example, in sectors like Technology, the speed of innovation and the competitive landscape can drastically affect a company’s valuation.
Regulatory environments and legal considerations can also significantly impact a valuation. Changes in government policies or compliance requirements can alter operational costs and market accessibility. The quality of management and the workforce’s skill level are crucial, as these can drive a company’s strategic direction and operational efficiency. Intellectual property, such as patents and trademarks, further contribute by providing competitive edges and securing long-term revenue streams.
Lastly, global expansion opportunities and the ability to adapt to changing global market demands can also enhance a company’s worth.
Practical steps to determine your business’s worth
To start valuing your business, you can follow these practical steps.
- Gather financial statements: You’ll need at least three to five years of historical financial statements, including the profit and loss accounts, the balance sheets and the cashflow statements.
- Forecast future earnings: Consider market trends and how changes in your business model could affect these projections.
- Choose the right valuation method: Choose the most appropriate valuation method depending on your business type. Combining methods may give you a more accurate picture.
- Consider seeking professional advice: Valuing a business can be a complex process and our Corporate Finance team can provide invaluable insight into understanding what your business may be worth.
- Benchmark against other companies in the industry: Comparing your business to similar companies within your industry can provide additional context for your valuation. This involves examining the sale prices, revenue multiples, EBITDA multiples, and other financial metrics of these companies.
Benchmarking can highlight competitive advantages or challenges and help validate the assumptions made during your own valuation process. This step is particularly valuable in industries with a high degree of standardisation, where comparable financial data is readily available.
Common pitfalls in business valuation
Avoid common mistakes such as overemphasising historical financial performance without considering future potential, ignoring non-financial factors like market position or brand value, and relying solely on one valuation method without considering others that might offer a fuller picture.
Neglecting the impact of external market trends and economic forecasts can lead to inaccurate valuations. It’s crucial not to overlook the effect of technological advancements or shifts in consumer behaviour that could reshape the industry landscape. Misjudging the significance of competitive dynamics or failing to account for potential risks, such as supply-chain vulnerabilities or changes in consumer demand, can also skew valuation results.
Additionally, underestimating the importance of company brand and culture, and employee morale, which can significantly influence productivity and innovation, is a common oversight.
Finally, ignoring the potential for scalability or not properly valuing strategic partnerships can prevent a thorough understanding of a business’s potential.
Wrapping up
Knowing your business’s worth is a powerful tool in your strategic planning. You’re better equipped to assess your business’s true value with a clear understanding of valuation methods, key value drivers and common pitfalls.
Whether you’re planning to sell, seeking funding or simply looking to understand your business better, a well-grounded valuation is the first step towards making informed decisions that drive business success.
Remember, business valuation is not just a one-time exercise but a crucial part of ongoing business strategy. Keeping up to date with your company’s value can help you make timely decisions, respond to market changes and guide your business towards long-term success.
For support with a business valuation, contact your client relationship manager for more information or get in touch.