Financial Consulting & Transaction Advisory / Business Valuation
Business Valuation Support
Valuation work that shows its assumptions, for transactions, family settlements and decisions where the number must be defensible.
Overview
What this means in practice
A valuation is only as good as the assumptions inside it, and most disputes about value are really disputes about assumptions nobody wrote down. The valuation practice prepares business and share valuations for transactions, family settlements, investor entry and internal decisions, with the methodology, comparables and assumptions made explicit, so the number can be explained and defended to the people who will challenge it. Where the law requires a registered valuer's report, the firm coordinates that alongside its analysis.
Who this is for
- ✓Business owners entering sale, investment or partnership discussions
- ✓Families dividing or settling business interests between branches
- ✓Companies issuing shares to investors or employees
- ✓Buyers testing whether an asking price has any basis
What we help with
Business and share valuation using income, market and asset approaches as appropriate
Valuation for transactions: sale, investment, buy-outs and partner exits
Family settlement and succession valuations accepted by all branches
Review of valuations prepared by counterparties, with assumption-level critique
Coordination with registered valuers where statutory reports are required
Documents typically required
- ✓Financial statements for the last three to five years
- ✓Current year management accounts
- ✓Projections or business plans, where they exist
- ✓Details of assets, debt and contingent liabilities
- ✓Shareholding pattern and any past valuation or transaction in the shares
Common Questions
Questions clients bring to this practice
Is the price being discussed based on a method, or on a mood?
Would your valuation survive scrutiny from the other side's advisors?
Does the family agree on what the business is worth, before the conversation gets difficult?
Our Process
A structured CA-led process from records to resolution.
Understand the purpose, a tax valuation, a deal price and a settlement are different exercises
Analyse the financials, normalise earnings and select methods that fit the business
Build the valuation with assumptions documented and sensitivities shown
Deliver a report that can be explained, challenged and defended
FAQs
Common questions, answered plainly
Which valuation method will you use?
It depends on the business and the purpose. Earnings-based methods suit operating businesses; asset-based methods suit holding entities; market comparables calibrate both. Most engagements triangulate more than one method, and the report explains why.
Why do two valuations of the same business differ so much?
Different assumptions, growth, margins, discount rates, normalisation adjustments. A good valuation makes those assumptions visible so the negotiation can focus on the real disagreements instead of trading bare numbers.
When is a registered valuer legally required?
Certain statutory purposes (including some share issuances and company law matters) require a report from a registered valuer or merchant banker. We tell you when your purpose triggers that requirement and coordinate the statutory report alongside our analysis.
Can you value a business for a family settlement?
Yes, and it is some of the most delicate work we do. The valuation has to be (and be seen to be) even-handed between branches, which is as much about transparent assumptions as the final number.
How long does a valuation take?
Typically one to three weeks once the financial information is complete, depending on the complexity of the business and the purpose of the report.