Financial Due Diligence – Why It’s Important to Prepare for the Sale of Your Company
Sep 6, 2023
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Patrick O’Connell explains the financial due diligence process during a transaction and gives advice to sellers on how to prepare their company for sale. He discusses issues that arise during diligence and highlights the biggest mistakes sellers make. The importance of preparation and hiring a CPA firm is emphasized. Overall, the podcast provides valuable insights for potential sellers.
Preparing a company for sale from a financial standpoint is crucial to avoid delays and starting off on the wrong foot.
Financial due diligence is a comprehensive and time-consuming process that requires significant man hours and comprises approximately 60% of the entire diligence process.
Deep dives
Importance of Financial Preparation for Sale
Preparing a company for sale from a financial standpoint is crucial, especially for small to mid-sized businesses. Lack of preparation leads to delays and starting off on the wrong foot. It is important for sellers to get their house in order before the transaction begins. This includes aligning with appropriate advisors and dedicating time and resources to properly prepare the company.
Common Mistakes in Financial Preparation
The most common mistake sellers make is a lack of preparation. This is often coupled with not having enough employees or people to handle day-to-day operations. Sellers need to dedicate time and resources to ensure their company is ready for sale. Additionally, sellers should assess their objectives and consider what they want to get out of the transaction and who they feel comfortable turning their business over to.
Extensive Nature of Financial Due Diligence
Financial due diligence is a comprehensive and time-consuming process. It involves an in-depth analysis of financial statements, including income statements and balance sheets. An expert in financial due diligence will review months of financial data, looking for any discrepancies or abnormalities. It requires significant man hours, often ranging from 50 to 300 hours, depending on the size and complexity of the deal. It is a crucial step in the overall diligence process, comprising approximately 60% of the entire process.
Preparing your business for sale is critical for success. Patrick O’Connell works with buyers during a transaction to perform financial due diligence (FDD). He joins M&A Talk to explain the FDD process and give advice to sellers on how best to prepare their company for sale from a financial perspective. He discusses the issues that come up during diligence, who is involved in the process, and the biggest mistakes sellers make, and gives perspective on what a buyer looks at during financial due diligence.