Whether you need assistance with the sale of your business or are looking to make a strategic acquisition, the professionals at WilkinGuttenplan are here to guide you through the merger and acquisition process. Our mission is to understand your needs and goals and then harness our knowledge and experience so that we can provide you with the guidance you need to successfully complete the complex buying or selling puzzle.
Having consulted on mergers for our clients, and completed a number of mergers in our own firm, we possess a thorough knowledge of the process from all sides. The professionals at WilkinGuttenplan will help you determine if you’ve found the right fit, and can guide you through the emotional aspects of buying or selling a business.
Services for purchasing a business include:
Financial due diligence
Buyers need insight into the financial performance of the business they are looking to acquire. This process will allow the buyer to confirm relevant information about the seller including their contracts, customers, and financial history.
Tax due diligence
When purchasing a business, understanding the responsibilities and liabilities related to the company’s tax obligations is critical. This is a thorough examination of all of the taxes that a company is liable for including income taxes, payroll taxes, sales and use taxes, and excise taxes.
Tax efficient structuring of the acquisition
Analyzing and advising on different types of deal structures with the goal of maximizing the tax benefits available to the purchaser while minimizing the tax cost to the seller.
Assistance with negotiating terms of the deal
Assistance in maximizing value at the negotiation table with the assistance of one of our experienced team members. Our team’s expertise will assist purchasers in understanding the details of the underlying financial position of the potential purchase entity and identify any key negotiating strategy.
Financing assistance Business Valuation Services
Evaluating, analyzing and understanding the worth of your business. We have experience in a wide variety of industries and our clients work with a Certified Valuation Analyst throughout the process.
Investment Banking/VC introductions
Through our professional network, WG can provide assistance in making connections with investment banking and venture capital firms to assist in closing the deal.
Services for selling your business include:
Pre-deal planning
Getting books and records in order
In order to maximize value, sellers need to be able to “tell a story” with their financial information. We can help create the story by assisting with cleaning up your books and records and implementing financial policies.
Planning for strategy implementation prior to taking the company to market
Assisting in the development and implementation of a sales strategy that meets the needs of the sellers. WG will help to analyze and assess all of the decisions needed for the sellers to reach the desired outcome at the closing of the deal. This will allow for a clear road map going into the sale of the company.
Performing an audit of the company’s financial statements
Audits or reviews of financial statements can uncover issues with accounting policies and/or inconsistencies in the quality of the underlying financial information.
Business Valuation Services
Evaluating, analyzing and understanding the worth of your business. We have experience in a wide variety of industries and our clients work with a Certified Valuation Analyst throughout the process.
Quality of Earnings Report
Take a deep dive into a company’s financial and operating information emphasizing earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, or EBITDA. This is helpful in dismissing any anomalies or one time events and focus in on the true earning power of the company.
Investment Banking/VC introductions
Through our professional network, WG can provide assistance in making connections with investment banking and venture capital firms to assist in closing the deal.
Deal planning
Assistance with the due diligence process
Buyers need insight into the financial performance of the business they are looking to acquire. This process will allow the buyer to confirm relevant information about the seller including their contracts, customers, and financial history.
Tax efficient structuring of the sale
Analyzing and advising on different types of deal structures with the goal of maximizing the tax benefits available to the purchaser while minimizing the tax cost to the seller.
Assistance with negotiating terms of the deal
Assistance in maximizing value at the negotiation table with the assistance of one of our experienced team members. Our team’s expertise will assist purchasers in understanding the details of the underlying financial position of the potential purchase entity and identify any key negotiating strategy.
Tax planning and projection consulting for company and owners
Understanding the transaction and tax implications to provide projections on the gain on sale and cash-flow models. Analyzing and advising for the most tax efficient structure.
Post-deal planning
Continued relationship with former owners to help with the transition
Ongoing tax planning
Assistance with ongoing tax planning to ensure the post-close business is run in the most tax-efficient manner and to provide tax projections for cash-flow analysis.
Estate planning/Wealth preservation strategies
WG’s estate and trust planning specialists will work with you to create an estate plan that meets your objectives. The strategies we use may involve managing your assets, setting up trusts for your children, sheltering your estate from taxes, and finding gifting opportunities to family and/or charities.
