Business Valuation Louisville Kentucky
How are Louisville, KY Businesses Valued?
Have you ever assessed the value of your Louisville business? Finding that number can be a difficult process involving a whole slew of factors, from where you’re located to what “value” means to you. The value of a business means different things to different people, but there are some core principles of business valuation that can help you get the right valuation done for your Louisville business. If this sounds technical, don’t worry. Our experts at Redwood Valuation Partners have years of experience in business valuation and are eager to help you through the process from start to finish.
409a Business Valuation Services in Louisville
Call Redwood Valuation Partners for your next business valuation (206) 660-1295
Why Do Businesses Get Valuations?
If you want to know exactly how much your business may be worth if you sold it, you should seek a business valuation. If you are considering selling your business, it’s critical to get a valuation first so that you can go into negotiations with potential buyers armed with knowledge and data.
A business valuation can also help show you where your business’ value comes from. The value of any one business could come from entirely different sources than a different business. It might be surprising to learn that a business with a very high value in Louisville is perhaps not as highly valued in a different city. By the same token, hidden value may lurk in a business that doesn’t seem as impressive at first glance. The particulars of a business will determine the outcome.
It’s imperative, then, that your business valuation is handled by professionals. An accountant doing a valuation needs to know tax law, the audit process and finance, as well as information about your business. The advantages of doing a business valuation correctly include understanding your selling price and stock compensation. But the reasons and advantages of a valuation are different for every circumstance. If you need help determining if a business valuation is right for your circumstances, get a free consultation from Redwood.
Approaches to Business Valuation
An accounting doing a business valuation will likely take one of three main approaches to assessing the value of a business. There could be other approaches to business valuation, but the three described here encompass the most common methods. These methods apply to an array of businesses, whether they’re in Louisville or elsewhere. The best approach for your business depends on your reason for getting a valuation and your long-term goals for your company.
Looking at Assets
While it may sound obvious, there are actually a few approaches to looking at a business’s assets The aim of an asset-based approach is to total the investments of a business. One way to go about looking at a business’s assets is by figuring out how much it would cost to set up a brand new business that mimics the existing one. Assets and liabilities are much easier to see through this theoretical new business. The difference between the assets and the liabilities of the company is the business’ value.
Don’t be fooled by how simple this approach seems at first glance. In practice, determining which assets and liabilities to include, and how, is a tricky process. Typically, one of two methods will be chosen for proceeding: either a going concern asset-based approach or a liquidation asset-based approach.
One method is to look at assets with a going concern. The accountant looks at the company’s net balance sheet to find the value of its assets and then deducts the value of its liabilities. In the other approach, a liquidation asset-based approach, the accountant first imagines that all the assets and liabilities were paid off, as though the business was liquidated. The net cash received from such a liquidation is the business’ value.
The specifics of your business may reveal whether this sort of approach is right for you. There are other approaches if focusing on assets is not right for your situation and goals. There are certainly some businesses, such as those that are in a sole proprietorship, that would be well-advised to take a different approach. By contrast, corporations spread out the ownership of assets throughout the company and could benefit more greatly from a valuation based on assets.
Determining Value Based on the Market
A market-based approach looks at the market as a whole and not solely at your business. This includes looking at other businesses in Louisville. The goal is to see what your business would be worth by comparing it to other similar businesses.
This approach has the benefit of viewing overall market conditions rather than having a more narrow focus. Some important considerations for this approach include the current fair market value of similar businesses and what price buyers are paying right now for businesses like yours.
Unfortunately, it is not always easy to get competitors with your business to reveal the sort of information needed for a market-based valuation. Non-competition clauses and private information can hinder this approach, making it difficult or potentially even impossible to get the information necessary for this type of valuation.
Looking at Income or Earnings
An income- or earning-based approach is different from the other two in that it is concerned with future potential. However, this method starts in the present, looking at the earnings of the business today to try to predict its future earnings.
Obviously, this invites an element of risk in that the accountant or valuator is attempting to determine value based on a predication. However, they can use hard data to back up this prediction. Often, a valuator will “normalize” current earnings, removing abnormal costs and windfalls, to try to get a reliable set of figures to work with. Sometimes, these predictions are divided by capitalization factors that fluctuate based on the market.
There are, as with other methods, additional considerations here, such as the type of business you run. Sole proprietorship could mean that a business’s identity is so closely linked to its owner that selling it incurs particular risks that can not be predicted based on earnings alone.
What Kinds of Valuations Exist?
The types of valuations possible go beyond those meant strictly for businesses trying to sell. There are other value assessments that serve difficult purposes. Someone with a patent, for example, may also seek a valuation of their property.
409A Valuations
This type of valuation is concerned with the stocks connected to your business. Many businesses offer stock to their employees and contractors. When compensation comes in the form of stocks like this it is considered a special type of deferred payment that has to be reported.
It’s not as confusing as it seems. It simply means those stocks have to be accounted for. For one thing, this type of valuation can help a business find its fair market value. Fair market value is especially important here because employees with stock need to be able to sell it at or above that mark. In addition to stock, a 409A valuation is required if your company issues bonus plans, salary deferral arrangements and other agreements involving deferred compensation for employees.
Often, you will know you need this type of valuation because it will be legally required of your business. Even if you have gotten a 409A valuation in the past for your business, the law could require that you get another one each year or every time a new round of funding closes.
It is advised that you don’t try to do a 409A valuation yourself, even though you can, and instead let an accountant deal with unforeseen difficulties that you aren’t prepared to handle. A Redwood valuator will know the ins and outs of this type of valuation, as well as the best approach for you and your business as you undergo this process.
Business Valuations/Looking at Business Valuations
A business valuation is a general term and can be suitable for a myriad of situations, including during negotiations, while planning a business or during entity conversations. You may be hoping to see how much you could make by selling your company. Or you might be hoping to assess your tax liability by looking at your business’ value.
A practiced accountant can help navigate enterprise and equity valuations for businesses. As our clients have expanded, so has Redwood, increasing the size and expertise of our team. Regardless of your specific reasons for seeking out a business valuation, we can work with you to reach your goals. Whether you want to find your fair market value or do tax or financial reporting on your business, we are prepared to help you through the process.
It takes an experienced team to understand the intricacies of business and finance, as well as IRS regulations. A valuation is an added complexity on top of keeping your business running, so allow our accountants to handle valuations for you.
How to Assess IP and Patents
Intellectual property and patents have separate valuation concerns. Most businesses do have some sort of intangible property that want to protect and value, though. Taxes are complex when it comes to IP and patents, but it is also important to make sure trade secrets and trademarks can be protected. Litigation, mergers, acquisitions and business planning provide additional cause for an IP and patent valuation.
Once you have a patent or intellectual property that has value, you need to make sure it is protected. These assets can be difficult to appraise as they are often intangible and difficult to define. But the value of IP and patents cannot be understated, especially in recent times when so much of a business’s value comes from these assets in particular.
Assessing Purchase Price Allocations for Business
Purchase price allocations, or ASC 805, may be necessary for your business. This requirement relates to the acquisition of businesses and includes determining the fair market value of the transaction consideration, intangible assets, liabilities, and certain tangible assets as of the date of acquisition. This is particularly important for assessing purchase prices in an acquisition.
A purchase price allocation ultimately comes down to determining what various parts of a purchased business are worth, including assets and liabilities. It is not always the case that a business is sold as one whole entity; it may be sold in smaller pieces.
The Last Word on Business Valuations
Here at Redwood Valuation Partners you will find the expertise you need for your valuation. Whether you are comparing your business to others in Louisville or looking elsewhere, a business valuation can show you the fair market value of your business and assets and keep you in compliance with any tax code regulations.
Knowing the fair market value of your business can help your future. Whether you are looking to assess your value for the sake of selling or have yearly tax considerations, a business valuation will help. Intellectual property can be assessed and protected through a business valuation. Don’t get overwhelmed by the details. A helping hand through the process of business valuation can make the process easier. We know how to assist you with a business valuation whether it is for tax issues, value assessment or any other reason.
While venture capital and auditing can be complicated, we believe teamwork and expertise can help manage the process of a valuation. Our valuation associates and analysts have worked in their field for years, becoming respected experts. We understand that many of our clients come from high-pressure startups and growth-focused companies with tight deadlines. That’s why we won’t waste your time; we’ll handle the details while you keep running your business.
Whether you want a valuation for selling, taxes or any other reason, we can promise client focus and years of experience when working alongside you. Along with the obvious, our valuations include customized reports, audit defense and free consultations. We can assist you from the very beginning if you don’t know where to start. The customized reports we include with our valuations give you insight into the details of all of your businesses assets. Get a deeper look at your business that includes objective factors as well as subjective ones during the assessment. And if an audit should come up, you can rest easy knowing our audit defense has your back at any time.
In the end, if you need a business valuation, you will likely need help with that valuation. Get Redwood’s experienced team to assist you as you work through a business valuation for any reason. Find out how to get started with a consultation.
Our clients have direct access to Redwood’s managing partners and directors. You know your business better than anyone, and the valuation process includes subjective assessments that require your input. We guide you through this process, save your time, and allow you to focus on what matters – growing your business. Get a quality company appraisal in Louisville, KY.
The Redwood team has performed many IRC 409A Valuation Seattle engagements, and we offer a wide variety of business appraisals to Seattle. Other services include ASC 805 valuation (purchase price allocations), IP valuation, patent valuation, impairment valuation, carried interest valuation, portfolio valuations, IRC 382 valuations, and many other types of stock valuations and business valuations.
With over 50 years of combined valuation experience, we provide top-tier expertise and client service at a reasonable price. Our experience as CFOs and Controllers of venture firms and startups separates us from our competitors who lack the boots-on-the-ground experience that our clients have, which we also share.
If you plan to issue stock options in the next twelve months or have any questions about potential valuations, give us a call for a free consultation and we will give you candid advice about whether a valuation may be needed and how we might help. Our goal is to help our clients achieve their desired goals with minimal burden.
409A Valuation Louisville
Redwood Valuation Partners was formed behind an idea of service positioning us as one of the most well-respected companies in the industry. Our expert knowledge of finance, tax, venture capital, and the audit process helps us understand the difficulties of start-ups. We speak your language! Give us a call and learn how we can help. For information on Business Valuations follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook and find us on Google+ too! (206) 660-1295
