Business Valuation Sacramento California
Assessing Business Value in Sacramento
Have you ever assessed the value of your Sacramento business? Assessing the value of your Sacramento business can be more complicated than just working out the value of its assets. While the precise “value” of a business is a somewhat nebulous concept, there are consistent methods of assessment that can set you on the right track if you’re trying to find the value of your business. If this sounds technical, don’t worry. At Redwood Valuation, we built our foundation on years of experience that we leverage to assist our customers seeking business valuations.
409A Valuation in Sacramento, CA plus IRC 409A Valuation, and Purchase Price Allocation
Call Redwood Valuation Partners for your next business valuation (206) 660-1295
Why Do Businesses Get Valuations?
There are a myriad of reasons to get your business valued, but perhaps the most obvious one is in order to see how much it will sell for. 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.
In addition to how much a business is worth, a valuation can show which parts of a business are valuable. The value of any one business could come from entirely different sources than a different business. A local business that is important to the community in Sacramento may have a high value for that particular community, but not for a potential buyer. 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. Getting your business valued requires knowledge of finance, tax law, venture capital and the audit process, as well as of your business. But the benefits of a business valuation come in many forms, from stock compensation to expenses to selling prices. But the reasons and advantages of a valuation are different for every circumstance. A free consultation from Redwood may help you clarify the reasons for your valuation and the best approach for your particular business.
What Approaches Are There to Business Valuation?
There are three main approaches to business valuation that an accountant or business valuator will use. These three approaches are not the only possible ways of looking at a business’s value, however. No matter where your business is located, these methods can help you find your business’s value. The right approach for you depends on you, your business and what you hope to get out of a valuation.
Determining Value Based on Assets
While it may sound obvious, there are actually a few approaches to looking at a business’s assets In this approach, a business’s investments are added up to determine value. 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. This exercise can reveal a lot of information about a business, including its liabilities and assets. The next step involves balancing the assets and liabilities in order to calculate how much value the business holds.
Don’t be fooled by how simple this approach seems at first glance. The difficulty lies in the details, where figuring out the worth of a business and sorting through assets and liabilities becomes more complicated. Typically, one of two methods will be chosen for proceeding: either a going concern asset-based approach or a liquidation asset-based approach.
The first option is a going concern asset-based approach. Value here is determined based on the value of the assets the accountant finds in the business contrasted with the cost of any 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. After liquidation, the accountant can see clearly the value of the business.
The type of asset-based approach you choose depends on your business. 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. A corporation, in which all assets are owned by the company as a whole, is a much better candidate for an asset-based approach.
Market-Based Approach
Sometimes it is important to take in the whole picture, meaning the entire market, and not just your one business. For example, you could compare your business to others located in Sacramento. A method that uses comparison to determine value take into account other factors impacting the market as a whole.
This approach has the benefit of viewing overall market conditions rather than having a more narrow focus. An accountant using this approach will try to determine the fair market value of your business and what a buyer is likely to pay for it in the current climate.
This approach encounters difficulties in that often other businesses are not eager to share their worth with competitors. Some of the difficulty with a market focused approach arises when you encounter non-competition clauses and other information a business has decided to make private.
Looking at Income or Earnings
This approach to business valuation looks at potential and future value in order to draw conclusions. An income-based approach tries to use current income and earnings to predict how much a business will be worth in the future.
Of course, assessing value this way comes along with the risk of assumptions and predictions that invite uncertainty. Some of this uncertainty is offset by the ability to use concrete data to calculate this valuation. The accountant doing the valuation can even “normalize” figures to remove unusual spikes or dips that could make the assessment less precise. Additionally, capitalization factors may indicate abnormalities in the market itself that should be considered during a valuation.
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.
Different Kinds of Business Valuations
The types of valuations possible go beyond those meant strictly for businesses trying to sell. Business valuations are just one type of valuation that is possible. Someone with a patent, for example, may also seek a valuation of their property.
409A Valuations
A 409(a) valuation is conducted for the purpose of evaluating the stocks associated with the company. It is common for employees in many fields to receive stocks as compensation. Stocks given to employees are regarded by the IRS as deferred income given to someone in one year but actually paid in a different year.
It’s not as confusing as it seems. Ultimately, it is a matter of reporting stock earnings. A benefit of this form of business valuation is that it can determine a company’s fair market value. Any employee offered stock as part of their compensation must be able to buy equity in your company at or above the fair market value determined through this valuation. 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.
It is important to know whether or not your business is legally required to get this form of valuation. 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. Experience and expertise are key benefits that only an accountant can offer if you have to work through a 409A valuation.
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. Perhaps you are interested in finding the likely selling price of your business on the market. Figuring out your tax liability is another common reason for seeking out a business valuation.
Whatever the reason, a skilled valuator can help you get equity and enterprise valuations. Redwood’s expert team has grown to keep pace with our increasing client needs. Regardless of your specific reasons for seeking out a business valuation, we can work with you to reach your goals. Perhaps you want to ensure compliance with tax reporting or, conversely, find the fair market value of your business.
It takes an experienced team to understand the intricacies of business and finance, as well as IRS regulations. While you’re concerned with your business running smoothly, let experts tackle the ins and outs of a getting a valuation done.
How to Assess IP and Patents
Patents and intellectual property also require their own valuations. However, this type of valuation can impact a wide range of businesses. 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. Other reasons for IP and patent valuations include business planning, mergers and acquisitions and litigation support.
Make sure your patent or intellectual property is protected by understanding what it’s worth on the market. Defining assets that are not necessarily tangible can be complex, though. Yet for many businesses, understanding those assets and their precise worth can add value and keep the company in compliance with all applicable laws.
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. Of course, the overall goal is to figure out the purchase price for an acquisition.
The goal of a purchase price allocation is to tease apart the pieces of a business, such as liabilities and assets, to find its fair market value. It is not always the case that a business is sold as one whole entity; it may be sold in smaller pieces.
What’s the Bottom Line?
Come to Redwood Valuation Partners when the time comes for your business valuation. Whether your business is in Sacramento or somewhere else entirely, we can help you find the value of your business or intellectual property and stay in compliance with the tax code and other laws and regulations.
Knowing the fair market value of your business can help your future. This may be because you intend to sell your company or because you want to stay in compliance with 409A. Intellectual property can be assessed and protected through a business valuation. Assets and liabilities are complicated. A helping hand through the process of business valuation can make the process easier. Our team has worked for years in business, finance and tax issues, allowing us to meet the needs of a wide range of businesses.
While venture capital and auditing can be complicated, we believe teamwork and expertise can help manage the process of a valuation. Our team consists of experts who have worked in their specialties for years. We know the pressures and stress of running a successful business. We let you get to the important work of running your business while we take care of the intricacies of business valuation.
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. If you aren’t sure where to start, we can guide you through the process right from the start. And our customized reports will include all the detail you need to make business decisions based on your valuation. 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. Redwood has the experts on hand to make your business valuation a painless process with lots of benefits. 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 Sacramento, CA.
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 Sacramento
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
