Business Valuation Vancouver Washington
Assessing Business Value in Vancouver
Have you ever assessed the value of your Vancouver business? There are a number of intricate details that you have to evaluate in order to find your business’ fair market value. 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 Business Valuation Services in Vancouver
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.
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. It might be surprising to learn that a business with a very high value in Vancouver 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. It all depends on your perspective.
Therefore, getting experienced accountants to do a valuation is critical. Getting your business valued requires knowledge of finance, tax law, venture capital and the audit process, as well as of your business. The advantages of doing a business valuation correctly include understanding your selling price and stock compensation. Ultimately, the reason for a business valuation depends on your particular circumstances. If you need help determining if a business valuation is right for your circumstances, get a free consultation from Redwood.
What Approaches Are There to Business Valuation?
There are three main approaches to business valuation that an accountant or business valuator will use. 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 Vancouver or elsewhere. Each business has its own particulars that will ultimately determine the approach that is the most appropriate for it.
Asset-Based Approach
Finding the value of a business based on its assets isn’t as straightforward as it sounds. The overall goal is to add together all the investments in the 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. This exercise can reveal a lot of information about a business, including its liabilities and assets. Then, the valuator can simply subtract the liabilities from the assets to figure out the worth of the business.
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. A liquidation approach to determining worth is concerned with paying off liabilities before figuring out the value of a business. After liquidation, the accountant can see clearly the value of the business.
The specifics of your business may reveal whether this sort of approach is right for you. Asset-based approaches are not appropriate for all business. 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, however, could find value in an assessment that is asset-based, as its assets are owned by the entire company and not one person.
Looking at the Market
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 Vancouver. Viewing your business side-by-side with other, similar ventures can provide crucial information for figuring out the value of a business.
This approach has the benefit of viewing overall market conditions rather than having a more narrow focus. In this approach, it is also very important to consider what a buyer in the market would currently pay for your business and what the fair market value would be.
It would be great if the sort of information necessary for this approach was easy to obtain, but it is not always the case that competing businesses will divulge the necessary figures. Private and protected information such as non-competition clauses can prove a barrier to obtaining some of the information needed to make a valuation.
Looking at Income or Earnings
The difference between an income or earnings-focused approach and other approaches is that this means of valuation is concerned with the future. By looking at the income of the business in the present day, it is possible to make a strong prediction about future value.
It is not an exact science to predict the future of a business and therefore an earning-focused approach can invite an element of risk. There is, however, reliable data to back up the value assessment made through this method. The accountant doing the valuation can even “normalize” figures to remove unusual spikes or dips that could make the assessment less precise. The market itself can produce spikes and dips that require an additional capitalization factor to be figured into the assessment.
Again, sole proprietorship and the exact style of business can impact the ultimate valuation here. If a business is strongly linked with its owner and that owner sells or leaves the business, an evaluation based on past performance could lose its validity depending on how customers react to the change.
Types of Valuations
A valuation has benefits beyond just figuring out what a business is worth and there is therefore a lot of variety in types of valuations. A business valuation is not the only type of assessment that is possible. A different reason for a valuation could include something such as intellectual property.
What is a 409A Valuation?
A 409(a) valuation is conducted for the purpose of evaluating the stocks associated with the company. 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. Businesses who need this form of valuation need it in order to determine the fair market value of their business. 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. Other deferred compensation that requires a 409A valuation includes salary deferral arrangements and bonus plans the company issues.
Sometimes it is a matter of compliance with the law to get a 409A valuation for 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.
While you can do a 409A valuation yourself, a skilled accountant can guide you through the process with expertise to make sure you don’t hit any bumps along the way. They can also help you choose the best approach to this valuation for your circumstances and business needs.
Valuations for Businesses
Some of the reasons for a business valuation include things such as entity discussions and business negotiations, but they are also useful while planning a business or estate. Maybe you are wondering how much your business can sell for right now. Figuring out your tax liability is another common reason for seeking out a business valuation.
Equity and enterprise valuations are best handled by a talented accountant. As our clients have expanded, so has Redwood, increasing the size and expertise of our team. We years of experience and a comprehensive team, we are prepared to take on a host of business valuations needs. Business valuation could include tax or financial reporting, assessment of fair market value or for purchase price allocations.
The intimate details of IRS regulations, business and finance can be a complex maze to try to sort through. 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
Finding the value of intellectual property and patents is a specialized field. However, this type of valuation can impact a wide range of businesses. Some of our clients have concerns about trademarks and trade secrets, while others want to make sure they stay in compliance with taxes. 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. It is sometimes complicated to find the value of these intangible assets. Yet for many businesses, understanding those assets and their precise worth can add value and keep the company in compliance with all applicable laws.
What is a Purchase Price Allocation?
Another requirement businesses encounter is ASC 805. 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.
This type of business valuation looks at all the different parts of a business to determine its value. In a transaction, a lot of smaller pieces of a company can be traded and purchased and it’s important to understand the value of all of these.
The Last Word on Business Valuations
At Redwood Valuation Partners, we are experts in business valuation. Whether you are comparing your business to others in Vancouver 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. You also could seek a business valuation in order to protect a patent. Assets and liabilities are complicated. Get experts on your side who know how to cut through the complicated legal language to get you the information you need. Our team has worked for years in business, finance and tax issues, allowing us to meet the needs of a wide range of businesses.
We understand the ins and outs of venture capital and auditing and take a teamwork-focused approach. At Redwood, we have built a team grounded in years of expertise and business knowledge. We understand that many of our clients come from high-pressure startups and growth-focused companies with tight deadlines. We let you get to the important work of running your business while we take care of the intricacies of business valuation.
Our principles when working with clients include intense focus, long experience and grounded expertise, no matter the cause for the valuation. Along with the obvious, our valuations include customized reports, audit defense and free consultations. We will even help you get started if you aren’t sure. The customized reports we include with our valuations give you insight into the details of all of your businesses assets. The comprehensive valuation report will include subjective and objective factors relevant to your particular business. Finally, you will have nothing to fear from audits, as our audit defense is prepared to protect you should the occasion arise.
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. A free consultation may be the perfect starting point.
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 Vancouver, WA.
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 Vancouver
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
