How to Determine the True Value of Your Businesses

Have you ever considered the true value of your business, or how you might go about determining the true value?

Whether you’re planning to sell, seeking investment, or simply want to measure your success, determining this value can involve multiple factors and approaches and quickly turn into a complex equation.

Methods for Finding the True Value of a Business

This guide will help business owners discover the true value of their businesses.

Use a Professional Business Valuation

Engaging a professional business valuation expert is one of the most reliable ways to determine your business’s true value. These experts use standardized methods and industry knowledge to provide an accurate assessment.

A professional valuation considers all aspects of your business, including assets, liabilities, cash flow, and market conditions. It provides a comprehensive and unbiased view of your business’s worth. If you’re considering selling your business, a professional valuation will give you a solid starting point for negotiations, so you don’t undervalue your company.

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Evaluate Your Financial Statements

Your business’s financial statements—balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement—are foundational tools for determining value. Analyzing these documents provides insights into profitability, debt levels, and overall financial health.

By evaluating your financial statements, you can assess your business’s current performance and project future earnings, which are key components of most valuation methods.

A business owner preparing for an exit might review financial statements to analyze trends in revenue growth and profitability over the past five years, helping the owner understand how these metrics contribute to the overall valuation.

Consider Market Comparables

Market comparables do exactly that – compare your business to similar businesses that have recently been sold or valued. This method, known as the "market approach," helps gauge what the market is willing to pay for a business like yours.

Understanding how similar businesses are valued in the market gives you a realistic expectation of what your business might be worth. For example, if similar businesses in your industry are selling for a multiple of 3x EBITDA, you can apply this multiple to your own EBITDA to estimate your business’s value.

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Assess Intangible Assets

Intangible assets like brand reputation, intellectual property, and customer relationships can significantly impact your business’s value. These assets may not appear on your balance sheet but are crucial to your business’s success.

Properly assessing and valuing intangible assets ensures that you capture the full value of your business, not just its tangible assets.

Use Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Analysis

The Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) method involves projecting future cash flows and discounting them back to their present value using a discount rate that reflects the risk of the investment. DCF provides a forward-looking approach that takes into account future earning potential, making it particularly useful for businesses with stable and predictable cash flows.

A stable, mature business might use DCF analysis to estimate its value based on expected future cash flows, providing a more dynamic view of its worth than static financial statements alone.

Consider the Cost Approach

The cost approach method considers the value of your business’s assets and subtracts liabilities to determine its net worth. This approach is useful for asset-heavy businesses, such as manufacturing companies, where the value of physical assets is a significant component of overall value.

In the case of a manufacturing firm, the cost approach may be used to determine value by calculating the total value of its machinery, buildings, and inventory, minus any outstanding debts.

Factor in Industry Trends and Economic Conditions

The broader economic environment and specific industry trends can greatly influence your business’s value. Factors like market growth, competition, and regulatory changes can either enhance or diminish value. Keeping an eye on industry trends and economic conditions ensures that your valuation reflects the current market landscape and potential future shifts.

A business in a rapidly growing industry may command a higher valuation due to strong future growth prospects, while a business in a declining industry might see its value decrease.

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The Value of a Valuation

Using these methods will help you come to an accurate valuation that reflects the true worth of your business. SVA is also here to help – contact us today for help maximizing your business’s potential.