Business Valuation for Wyoming Small Business
Small Business Valuation Services
The Wyoming Small Business
Development Center offers an unprecedented service to Wyoming
entrepreneurs: Have your business or potential business
purchase valued by qualified business appraiser.
What is a business valuation?
A “business valuation” is the computation of the worth, or fair
market value, of an existing business enterprise or an ownership
interest in that business.
Fair market value is defined as the price at which a property
(business) would change hands between a willing buyer and willing
seller, when the former is not under any compulsion to buy and the
latter is not under any compulsion to sell, both parties having
reasonable knowledge of relevant facts.
The opinion of fair market value is based on a “going concern”
premise. This premise assumes the business being valued is an
ongoing business enterprise, with rational management, seeking to
make profits and maximize business value. The resulting
valuation opinion is the result of a detailed analysis, based on
past and current business information, analysis of the company’s
financial statements, and the selection of appropriate valuation
criteria, combined with the appraiser’s professional judgment.
There are a number of different methods to estimate the value of
a small to mid-sized business. We use three primary
approaches, based on recognized appraisal standards: Income,
Market, and Asset.
- Income Approach is based on business income. Past earnings, expected future growth, owner’s compensation, and specific risk factors, such as customer concentration, weak management and lack of diversification are all taken into account to determine the potential earning power of the business into the future.
- Market Approach is based on a comparison of the sales prices of businesses in the same industry. We try to determine what the market will pay for a business using national statistics for comparable business sales transactions and use those numbers to determine sales multiples that are applied to gross sales and adjusted earnings information. Use of comparable “Rules of Thumb” for industry sales information is only considered as a reasonableness check.
- Asset Approach uses valuation procedures which assume a business is worth the fair market value of its tangible (physical) assets, plus its intangible assets. Because the value of intangibles is difficult to determine, various methods will be used to calculate their worth.
Who needs Business Valuation services?
Entrepreneurs planning to sell a business or transfer ownership
to family members will benefit from a business valuation to
establish a fair sales price. Individuals interested in
purchasing an existing business need to know the value of the
business to determine if the asking price is reasonable.
Lenders or investors may require buyers to provide a business
valuation as a requirement for financing.
WSBDC Business Valuation Services
Leonard Holler, CPA has pursued advanced training with the
Institute of Business Appraisers (IBA) and other certifying
organizations and specializes in business appraisals.
Valuation opinions are free of charge to WSBDC clients,
regardless of whether you are a business buyer or seller.
Clients will receive a written fair market value report, based on
business appraisal standards. Personal consultation is
available to discuss negotiation strategies and methods to structure
the sales transaction to either buyers or sellers. Sellers
will receive insight about how to maximize their business value.
Buyers will receive assistance to help them negotiate a fair price
and analyze financing alternatives.
Have Your Business Appraised:
Contact Leonard Holler, Regional Director for the Wyoming Small Business Development Center, to inquire about this opportunity.
Leonard Holler, CPA
Director, Wyoming Small Business Development Center
300 South Wolcott, Suite 300
Casper, Wyoming 82601
1-800-348-5207
Email Leonard
Copyright © 2008 Wyoming Small Business Development Center. All rights reserved.
