Sunday, 8 September 2013

The Purpose Of Company Asset Valuation

By Helene Norris


Whether an individual wants to retain their firm or sell it, there are various benefits of company asset valuation. There are a number of reasons why an investor could want to determine what their firm is worth on short notice. There could be an existing opportunity or a financial/legal problem. Knowing the purposes and benefits of appraising your business will help you initiate the necessary steps to ensure your records are intact.

If you want to sell your firm or buy another, an appraisal may provide an account of things such as profit numbers, expense, revenue and liabilities. This information will help you project what profits your business is likely to earn in future. It will also assist you in coming up with a good price for the entity.

When partners part ways, it doesn't necessarily translate to closure of a firm. When one or several partners decide to buy out their colleagues, a valuation will help them do this. They may also be willing to sell it to a third party. In the event of a partner's death, the successors will want to know the amount due to them as their share of the entity.

Where a firm wants to expand its operations or obtain funding, an investor could provide a viable solution. For this to happen, they may want in exchange a portion of the profits, the right to open outlets under the brand name or part ownership. When pitching to such individuals, an appraisal will help you make a better case.

Most lending institutions require collateral when advancing a secured loan. For example, one may want funds to purchase new machinery or increase their capacity. A current valuation of the firm's assets will make it easy for such institutions to assess your business's standing.

If a business gets passed on to heirs, they may want to reduce the taxes payable by getting a lower valuation. They go to extremes to point out weaknesses and problems to third party evaluators and appraisers. During a divorce, one person may want the lowest possible valuation while the other wants a high one.

New buyers may also see that their existing firm possesses a complementary fit with the existing business. This could bring in goodwill and customer base which translates to a lower investment being needed. If this happens, the business assets have to be appraised freshly, usually with a step up in the valuation.

When it comes to public corporation, value is directly related to stock price. This is the amount a market thinks the firm is worth at a particular moment. Though this isn't the sole component of value, it is usually the most significant part. Private firms don't have the benefit of a market value for ownership of shares; each entity is unique. Experts therefore have to use economic models which estimate value by going on certain assumptions.

Company asset valuation is more of an art than it is a science, though there are some economic models used when experts want to reach an opinion on the worth. Scientific formulas are normally used. Intangible assets like reputation and goodwill are particularly hard to appraise. This is why any opinion from an expert on the worth can only form a basis for negotiating and not the final say on a company's worth.




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