Why Is Company Asset Valuation Necessary?

By Helene Norris


Whether one wants to keep their firm in operation or sell it, company asset valuation has various benefits. There are many reasons why one may want to determine the worth of their firm on short notice. It could be to take advantage of an existing opportunity or to avoid a potential financial or legal problem. Understanding the purposes and benefits of business appraisal will help you take the necessary measures to maintain your records in order.

If you want to buy another business or even sell yours, an appraisal will give you a detailed account of items such as expenses, revenue, liabilities and profit numbers. This information helps one project the profits that could be generated in future. It also helps one come up with a fair price for the firm.

When partners decide to go separate ways, it doesn't mean that the firm has to close as well. Where one or more partners intend to buy out the rest, a valuation could come in handy. They could also sell their firm to a different party. If one partner happens to die, his succeeding investors will want to determine their entitlement in terms of profits.

If you want to expand or obtain capital, an investor could be a viable option. For them to inject funds, they may want a certain percentage of the profit, part ownership or the consent to open other businesses under the brand. An appraisal will help you make a stronger pitch to the investors.

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 firm gets passed on to inheritors, they may push to reduce their tax liability by lowly valuing their firm. Here, some individuals may want to expose various weaknesses to third party appraisers. In the event of a divorce, one party may seek a low appraisal while the other wants a high one.

New proprietors could also feel that the existing firm has a complementary fit with their existing entity. This (the existing firm) may bring in a customer base and reputation which would mean that one invests less money. When this happens, the firm's assets have to be re-appraised, often with a step up in valuation.

For public companies, the value is directly proportional to share price. This represents the amount which a market values the business at a particular time. Although this is not the only component of value, it represents the major part. Private companies lack the benefit of such appraisal for ownership of interest because each firm is distinct. Professionals therefore have to employ economic models that estimate value based on several assumptions.

The process of company asset valuation is less of a science and more of an art. Nevertheless, there are a number of economic models used by expert when reaching the opinion on a company's value. Some scientific formulas are normally used here. Intangible assets (such as reputation or goodwill) are quite hard to value. Because of this, a professional opinion on appraisal can only form a basis for negotiation and not the definite worth of a firm.




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