Wednesday, September 4, 2013

The Purpose Of Company Asset Valuation

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.

When one wants to buy another business or sell the existing venture, an appraisal will offer a detailed account of particulars such as liabilities, profit numbers, expenses and revenue. Such information helps one determine future profits. It also helps in deciding the fair price of the firm.

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.

When a business wants to obtain capital or expand, a viable option would be to source for an investor. For such a person to inject their capital, they could want part ownership, a portion of the profits or the right to open other outlets under the firm's name. When making a pitch to such investors, an appraisal will be of great help.

When advancing loans that are secured, most institutions require some form of collateral. For instance, one may want to fund the purchase of new equipment or expand their production capacity. A current appraisal of the business assets will enable the assessment of your entity'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 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.

The value of public corporations is normally tied to the value of their stock. This is the amount at which investors value the firm at any moment. Though this isn't the sole constituent of a firm's value, it is normally the major part. Privately owned firms lack this benefit of appraisal of ownership because each firm has a distinct structure. Professionals thus utilize economic models that estimate a firm's value based on a number of 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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