Business Valuations
Comprehensive business valuation services to help buyers and sellers value businesses accurately. Indicative and formal valuations for acquisitions, disposals, tax planning, and dispute resolution. Real-world acquisition experience enabling better outcomes.
Acumon is a leading UK accountancy firm* providing comprehensive business valuation services to help business buyers and sellers value businesses accurately. Our valuation expertise combines technical rigour with practical transaction experience, enabling us to provide valuations that reflect true economic value and support effective negotiation. We understand that business valuations are critical to successful transactions, and our approach ensures that valuations are robust, defensible, and aligned with your objectives.
Valuation Services for Business Buyers
For business buyers, accurate valuation is critical to making informed acquisition decisions and negotiating optimal terms. Our valuation services help you plan and negotiate your acquisition effectively, while also identifying opportunities to increase post-acquisition value. We understand that the value of an acquisition extends beyond the purchase price, and our valuation approach considers all factors that affect acquisition value and success.
Calculating True Value and Benefit
We help you calculate the true value and benefit of an acquisition to you, considering factors that go beyond simple financial metrics. Our valuation approach includes:
- Post-Acquisition Synergies: Identifying and quantifying operational, commercial, and financial synergies that can be realised after acquisition, including cost savings, revenue enhancements, and operational improvements
- Risks: Assessing acquisition risks, including operational, financial, commercial, and integration risks, and adjusting valuations to reflect risk exposure
- Strategic Benefits: Evaluating strategic benefits that may not be immediately quantifiable, including market position, competitive advantages, technology, intellectual property, and growth opportunities
Our comprehensive valuation approach enables you to understand the true value of an acquisition, supporting informed decision-making and effective negotiation.
Increasing Post-Acquisition Value
We help you identify and realise opportunities to increase the value of your acquisition post-purchase. Our post-acquisition value enhancement advice includes:
- Identifying operational improvements and efficiency gains
- Developing growth strategies and market expansion opportunities
- Optimising capital structure and funding arrangements
- Realising synergies and integration benefits
- Enhancing strategic positioning and competitive advantages
Our post-acquisition value enhancement advice helps you realise the full potential of your acquisition, ensuring that you achieve your acquisition objectives and maximise returns.
Our acquisition valuation services help you make informed decisions, negotiate effectively, and structure transactions to maximise value while managing risk. We work with you throughout the acquisition process, from initial target assessment through to post-acquisition integration, ensuring that valuation considerations inform all aspects of the transaction.
Valuation Services for Business Sellers
For business sellers, accurate valuation is critical to realising value and achieving family and personal objectives. Our valuation services help you understand the value of your business, optimise your exit value, and navigate the complexities of business disposals. We understand that selling a business is often one of the most significant financial decisions you will make, and our valuation expertise helps you achieve optimal outcomes.
Realising Value and Family Objectives
We help you realise your value and family objectives through comprehensive valuation and exit planning. Our approach includes:
- Accurate business valuation that reflects true economic value
- Exit planning that aligns with personal and family objectives
- Transaction structuring to optimise value realisation
- Succession planning for family businesses
Our valuation and exit planning expertise helps you achieve your personal and family objectives while maximising business value.
Resolving Tax Questions Efficiently
We help resolve tax questions efficiently to reduce your taxes and optimise your net proceeds. Our tax-efficient valuation and exit planning includes:
- Tax-efficient transaction structuring
- Business Asset Disposal Relief (formerly Entrepreneurs' Relief) planning
- Timing strategies to optimise tax year utilisation
- Estate planning considerations for business owners
Our tax-efficient valuation and exit planning can significantly increase your net proceeds, often saving tens or hundreds of thousands of pounds in tax liabilities.
Providing Indicative Value
We provide indicative valuations that help you understand the likely value of your business before committing to a formal sale process. Our indicative valuations include:
- Initial business assessment and value indication
- Market positioning and comparable transaction analysis
- Value range estimation based on different scenarios
- Advice on value enhancement opportunities
Our indicative valuations help you make informed decisions about whether to proceed with a sale and what value expectations are realistic.
Justifying Valuation for Legal Representatives
We provide the facts to justify your valuation for your legal representative, ensuring that valuations are robust and defensible. Our valuation reports include:
- Comprehensive valuation methodology and analysis
- Supporting financial analysis and market research
- Comparable transaction analysis and benchmarking
- Risk assessment and value adjustments
- Clear documentation suitable for legal and regulatory purposes
Our valuation reports provide robust, defensible valuations that support effective negotiation and legal processes.
Reducing Taxes
We help reduce your taxes, including Capital Gains Tax and Inheritance Tax, through strategic valuation and exit planning. Our tax reduction strategies include:
- Capital Gains Tax: Business Asset Disposal Relief planning, timing strategies, and transaction structuring to minimise CGT liabilities
- Inheritance Tax: Business Property Relief planning, estate planning strategies, and succession planning to minimise IHT liabilities
- Tax-efficient extraction of sale proceeds
- Pre-sale tax planning to maximise reliefs and exemptions
Our tax reduction strategies can significantly increase your net proceeds from business sales, often saving substantial amounts in tax liabilities.
Real-World Business Valuation Expertise
We provide technical and financial advice and guide you through the ups and downs of your negotiation. Business transactions can be highly emotional, and we help you stay in control and focused on your objectives. Our real-world acquisition experience enables us to provide practical, relevant valuation advice that reflects the realities of transaction execution and helps you avoid common negotiation traps.
Practical Transaction Experience
You can rely on our experience because we have deep understanding of acquisition transactions. Rather than just advising on them, we have made multiple successful acquisitions ourselves, providing us with unique insights into the practical challenges and opportunities that arise during transactions. This hands-on experience enables us to provide valuation advice that reflects the realities of transaction execution and helps you achieve better outcomes.
Our Partner, J Stuart Thomson, previously worked as a private equity principal, making transaction advisory a core part of our expertise. Stuart's transaction experience includes:
- Private Equity Principal Experience: Stuart's background as a private equity principal provides deep understanding of private equity investment processes, valuation methodologies, and transaction structuring. This experience enables him to provide valuation advice that reflects private equity investor perspectives and requirements.
- Major Infrastructure Transactions: Stuart has advised on some of the UK's most significant infrastructure transactions, including the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) of a hospital, demonstrating his expertise in complex, high-value transactions with multiple stakeholders and intricate financing structures.
- Debt Restructuring Expertise: Stuart advised on the debt restructuring of Croydon Tramlink, providing him with extensive experience in financial restructuring, creditor negotiations, and complex financing arrangements that are often relevant in valuation contexts.
- Privatisation Experience: Stuart advised on the National Air Traffic Control System (NATS) privatisation, one of the UK's most significant privatisation transactions, demonstrating his expertise in large-scale, complex transactions with regulatory, operational, and financial complexities.
Stuart's transaction experience, combined with our firm's own acquisition experience, provides our business valuation service with unique insights that enable us to provide practical, relevant valuation advice that helps you avoid negotiation traps and achieve better outcomes.
View Stuart Thomson's full profile →Comprehensive Valuation Methodologies
Our business valuation service utilises multiple valuation methodologies to ensure robust, defensible valuations that reflect true economic value. We understand that different businesses and transaction contexts require different valuation approaches, and we select and apply methodologies that are most appropriate for your specific circumstances.
Income-Based Valuations
Income-based valuation methodologies, including discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis and earnings multiples, assess business value based on expected future cash flows and earnings. Our income-based valuations include:
- DCF analysis with appropriate discount rates and growth assumptions
- Earnings multiples based on comparable transactions and market data
- Normalisation adjustments for one-off items and non-recurring costs
- Sensitivity analysis to assess value ranges under different scenarios
Asset-Based Valuations
Asset-based valuation methodologies assess business value based on the value of underlying assets, adjusted for liabilities. Our asset-based valuations include:
- Net asset value calculations
- Asset valuation adjustments for market values
- Intangible asset identification and valuation
- Liability assessment and adjustments
Market-Based Valuations
Market-based valuation methodologies assess business value based on comparable transactions and market data. Our market-based valuations include:
- Comparable transaction analysis
- Market multiple benchmarking
- Sector-specific valuation metrics
- Market positioning assessment
Hybrid Valuation Approaches
We often utilise hybrid valuation approaches that combine multiple methodologies to provide comprehensive, robust valuations. Our hybrid approaches include:
- Weighted average of multiple valuation methodologies
- Scenario-based valuations under different assumptions
- Value range estimation with confidence intervals
- Risk-adjusted valuations reflecting uncertainty
Valuation Contexts
Our business valuation service covers a wide range of contexts, from acquisitions and disposals through to tax planning and dispute resolution. We understand that different contexts require different valuation approaches and documentation, and we tailor our services to meet your specific needs.
Acquisition and Disposal Valuations
Comprehensive valuations for business acquisitions and disposals, supporting transaction planning, negotiation, and execution. Our valuations consider transaction-specific factors, including synergies, risks, and strategic benefits.
Tax Planning Valuations
Valuations for tax planning purposes, including Business Asset Disposal Relief planning, Inheritance Tax planning, and estate planning. Our tax planning valuations are designed to support tax-efficient transaction structuring and relief claims.
Dispute Resolution Valuations
Independent valuations for dispute resolution, including shareholder disputes, partnership disputes, and commercial litigation. Our dispute resolution valuations are robust, defensible, and suitable for legal and regulatory purposes.
Regulatory and Compliance Valuations
Valuations for regulatory and compliance purposes, including financial reporting, regulatory filings, and compliance requirements. Our regulatory valuations meet applicable standards and requirements.
Why Choose Acumon for Business Valuations
Leading UK Accountancy Firm
As a leading UK accountancy firm, we have the resources, expertise, and infrastructure to provide comprehensive valuation services for businesses of all sizes, from small owner-managed businesses to large corporate entities.
Real-World Acquisition Experience
Unlike many advisory firms, we have made multiple successful acquisitions ourselves, providing unique insights into the practical challenges and opportunities that arise during transactions and enabling us to provide more relevant, practical valuation advice.
Private Equity Expertise
Our Partner's background as a private equity principal provides exceptional transaction expertise that informs our valuation service, enabling us to provide valuations that reflect private equity investor perspectives and requirements.
Comprehensive, Tailored Advice
You'll receive personalised, customised valuation and negotiation guidance designed for your unique requirements. We understand that each business and transaction is unique, and we tailor our services to meet your specific circumstances and objectives.
Rapid Completion
As a full-service, mid-sized firm of Chartered Accountants with over 90+ UK-based professionals, we have the staff and expertise to rapidly complete your business valuation while maintaining the highest standards of quality and thoroughness.
Personal Service
We are small enough to care, ensuring that you receive personal service and partner-level involvement throughout the valuation process. We understand that business valuations are critical decisions, and we provide the support and guidance you need.
Next Step
Reach out to our team today for expert business valuation services and strategic negotiation support. Our experienced professionals will deliver comprehensive, tailored valuation and negotiation guidance designed for your specific situation, enabling you to make well-informed decisions and secure the best possible results.
*Acumon is positioned among the leading UK accountancy firms, having been only £37k short of the top 100 in the Accountancy Age 50+50 list for 2024. Since publication, there have been significant market consolidations; Acumon has continued to grow organically and through strategic acquisitions. Our substantial client base and PIE audit license demonstrate our capability and market position.
Frequently Asked Questions
A business valuation is an assessment of the economic value of a business, typically expressed as a monetary figure. Valuations are used for various purposes including M&A transactions, tax planning, dispute resolution, succession planning, and financial reporting. Valuations consider factors such as financial performance, assets, market position, growth prospects, and industry conditions. Our valuation services combine technical rigour with practical transaction experience.
Common business valuation methods include income-based approaches (discounted cash flow, capitalisation of earnings), market-based approaches (comparable company analysis, precedent transactions), and asset-based approaches (net asset value, liquidation value). The appropriate method depends on the business type, industry, purpose of valuation, and available information. We use multiple methods to triangulate value and ensure robust, defensible valuations.
Indicative valuations provide a preliminary estimate of value based on available information, typically used for initial planning and negotiation. Formal valuations are comprehensive, detailed assessments suitable for legal, regulatory, or tax purposes, with full documentation and analysis. Indicative valuations are faster and less expensive, while formal valuations provide higher levels of assurance and are suitable for formal transactions or disputes.
Valuation timelines vary depending on complexity, purpose, and information availability. Indicative valuations typically take 1-2 weeks, while formal valuations may take 4-8 weeks or longer for complex businesses. Timelines depend on factors such as business complexity, availability of financial information, industry analysis requirements, and level of detail needed. We work efficiently to provide timely valuations while ensuring quality and accuracy.
Information needed for a business valuation typically includes historical financial statements (3-5 years), management accounts, forecasts and projections, details of assets and liabilities, customer and supplier information, market position and competitive analysis, management team details, and any relevant contracts or agreements. The specific information required depends on the valuation method and purpose. We can help identify what information is needed and work with available information.
Yes, we provide valuations for tax planning purposes including inheritance tax planning, capital gains tax planning, share option valuations, and other tax-related valuations. Tax valuations must comply with HMRC requirements and may need to be defensible in tax disputes. Our tax expertise combined with valuation skills ensures valuations are appropriate for tax purposes and can withstand HMRC scrutiny.
Next steps
Get in touch with our business valuation team to discuss your valuation requirements. Our experienced team will provide expert valuation services tailored to your needs.