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Questions You Might Be Afraid to Ask About Business Acquisition Financing
Business acquisition financing in Canada. When you are looking for funder for a merger or if you're acquiring a firm remember something we heard the other day - ' Genius is often just pointing out the obvious truth that no one else sees'.
So when we recently talked about some critical aspects you should not overlook with this type of financing challenge we remembered ... ' Wait ... there's more!”
It's critical in such an exercise to ensure you understand that both yourself and the other firm have somewhat separate agenda's. No question on that one! Simply speaking, it’s important to step outside those agendas, look inside, and ensure you have the right evidence on assets, cash flow, and valuation.
Experts in the field say that trends now show that while there seems to be a lot of businesses available for purchasing and financing many deals simply fade into oblivion. A lot of reasons might exist for that fact- one of them might simply be poor objectives, inadequate financing knowledge. As an acquirer it’s important not to underestimate your capacity to value and finance a deal, as tough as it might seem to admit that.
Many purchasers and sellers have a huge challenge in assessing the issues of existing and future debt in your deal. The amount of debt that is in fact existing, or planned does not necessarily make or break a deal, most experts seem to say that it’s all about two things - hard assets, and cash flows. And by the ways that’s future cash flows that you can reasonably predict!
Remember also that unless you're purchasing a public entity, which certainly doesn't happen a lot in the SME sector the liquidity issue around all those assets and intangibles doesn't really exist. So your challenge is, yes, to understand the value of assets and cash flows, but don’t forget those items such as intangibles! Perceptions of clients and lenders for smaller firms are equally as important.
There are of course some real basic methods to value your acquisition or merger and assess the financing needs. Businesses in the SME sector will typically be valued at a multiple of current cash flows. The time period in which you will be able to retire and pay back debt is also important.
Oh, by the way, don’t forget those skeletons in the closet! They might include existing financing and credit problems with banks and other lenders, bad publicity, upcoming industry issues, potential loss of major accounts, and overvalued assets.
You do have the financing tools available, to make the ' right ' acquisition. They include-
Government business loan - The ‘SBL’
Asset Based Lending
Bridge Loans
Cash Flow loans
Bank term loans
Hopefully we have pointed out some of those ' obvious ' truths that will make you acquisition and financing more successful. Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor with a track record of business finance success who can assist you with your business acquisition financing and funding needs.
7 Park Avenue Financial :
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8
Business financing for Canadian Firms , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing , Equipment Leasing , franchise finance and Cdn. Tax Credit Finance . Founded 2004 - Completed in excess of 100 Million $ of financing for Canadian corporations .
Stan has had a successful career with some of the world’s largest and most successful corporations.
Prior to founding 7 Park Avenue Financial in 2004 his employers over the last 25 years were, ASHLAND OIL, ( 1977-1980) DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, ( 1980-1990) ) CABLE & WIRELESS PLC,( 1991 -1993) ) AND HEWLETT PACKARD ( 1994-2004 ) He is an expert in Canadian Business Financing.
Stan has over 40 years of business and finance executive experience. He has been recognized as a credit/financial executive for three of the largest technology companies in the world; Hewlett-Packard, Digital Equipment and Cable & Wireless. Stan has had in depth, hands on experience in assessing and evaluating thousands of companies that are seeking financing and expansion. He has been instrumental in helping many companies progress through every phase of financing, mergers & acquisitions, sales and marketing and human resources. Stan has worked with startups and public corporations and has many times established the financial wherewithal of organizations before approving millions of dollars of financing facilities and instruments on behalf of his employers.
Stan Prokop
