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.

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 decide to part ways, it does not necessarily mean the business has to close. If one or more partners want to buy out their colleague, an appraisal could help them in this procedure. They could also be intending to have a third party buy the business. If one partner dies, his/her heirs will want to know how much their entitled share of the business amounts to.

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.

Financial institutions usually require some sort of collateral when advancing secured loans. For instance, you may obtain a loan to purchase new equipment or increase the firm's capacity. An up to date appraisal makes it easy for potential lenders to assess your firm'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 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.

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 usually more of an art than a science. However, there are several economic models which experts use when they want to reach the opinion on a firm's worth. Here, scientific formulas are employed. Intangible assets like goodwill and reputation are usually hard to value. As such, any professional opinion on appraisal would only be a basis for negotiation rather than the final say on a business's worth.




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