Transaction process from the buyer’s point of view
When the buyer becomes aware of the business for sale, they can learn more about it in the teaser. If the business seems like an attractive prospect, the buyer should indicate that they are interested in it and initiate discussions with the seller or the adviser representing the seller. Once the seller has all the information they need, they usually expect the buyer to name a preliminary price at a rather early stage. The buyer should therefore be prepared to offer an acceptable price given the sector the target company operates in. The indication should be somewhat precise so that both parties will have a realistic estimate to work with from the start. Building trust between the buyer and the seller is an integral part of the sale negotiations, so it’s important to be transparent and earn the trust of the other party. The price can be reviewed during the process as the buyer gets access to further information but any changes to the price should be justifiable for the sake of transparency in the negotiations.
Once several buyers have given an indication of the price they would be willing to pay, the seller usually chooses one to continue the process with. At this stage, the prospective buyer gets access to more details about the business and conducts due diligence to minimise the risks involved in the acquisition and to determine the sale price. In most cases, due diligence is carried out toidentify any potential financial, tax and legal issues and risks. Depending on the sector, it may also be necessary to analyse environmental issues and the technological set-up or aspects related to the staff and company culture. Due diligence is conducted by a specialist familiar with the sector who will compile their findings in a report for the buyer. If the investigation reveals any material risk factors or negative aspects from the buyer’s point of view, these will be addressed during the negotiations and eventually taken into account when determining the final price. The buyer can mitigate the risks by making sure liabilities and obligations are agreed on in detail in the transaction agreement.
Once both parties have agreed on the terms and conditions of the transaction, the price and this has been documented in the sale agreement, it’s time to sign the agreement. By signing, both parties undertake to complete the transaction under the agreed terms and conditions. In most cases, however, the transaction will be closed on a later date. When closing the deal, the buyer pays the agreed price to the seller and the ownership and liabilities are officially transferred from the seller to the buyer.