Sierra Consulting Group plays a significant role as part of your team when buying or selling a business. For example, whether selling, acquiring, or merging with a business, one must first know its value in the marketplace. Our valuation professionals are well qualified to provide assistance in establishing a realistic range of value for the business being bought or sold.

When selling a business, we can effectively market the company (as confidentially as the circumstances require) and identify qualified buyers. If acquiring or merging with a business, Sierra Consulting Group can help to identify and screen potential candidates.

The following are examples of areas in addition to valuation in which Sierra Consulting Group can be of assistance in transactions involving a business sale, merger or acquisition.

When selling a business:

• Financial statements may need to be recast to more accurately reflect the company's real income. Adjustments such as those that eliminate one-time transactions and discretionary expenses that will not continue into the future are necessary to demonstrate the future earning capacity of the company.
• An effective company profile is an important tool that can set a company apart from other offerings by finding and marketing those strengths specific to the company. We can assist in identifying those strengths and preparing a corporate profile that will give credit to everything that contributes to the company's success.
• Identifying potential buyers who are qualified and seriously considering a business purchase can help to expedite the process and eliminate costly delays.
• Our objective is to help closely held middle-market companies evaluate, improve, grow and sell their businesses. We can add substantial value through a variety of consulting services during various stages of the sale process.

When considering a merger or acquisition:

• Identifying potential merger or acquisition candidates and the criteria that will meet the purchaser's individual needs is an important first step. Some items to look for include market niche or market advantages, synergies with an existing business, and weak or poor performance that can be revitalized with new management.
• Screening potential candidates is a complex process, but is a necessary step to avoid getting involved with a company that's more trouble than its worth. What may seem on the surface to be a great deal could reveal itself on closer examination as a situation fraught with problems.
• The due diligence process gives a buyer insight into the target's financial picture, can help to discover unrecorded liabilities, determine whether synergies exist, and assess the reasonableness of financial projections. Also, the targeted company's price must fit the buyer's financial situation and plans for the future.

In either a buy or sell situation, we can assist in the negotiation process, and help to structure a purchase agreement that maximizes value to our client while minimizing negative tax consequences.