Business Valuation Tampa Florida
How to Find the Value of Your Tampa, Florida Business
Have you ever assessed the value of your Tampa business? There are a number of intricate details that you have to evaluate in order to find your business’ fair market value. While the precise “value” of a business is a somewhat nebulous concept, there are consistent methods of assessment that can set you on the right track if you’re trying to find the value of your business. This seems like it could be overwhelming, but it shouldn’t be. Our experts at Redwood Valuation Partners have years of experience in business valuation and are eager to help you through the process from start to finish.
409A Valuation, IRC 409A Valuation, Purchase Price Allocation in Tampa, FL
Call Redwood Valuation Partners for your next business valuation (206) 660-1295
Why Do Businesses Get Valuations?
There are a myriad of reasons to get your business valued, but perhaps the most obvious one is in order to see how much it will sell for. Anyone hoping to sell a business will be better positioned during negotiations if they have gotten a thorough business valuation before any talks began.
A business valuation can also help show you where your business’ value comes from. Teasing out all the reasons a business is valuable is complicated, though. A local business that is important to the community in Tampa may have a high value for that particular community, but not for a potential buyer. Likewise, a business that seems like a tiny startup could have a ton of hidden value for the right buyer. The particulars of a business will determine the outcome.
Therefore, getting experienced accountants to do a valuation is critical. An accountant doing a valuation needs to know tax law, the audit process and finance, as well as information about your business. If you are interested in stock compensation, expenses or selling price, you will see a lot of benefits from a well-done business valuation. However, any advantages of doing a valuation are up to you and your business. A free consultation from Redwood may help you clarify the reasons for your valuation and the best approach for your particular business.
Different Ways of Approaching Business Valuation
An accountant doing a business valuation will likely take one of three main approaches to assessing the value of a business. There could be other approaches to business valuation, but the three described here encompass the most common methods. These approaches to business valuation are applicable whether your business is located in Tampa or not. Each business has its own particulars that will ultimately determine the approach that is the most appropriate for it.
Asset-Based Approach
While it may sound obvious, there are actually a few approaches to looking at a business’s assets The aim of an asset-based approach is to total the investments of a business. One way to go about looking at a business’s assets is by figuring out how much it would cost to set up a brand new business that mimics the existing one. This reveals what that original business is worth (what kinds of assets it has) and what liabilities it has. The difference between the assets and the liabilities of the company is the business’ value.
Don’t be fooled by how simple this approach seems at first glance. This process gains complexity when the accountant has to decide which assets to include. Additionally, there are two different ways of going about this process: a going concern asset-based approach and a liquidation asset-based approach.
One method is to look at assets with a going concern. The accountant looks at the company’s net balance sheet to find the value of its assets and then deducts the value of its liabilities. A liquidation approach to determining worth is concerned with paying off liabilities before figuring out the value of a business. The net cash received from such a liquidation is the business’ value.
The type of asset-based approach you choose depends on your business. Asset-based approaches are not appropriate for all business. There are certainly some businesses, such as those that are in a sole proprietorship, that would be well-advised to take a different approach. By contrast, corporations spread out the ownership of assets throughout the company and could benefit more greatly from a valuation based on assets.
Market-Based Approach
A market-based approach looks at the market as a whole and not solely at your business. For example, you could compare your business to others located in Tampa. Viewing your business side-by-side with other, similar ventures can provide crucial information for figuring out the value of a business.
This approach has the benefit of viewing overall market conditions rather than having a more narrow focus. Some important considerations for this approach include the current fair market value of similar businesses and what price buyers are paying right now for businesses like yours.
It would be great if the sort of information necessary for this approach was easy to obtain, but it is not always the case that competing businesses will divulge the necessary figures. Some of the difficulty with a market focused approach arises when you encounter non-competition clauses and other information a business has decided to make private.
Looking at Income or Earnings
An income- or earning-based approach is different from the other two in that it is concerned with future potential. An income-based approach tries to use current income and earnings to predict how much a business will be worth in the future.
Of course, assessing value this way comes along with the risk of assumptions and predictions that invite uncertainty. However, they can use hard data to back up this prediction. Often, a valuator will “normalize” current earnings, removing abnormal costs and windfalls, to try to get a reliable set of figures to work with. The market itself can produce spikes and dips that require an additional capitalization factor to be figured into the assessment.
How a business is run and who owns it is an important consideration here, as with other approaches to valuation. How customers view a business is a factor that is not captured in income figures or market values but that can impact a business’s value.
Different Kinds of Business Valuations
A valuation has benefits beyond just figuring out what a business is worth and there is therefore a lot of variety in types of valuations. A business valuation is not the only type of assessment that is possible. Others focus on things such as patents and intellectual property.
What is a 409A Valuation?
A 409a valuation is conducted for the purpose of evaluating the stocks associated with the company. It is common for employees in many fields to receive stocks as compensation. Such businesses need a 409A valuation because that stock is considered a form of income offered in one year but paid out in a different year.
This sounds complicated. It simply means those stocks have to be accounted for. A benefit of this form of business valuation is that it can determine a company’s fair market value. The fair market value determined by this valuation is a benchmark at or above which employees given stock must be able to sell. Other deferred compensation that requires a 409A valuation includes salary deferral arrangements and bonus plans the company issues.
Sometimes it is a matter of compliance with the law to get a 409A valuation for your business. Additional 409A valuations could be required at the end of a new round of funding or once a year, even if you have gotten this type of valuation in the past already.
While you can do a 409A valuation yourself, a skilled accountant can guide you through the process with expertise to make sure you don’t hit any bumps along the way. Experience and expertise are key benefits that only an accountant can offer if you have to work through a 409A valuation.
Valuations for Businesses
Whether you’re negotiating a transaction, planning your business or estate, or involved in entity conversations, business valuations cover a wide range of situations and companies. Perhaps you are interested in finding the likely selling price of your business on the market. Figuring out your tax liability is another common reason for seeking out a business valuation.
Whatever the reason, a skilled valuator can help you get equity and enterprise valuations. As our clients have expanded, so has Redwood, increasing the size and expertise of our team. Regardless of your specific reasons for seeking out a business valuation, we can work with you to reach your goals. Perhaps you want to ensure compliance with tax reporting or, conversely, find the fair market value of your business.
The intimate details of IRS regulations, business and finance can be a complex maze to try to sort through. A valuation is an added complexity on top of keeping your business running, so allow our accountants to handle valuations for you.
How to Assess IP and Patents
Intellectual property and patents have separate valuation concerns. Most businesses do have some sort of intangible property that want to protect and valuate, though. Taxes are complex when it comes to IP and patents, but it is also important to make sure trade secrets and trademarks can be protected. Other reasons for IP and patent valuations include business planning, mergers and acquisitions and litigation support.
Once you have a patent or intellectual property that has value, you need to make sure it is protected. It is sometimes complicated to find the value of these intangible assets. Yet for many businesses, understanding those assets and their precise worth can add value and keep the company in compliance with all applicable laws.
Assessing Purchase Price Allocations for Business
Another requirement businesses encounter is ASC 805. During a purchase or acquisition, businesses seek to find their fair market value, including their intangible assets and liabilities, to bring to the transaction. Of course, the overall goal is to figure out the purchase price for an acquisition.
This type of business valuation looks at all the different parts of a business to determine its value. In a transaction, a lot of smaller pieces of a company can be traded and purchased and it’s important to understand the value of all of these.
Getting a Business Valuation Done Right
At Redwood Valuation Partners, we are experts in business valuation. Ensure that your Tampa business meets the requirements of the tax code and applicable regulations while finding the value of the assets, liabilities and intellectual property you hold.
Knowing the fair market value of your business can help your future. This may be because you intend to sell your company or because you want to stay in compliance with 409A. Intellectual property can be assessed and protected through a business valuation. Don’t get overwhelmed by the details. A helping hand through the process of business valuation can make the process easier. Our team has worked for years in business, finance and tax issues, allowing us to meet the needs of a wide range of businesses.
One of our core values is teamwork, which we believe can help even in the complex world of venture capital and auditing. At Redwood, we have built a team grounded in years of expertise and business knowledge. We understand that many of our clients come from high-pressure startups and growth-focused companies with tight deadlines. We value your time; let us minimize the burden of complicated valuation details while you focus on what you know best ퟀ�” your business.
Our principles when working with clients include intense focus, long experience and grounded expertise, no matter the cause for the valuation. We go beyond the standard valuation to offer a free consultation, as well as audit defense and customized reports. If you aren’t sure where to start, we can guide you through the process right from the start. And our customized reports will include all the detail you need to make business decisions based on your valuation. See both subjective and objective elements of your valuation with an in-depth look at your business. Finally, you will have nothing to fear from audits, as our audit defense is prepared to protect you should the occasion arise.
In the end, if you need a business valuation, you will likely need help with that valuation. Get Redwood’s experienced team to assist you as you work through a business valuation for any reason. Find out how to get started with a consultation.
Our clients have direct access to Redwood’s managing partners and directors. You know your business better than anyone, and the valuation process includes subjective assessments that require your input. We guide you through this process, save your time, and allow you to focus on what matters – growing your business. Get a quality company appraisal in Tampa, FL.
The Redwood team has performed many IRC 409A Valuation Seattle engagements, and we offer a wide variety of business appraisals to Seattle. Other services include ASC 805 valuation (purchase price allocations), IP valuation, patent valuation, impairment valuation, carried interest valuation, portfolio valuations, IRC 382 valuations, and many other types of stock valuations and business valuations.
With over 50 years of combined valuation experience, we provide top-tier expertise and client service at a reasonable price. Our experience as CFOs and Controllers of venture firms and startups separates us from our competitors who lack the boots-on-the-ground experience that our clients have, which we also share.
If you plan to issue stock options in the next twelve months or have any questions about potential valuations, give us a call for a free consultation and we will give you candid advice about whether a valuation may be needed and how we might help. Our goal is to help our clients achieve their desired goals with minimal burden.
409A Valuation Tampa
Redwood Valuation Partners was formed behind an idea of service positioning us as one of the most well-respected companies in the industry. Our expert knowledge of finance, tax, venture capital, and the audit process helps us understand the difficulties of start-ups. We speak your language! Give us a call and learn how we can help. For information on Business Valuations follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook and find us on Google+ too! (206) 660-1295
