If the people buying the business already run it, why bring in an outside valuer? Because a management buyout changes the relationship overnight. Trusted colleagues become buyer and seller, and the same company can suddenly look very different from each side of the table. That is where an independent valuation earns its place. It is…
Most UK founders discover the cost of a bad EMI valuation only after HMRC rejects it. A failed HMRC EMI valuation does not just delay your scheme launch – it can invalidate option grants already made, trigger tax liabilities for employees, and restart a compliance process that takes weeks. HMRC’s Shares and Assets Valuation team…
When a shareholder dispute turns sour, one question usually lands hardest: what are the shares worth? This is where fair value and market value get mixed up. They sound close. They are not the same, and the difference can change the outcome by a painful amount. If you own or run an SME, the key…
Most UK SME owners get their first business valuation from a free online calculator. They enter their EBITDA, pick a multiple from a dropdown, and walk away believing they have a number they can use in a sale process. They cannot. A figure generated by an algorithm that has never read your management accounts, never…
A business valuation calculator is a handy place to start, but it rarely tells the whole story. For many SME owners, the first number is useful because it gives a rough sense of value before a sale, fundraise, partnership discussion, or exit plan. The problem is simple. Growing businesses are messy in ways a formula…
A management buyout can look simple on paper. The people buying the business already know the numbers, the customers, the staff, and the day-to-day pressures. That is exactly why an independent valuation matters. It gives the deal a fair price, a clear point of reference, and a proper footing for lenders, sellers, and anyone who…
If you are putting Enterprise Management Incentive (EMI) options in place, the valuation is not just a box-ticking exercise. It sets the exercise price, shapes HMRC’s view of the scheme, and dictates how attractive the options actually are to your team. Get EMI Share Valuations wrong, and you invite avoidable tax headaches, painful delays, or…
When shares move between family members, the value on the day of transfer is the number that matters. It affects tax, fairness, and the company records that sit behind the deal. If that figure is guessed, rounded up, or agreed over Sunday lunch with no paper trail, problems tend to show up later. HMRC may…
Selling a SaaS business, raising funds, or answering HMRC questions? The valuation is rarely about profit alone. In the UK, buyers and lenders look hard at recurring revenue quality, growth, retention, margins, and cash runway, because that is where the real story sits. A company with £1m of turnover from subscriptions is not priced the…
You can agree a headline valuation for your business and still end up with a smaller cheque on completion. That gap is often net debt, and in a sale it can move the price pound for pound. If you’re selling a UK SME, this matters because buyers usually pay on a cash-free, debt-free basis, then…