Frequently Asked Questions

When should I get a valuation for my business?

It's a good idea to get a valuation for your business at key points in its lifecycle, such as when you're considering selling your business, bringing in new partners or investors, or planning for succession or estate planning. Valuations are also important for tax purposes, including gift and estate tax filings, and for resolving disputes among shareholders or partners. Additionally, obtaining a valuation can provide valuable insights into your business's financial health and market position, helping you make informed strategic decisions.

How do you value my business?

At Swift and Wise, we use a comprehensive approach to value your business, ensuring accuracy and precision. Our valuation process typically involves several key steps. We start with a free consultation to understand your business, its operations, and your specific valuation needs. Next, we collect detailed financial statements, operational data, and other relevant documents to gain a thorough understanding of your business. We then analyze the industry, market trends, and economic conditions that may impact your business's value. Various valuation methods are applied, such as the income approach, market approach, and asset-based approach, to determine the fair market value of your business. Our findings are compiled into a comprehensive valuation report, detailing our methods, assumptions, and conclusions. Finally, we review the valuation report with you, addressing any questions or concerns and ensuring you fully understand the results. Our goal is to provide you with a clear, accurate, and reliable business valuation that meets your needs and helps you make informed decisions.

Why should I hire a Certified Analyst?

Hiring a certified analyst ensures that your business valuation is conducted by a professional with the necessary expertise, training, and ethical standards. Certified analysts adhere to rigorous industry standards and methodologies, providing you with a reliable and credible valuation. Their certification indicates a high level of competence and commitment to continuous education, ensuring they stay current with best practices and regulatory requirements. A certified analyst brings a thorough understanding of financial analysis, market conditions, and valuation techniques, resulting in an accurate and defensible valuation. This can be crucial for important business decisions, negotiations, tax purposes, legal disputes, and attracting investors. Ultimately, hiring a certified analyst gives you confidence in the valuation process and the results, helping you make informed decisions with peace of mind.

Site Visits

Site visits are not normally required.

Are you certified to provide services in my State?

Yes, Swift and Wise is certified to provide business valuation services in all states across the United States. Our team of certified analysts adheres to rigorous industry standards and methodologies, ensuring that we deliver accurate and reliable valuations no matter where your business is located.

How soon will I get the report?

Certified Valuation Reports: Typically, we allow between 10 and 15 days from receipt of instruction and the necessary information requested. We also offer a fast-track service if you’re in a hurry or have a tight deadline to meet for a premium of $400. A fast-track valuation is typically completed within seven business days.

How much is a valuation report?

Our flat fees for valuation reports are categorized by company size based on gross revenues (most recent fiscal year), ensuring our clients face no hidden costs or unexpected charges. The fees range from $1,700 to $3,250, depending on the size and complexity of your business. This transparent pricing structure allows us to provide accurate and reliable valuations tailored to your specific needs.

What is in my valuation report?

Your certified valuation report from Swift and Wise includes a comprehensive analysis of your business's value, presented in a clear and detailed format. The report typically contains an executive summary, which provides a concise overview of the valuation, including key findings and conclusions. It also includes an introduction outlining the purpose and scope of the valuation, along with any assumptions and limiting conditions. The company overview section provides a detailed description of your business, its operations, history, and industry context. In the financial analysis section, we offer an in-depth analysis of historical financial statements, financial ratios, and key performance indicators. We explain the valuation methods used (income approach, market approach, and asset-based approach) and the rationale behind selecting each method. The market analysis section assesses industry trends, market conditions, and economic factors that impact your business. The valuation calculations section includes detailed calculations and analysis supporting the final valuation conclusion. Finally, the conclusion of value section presents the determined value of your business, supported by the analysis and calculations provided in the report. The report also includes supporting documents, such as financial statements, market research, and other relevant materials used in the valuation process. Our certified valuation report is designed to be comprehensive and transparent, providing you with a thorough understanding of your business's value and the factors influencing it.

Is more than one Standard of value used in valuation?

Yes, more than one standard is used in valuation to ensure a comprehensive and accurate assessment of your business's value. At Swift and Wise, we typically apply multiple valuation approaches, such as the income approach, market approach, and asset-based approach. Each approach provides a different perspective on your business's value, allowing us to cross-verify the results and arrive at a well-rounded conclusion. This multi-standard approach helps ensure that the valuation is thorough, reliable, and reflective of the true worth of your business.

What is the fair market value of my business?

Fair market value is the estimated price at which a business or an asset would change hands between a willing buyer and a willing seller, both having reasonable knowledge of the relevant facts and neither being under any compulsion to buy or sell. It represents the value in an open and competitive market, reflecting what the business or asset would realistically sell for under normal conditions. Fair market value is a widely accepted standard in business valuation, providing a benchmark that is used for various purposes, including sales transactions, tax assessments, and legal disputes.

What is the fair value of my business?

Fair value is a valuation standard that reflects the estimated price at which an asset or business would be exchanged in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Unlike fair market value, which assumes a willing buyer and seller in an open market, fair value considers the specific circumstances of the transaction, including any strategic advantages or disadvantages to the buyer or seller. It often incorporates factors such as market conditions, the purpose of the valuation, and any potential synergies. Fair value is commonly used in financial reporting, legal matters, and business combinations to provide a realistic and context-specific estimate of value.

Confidentiality

We agree to hold in strict confidentiality all proprietary information provided by you about the valuation project. We may sign the NDA form if requested by the client.