Mergers & Acquisitions/Sales

A sale, merger or acquisition can be a make-or-break move—easily the most important in a career. There are any number of reasons to make such a move. And many reasons why partnering with a professional is better than doing it yourself.

Selling your practice on your own and saving the broker’s fee might seem smart. But before you commit to that, consider a few implications.

A professional who manages every step of this complex process—and has done so successfully for years—adds value in several ways:

  • A far wider network of qualified prospects is available—immediately. No work required of you. No time wasted.
  • You’ll have an accurate, impartial assessment of your firm’s or your target firm’s strengths, weaknesses, and true market value. That can lead to a higher sale price for your firm, a lower purchase price for your acquisition target.
  • A practice “For Sale by Owner” feels like a practice that is not that desirable. It’s not the best way to attract buyers.

There are any number of reasons why sale or merger of your practice might be a profitable strategic move.

  • Expand a current practice area
  • Develop a new practice area
  • Open up a new geographical territory
  • Effect economies of scale
  • Drive higher partner compensation
  • Attract better staff through larger size and better compensation
  • Fund partner retirement
  • Create new opportunities for staff to learn new specialties
  • Create more growth/profits
  • Enhance ability to handle new regulatory burdens from within

We’ll give consideration to key issues including:

  • What is the focus of the practice—and is this where you believe it should be?
  • Why should a firm want to buy or merge with you?
  • How successful have you been in generating new business?
  • What has prevented you from being more successful?

If you’re interested in selling or merging your practice, we’ll:

  • Meet with you in confidence to fully understand:
    • Why you’re interested in this major change
    • Your firm’s culture, profitability and long-term strategies
  • Provide a confidential internal valuation for qualified sellers, free of charge
  • Identify and discuss with you a very small number of target firms based specifically on your objectives
  • Present your firm in confidence to agreed potential buyers, and if there is mutual interest, arrange a preliminary meeting
  • Consult on deal structure and other issues that arise

If you’re interested in buying a CPA firm, we’ll:

  • Meet with you in confidence to understand your firm’s unique culture, economics and growth strategies
  • Exhaustively research the market to identify firms meeting your objectives
  • Upon your approval, contact firms in confidence to initiate discussion
  • Ensure the right fit with interested target firms via detailed, structured interviews
  • Remain actively involved in negotiations, providing a sounding board to ensure forward momentum
  • Consult with you regarding issues including:
    • Valuation
    • Non-compete agreements
    • Retirement issues
    • New partner admissions
    • Technical and administrative transition concerns

Timing and valuation

Your firm’s value changes over time. Certain types of expertise come into and out of fashion; value fluctuates accordingly. Before any consideration of a major change, you must have a fair, expert, objective valuation. We provide this service free of charge to qualified sellers.