When you need a real valuation
Most business owners can guess at what their company is worth — until something forces a real number. A buyer makes an offer. A partner exits. A bank wants collateral verification. The IRS questions a gift transfer. A divorce decree requires it. In each of these moments, a guess becomes a liability and a credible, defensible valuation becomes essential.
We deliver business valuation reports that hold up in negotiation, in court, and in front of lenders — built using the standard three approaches (income, market, and asset) with documented methodology, clear assumptions, and transparent math.
Methodologies we use
- Discounted cash flow (DCF) — forward-looking value based on projected free cash flows, weighted average cost of capital, and terminal value. The standard for going-concern businesses with predictable cash generation.
- Comparable transactions analysis — what similar businesses have actually sold for, using EV/Revenue, EV/EBITDA, and industry-specific multiples drawn from PitchBook, Capital IQ, and broker databases.
- Precedent transactions — analysis of completed deals in your industry over the past 24–36 months, adjusted for size, growth, and margin differences.
- Asset-based approach — net asset value adjusted for fair market value of tangible and intangible assets. Used when going-concern value is questionable or for holding companies.
- Sensitivity analysis — every valuation includes a range, not a single number, with explicit assumption-sensitivity tables so you understand what moves the number and by how much.
Typical engagements
- Pre-sale preparation — understand realistic exit range 12–24 months before going to market; identify the highest-leverage value drivers to improve before you sell.
- Buy-side validation — pressure-test what a target is actually worth before submitting an LOI.
- Partner buyouts and shareholder disputes — independent third-party valuation that both sides can rely on (or that one side can rely on in litigation).
- Estate, gift, and divorce — IRS- and court-defensible reports with the documentation needed to withstand scrutiny.
- SBA loan submissions — valuations meeting SBA SOP requirements for acquisition financing.
- Strategic planning — annual or biennial enterprise value tracking so owners always know what they're sitting on.
What you receive
A comprehensive written valuation report (typically 25–40 pages) with methodology documentation, all calculations, comparable transaction data, sensitivity tables, and a clear valuation range with point estimate. Delivered via the secure Northbridge document portal. Includes a one-hour review call to walk through the numbers and answer questions.
Billed at $150/hour against the booking retainer — typical valuation engagement runs 15–25 hours depending on complexity, available financial data, and the level of detail required for the use case.