Sale of the Company
Trust is the cornerstone of the company sale process, and at Anthony Lanford, we exclusively work for you. Our commitment ensures that you can trust your advisor or consultant throughout the entire journey. We take accountability for finding the ideal buyer who not only meets the expected price but also leads the company to continued success. If a more discreet approach is preferred, we assist in presenting your company attractively.
Valuation of the Company
Our expertise in selling companies is grounded in our ability to identify the highest possible value through creative analysis processes. Seeking strategic partnerships significantly enhances the company’s value. Price is a pivotal factor, and a thorough analysis of the company and its value at the outset guides subsequent steps. A market-realistic valuation provides clarity on achievable purchase prices and ensures the best results.
Company valuation extends beyond sales and purchases, serving as the foundation for internal successions, investor admissions, employee shareholdings, or resolving shareholder disputes. Various valuation methods, including the international EBIT valuation, Gross Rental Method, Discounted-Cash-Flow-Method (DCF), Price-Earnings Ratio Method, Net Asset Value Method, Liquidation Value Method, and Stuttgart Method, are applied based on the company type, purpose of valuation, and lifecycle.
Sustainable Competitive Advantage
Sustainable competitive advantage is achieved when a firm implements a value-creating strategy that competitors cannot replicate or find too costly to imitate. Anthony Lanford excels in key elements of mergers and acquisitions, facilitating growth in market share, cost-effective operations, and increased supply-chain pricing power.
Why Anthony Lanford Proposes an Acquisition
Companies turn to acquisitions for economies of scale, diversification, market share expansion, increased synergy, cost reductions, or new niche offerings. The terms “merger” and “acquisition” are often used interchangeably, but a merger combines entities to create a new organization, while an acquisition involves one entity taking over another. We identify the best match for your company at sale and skillfully navigate the negotiation process for successful development and deployment.
Due Diligence
When investing money, the desire to understand what you are getting in return is universal. The same principle holds when acquiring a company, where a considerable amount of your investment and the livelihoods of employees are on the line.
After the letter of intent is signed and before finalizing the purchase contract, the seller must provide all requested documents, a comprehensive list covering economic, legal, and tax perspectives. This meticulous examination mitigates the risk of post-acquisition surprises. Identifying any potential issues before the purchase allows for informed negotiations, potentially adjusting the sale price or even halting the transaction if necessary.
For proactive risk management, we often advise sellers to undergo vendor’s due diligence before listing their company for sale. This comprehensive check mirrors the scrutiny applied if the seller were to purchase the company themselves, revealing and addressing weaknesses upfront to avoid later negotiation setbacks.
Risk Management
At Anthony Lanford, we acknowledge the increasing trend of elevated risk in the current mergers and acquisitions landscape. Despite a decrease in the number of transactions, the deals struck are notably riskier than those in the 1990s, attributed to three converging trends:
1. Companies in maturing industries restructuring portfolios or divesting business segments.
2. Cross-border transactions becoming more common, inherently riskier due to global reach.
3. Shifting expectations, with M&A now a core growth strategy, adding uncertainty compared to the certainty of cost savings in the past.
To enhance your odds of success, we focus on ensuring acquisitions are not only sound on paper but also as integrated businesses. Our due diligence process extends beyond traditional financial assessments, incorporating a pre-assessment or “improved due diligence.” By analyzing operational and management aspects early on, we provide insights for valuations, communication to the board, bidding strategies, negotiation planning, and accelerated integration.
Restructuring Process
In the face of high business volatility driven by technological disruption, Anthony Lanford leads the M&A industry toward new standards. Our refined due diligence process aims to reduce M&A risk, working closely with accountants and attorneys to organize and analyze data.
Understanding corporate restructuring’s prevalence in the current business environment:
Financial restructuring:
For distressed companies, involves debt restructuring, spin-offs, and divestitures to raise cash.
Business restructuring:
Focuses on reorganization and reallocation of resources in profitable, high-growth markets.
Management Buy-in and Buy-out
For seasoned executives seeking to capitalize on their knowledge and skills, Anthony Lanford provides support from defining the target company to contract completion. Whether pursuing a buy-in or buy-out, we ensure the transaction’s success, leveraging our experience throughout each phase. Collaboration with clients determines which activities are conducted by us or them, with options such as leveraging our practical experience in determining the company’s economic value or assisting in raising additional capital.
Project Management
Anthony Lanford specializes in project management post-merger or acquisition, navigating the challenges of integrating or transforming organizations. These projects are pivotal for the company’s immediate future and require effective management to drive successful business equation processes.
Efficiency is paramount in the fast-paced competition of today, where identifying risks at the right stage and implementing effective mitigation plans are crucial. Our approach involves using techniques like Review Technique and Gantt charts to identify, manage, and mitigate known and foreseeable risks in project management. Challenges in scope management, project planning and execution, timeline and budget planning, stakeholder management, regulatory and compliance strategies, risk management, and team management are carefully addressed to ensure successful project outcomes.