Sell your company discreetly and at the right price

There is no single figure: there is a reasonable range that depends on recurring profit, sector, size, how dependent the business is on its owner and which assets are included. In small and mid-sized businesses the market works with multiples on normalised EBITDA, cross-checked against comparable transactions. Before anything goes to market we run that valuation and explain where each number comes from.

Not through us. The listing is anonymous and the name is only disclosed to screened parties who have signed a confidentiality agreement. Staff are normally informed when the deal is virtually closed, respecting the legal information obligations that apply depending on how the transaction is structured.

Yes. Some deals involve the owner selling a majority stake and staying on for a period, and others bring in a minority partner contributing capital for growth. It is a common formula when the business depends on the owner and the buyer needs an orderly transition. If what you want is capital rather than an exit, our investment service is the better fit.

This is one of the critical points in hospitality, clinics and retail. You have to check how many years are left on the lease, whether it allows assignment or transfer, whether the landlord is entitled to a share of the transfer price and whether there is a change-of-control clause. A short or non-transferable lease reduces the value of the business, so it is best addressed before negotiating price, not after.

The initial valuation and the conversation in which we decide whether it makes sense to go to market are free. Most of our fees are tied to closing and are agreed in writing before we start. If the engagement includes fixed-dedication work, such as a formal valuation report, it is quoted separately.

It can still be sold, but the approach changes: value stops being about profit and moves to the assets, the location, the licences, the brand or the client base. In those cases the natural buyer is usually a competitor or a group growing by acquisition. We will tell you frankly what expectation is realistic before we start.

Not always, and it is worth knowing that upfront. It is common for part of the price to be deferred or tied to the business hitting certain results over a period, and for an amount to be held back as security against contingencies that may surface later. Negotiating those terms well matters as much as negotiating the headline figure.

We regularly work with hotels and accommodation, clinics and medical centres, restaurants, shops and franchises, industrial companies and technology firms. These are sectors where the transaction has its own particularities — health authorisations, hotel classification, activity permits — and it matters that whoever brokers it knows them.