Pre-M&A consulting
Prepare the valuation before entering a trade.
M&A can be a planned strategy, but it can also arise as an opportunity: a business owner may be looking for investors, receiving a takeover offer, or considering a sale when the price is right. In that case, the first question shouldn't be... "Who will buy the business?", which is "What real value does the business currently possess, and is that value sufficient to warrant transfer?"
1. Determine intrinsic value
Expertis assesses the business entity itself, rather than starting from the owner's desired price. The focus is on the true value the business generates from its profitability, cash flow, assets, customers, organizational capabilities, market, brand, and competitive advantages; while also considering the sustainability of those values.
In M&A, the more important question is: How much value can still exist and generate benefit after ownership changes?
2. Identifying value gaps
Not all well-performing businesses are ready for M&A. Expertis identifies factors that reduce value, make value difficult to demonstrate, or may cause investors to discount the transaction.
- The quality of financial information and the ability to determine true profitability.
- Capital structure, assets, and related-party transactions.
- Tax, legal, and compliance risks.
- The degree of dependence on the business owner or key personnel.
- The ability to retain customers, generate revenue, and maintain cash flow.
- Post-transfer operational capability.
- The gap between owner expectations and market value is a factor that the market considers.
3. Business standardization
When the gap between the current state and the M&A target is large enough, Expertis develops a standardized roadmap focusing on the issues that truly impact the value and transactability of the transaction. Depending on the case, solutions may involve finance and accounting, tax and legal matters, corporate structure, governance, and business performance.
Expertis doesn't aim for "perfect" business before M&A. Standardization focuses on changes that are feasible. to create, protect, or make intrinsic value sustainable and demonstrable..
4. Business valuation
Once intrinsic value is properly understood and key factors are addressed appropriately, valuation forms the basis for subsequent decisions: establishing transaction expectations, evaluating improvement options, preparing for discussions with investors, or deciding whether to proceed with the M&A at the present time.
The value is not lost if the deal hasn't happened yet.
International consulting firms also emphasize that transaction readiness and the quality of preparation significantly impact valuation, buyer engagement, and the likelihood of completing a transaction. Expertis' approach clearly separates the work of creating/normalizing enterprise value from the M&A deal execution process.
How much is your business actually worth?
Expertis helps determine intrinsic value, identify factors affecting transferability, and select the appropriate option before making an M&A decision.
M&A Consulting & Transaction Matching
From an opportunity to a potential deal.
An M&A deal doesn't begin simply because a business is brought to market, nor is it completed simply because an interested party has been found. Expertis organizes the process into clear milestones so that resources are used appropriately according to the actual state of the deal.
Origination
This creates opportunities for M&A. Opportunities can arise from customer needs, investor proposals, or from opportunities that Expertis proactively identifies and connects with. Not every intention to buy or sell becomes an M&A deal.
NDA
Establish a basis for information exchange. NDAs mark a shift in clients' focus from being interested in M&A to agreeing to provide the necessary information for the opportunity to be properly evaluated.
Consulting Contract
Establish Expertis' advisory role. The contract defines the scope of work, responsibilities, coordination principles, and fee/success fee mechanism of the transaction.
Pre-Validation
Identify the true "product" before bringing it to market. Expertis conducts a preliminary assessment of intrinsic value, business condition, tradability, preliminary valuation, owner expectations, and key issues.
Screening
Find a match. Expertis finds and approaches buyers/investors that match their objectives, industry, size, financial capacity, level of control, expected value, and transaction structure. Market feedback also serves as data to reassess opportunities when needed.
Negotiation
From interest to intention to trade. When there is genuine interest, Expertis supports the exchange and negotiation process to determine whether the two parties have a viable trading area.
LOI / MOU / Term Sheet
Establish the rules of transaction between Buyer and Seller. This is a document between the parties involved in the transaction and is completely different from the Consulting Contract in step 3 between Expertis and the client.
Transaction & Closing
Verify what is necessary and complete the transaction. The level of due diligence and the structure of implementation depend on the size, nature, and risk of each deal. The principle is to ensure sufficient due diligence to provide the parties with a basis for decision-making and that the transaction is executed safely, without creating additional procedures that do not add value to the decision.
A different method, a different level of implementation.
SME and large-scale transactions can both go through foundational milestones. What changes is the depth of work within each milestone. When M&A is just an opportunity, Expertis prioritizes verifying the opportunity before increasing resources. When M&A is a defined strategy, long-term preparation can be done beforehand through Pre-M&A Advisory, while M&A Deal focuses on matching, bidding, and execution.
Not every M&A opportunity needs to become a deal.
The appropriate outcome could be to continue trading, adjust price/structure, temporarily postpone selling, normalize before selling, continue development to increase value, or close the trade. The goal is not to close every opportunity at all costs, but to help clients understand the opportunity correctly and choose the right course of action.
Are you considering selling your business, finding investors, or pursuing an M&A opportunity?
Experts can help you evaluate opportunities before deciding on the next step.
Value is the starting point, a transaction is a possibility.
M&A does not automatically create value for a business that lacks a foundation of value. A successful transaction begins with a proper understanding of what the business possesses, where that value comes from, and to what extent it can be sustained and transferred; only then can the appropriate method be chosen to bring that value into the transaction.
Understanding the true value → Preparing the right business → Connecting with the right opportunities → Executing the right deal.