We value businesses for owners who are preparing to sell, or who have received an approach. The aim is not to inflate a price but to show what a buyer is likely to pay and why, so that you negotiate from evidence.
Situations
When UAE clients ask for this valuation
- 1You are planning an exit in the next one to three years and want to know where value stands.
- 2A competitor, investor or regional group has made an approach.
- 3You are choosing between selling the shares and selling the business and its assets.
- 4You want to test an offer or a broker's suggested asking price.
Who asks us
Typical clients
- Owners and shareholders preparing to sell
- Founders responding to an approach
- Advisers acting for sellers
What we value
The subject of the valuation
The business as a buyer would see it: enterprise value on a cash-free, debt-free basis, then the equity value the shareholders would receive after borrowings, surplus cash and working capital adjustments.
Our method
How we reach the figure
Buyers usually start with normalised EBITDA, adjusted for one-off costs, owner remuneration and income or costs that will not continue. They apply a multiple reflecting risk and growth, then move from enterprise value to equity value. We follow the same logic so that our valuation can be compared directly with offers.
We also consider how the deal would be structured. A share sale transfers the company with its licences, contracts and liabilities; a business or asset sale may need new licences, staff transfers and contract assignments. Deferred or contingent consideration is valued for what it is likely to be worth, not its headline amount.
| Income | Normalised EBITDA at a multiple | Usual starting point |
|---|---|---|
| Market | Transaction evidence and forecasts | Cross-check |
| Asset | Restated balance sheet value | Where relevant |
In the UAE
Licences, contracts and transferability
In the UAE, a buyer's price depends heavily on what will survive the change of ownership. Trade licences, commercial agencies, government approvals, landlord consents and key customer contracts may contain change-of-control provisions or may need to be re-issued. Identifying these early protects value in negotiations.
Value drivers
Points that move the value
- Maintainable EBITDA
- Profit a buyer can rely on, after adjustments for the owner and one-off items.
- Cash and debt
- Borrowings, gratuity liabilities and surplus cash that move value between buyer and seller.
- Working capital
- The normal level the business needs, and any excess or shortfall at completion.
- Customer concentration
- Dependence on a few customers, government entities or a single distributor agreement.
- Management depth
- Whether the business runs without the selling owner.
Documents
What we will ask you for
- Three years of audited accounts and current management accounts
- A schedule of owner-related and one-off items
- Customer and supplier analysis
- Key contracts, agency agreements and leases
- Details of any offers received
The full list is tailored to your company once the scope is agreed.
Report, timing & fees
What you receive, and when
Typically a sale valuation report explaining the expected value range, the drivers behind it and the points a buyer is likely to challenge.
Timing
Usually two to four weeks from receiving the information.
Compare report levels on our reports and deliverables page.
Questions
Questions clients ask about this service
- Will the valuation set my asking price?
- It informs it. The asking price is a commercial decision, but it should sit within a range you can defend to a buyer.
- Do you act as a broker?
- No. We do not market businesses or take success fees, which is what keeps our valuation independent.
- Share sale or asset sale: which is worth more?
- It depends on tax, liabilities, licences and contracts. We can show how value differs under each structure.