Too much time to close a deal?Published September 10, 2010 | By Achim Neumann, PresidentThe one question sellers consistently raise is how long will it take to close a deal once a business valuation has been completed and there is an agreed upon offer in place? As the leading business broker in NJ, we typically rephrase the question; will there be “buyer’s remorse” and is the bus... [read more]
A Good Start Into 2010Published May 11, 2010 | By Achim Neumann, President We have seen a significant uptick in recent weeks in activities, from buy and sell side. This is most strongly reflected by a significant increase in buyer inquiries. However, the sell side, too, has shown more readiness and several business owners expressed their desire to sell. But whereas in the... [read more]
As business recovers, does your company plan to rehire back to the staffing level it was at before the recession?Published April 13, 2010 | By Achim Neumann, President Throughout the recession, many entrepreneurs trimmed their payrolls, among other big expenses. There have been tentative moves by some larger companies to rescind salary cuts for remaining employees, but few are rehiring the workers they cut. Private-sector firms in the U.S. eliminated 22,000 jobs ... [read more]
EBITDA: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly!Published December 16, 2009 | By Achim Neumann, President “EBITDA” is one of those terms that has received increased usage but usually for the wrong reason. This short article will define it and discuss how it can be useful but also misleading. EBITDA is an abbreviation for “earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.” It is ca... [read more]
Confidentiality Agreements: Their Importance To Business Buyers And SellersPublished November 24, 2009 | By Achim Neumann, President If you are planning to buy a business in the near future, or sell one for that matter, then you are probably thinking about the price you may have to pay, scheduling business appraisers, collating legal documents, putting in an offer and so on. The list of things to do is indeed long. However, one ... [read more]
Warning! Business Sellers Are LiarsPublished July 24, 2009 | By Achim Neumann, President “Business Seller Retiring – Priced to Move” While searching for an existing small business to buy, the novice entrepreneur will come across a few deals that seem almost too good to be true. There are times when a family situation or a dodgy medical condition may require a quick sale at a belo... [read more]
Professional Business AdvisorsPublished April 10, 2009 | By Achim Neumann, PresidentATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NJ – April – As professional advisors to small business owners, one knows the challenges client’s face, day-in, day-out, particularly, in these times when many businesses face a down turn. Eventually, every business owner will need to sell the business or close it down. Af... [read more]
Springtime Fever?Published April 7, 2009 | By Achim Neumann, PresidentATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NJ – April – As unlikely as it appears, spring does indeed increase transaction flow. Whereas one would think that numbers don’t lie and result in the same analysis throughout the year, it’s the springtime that gets the juices flowing. And similar to the real estate marke... [read more]
To P/E or Not to P/EPublished March 4, 2009 | By Achim Neumann, PresidentATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NJ – March – A look at the Dow industrials shows that the entire late-1990s bubble, not to mention the rally from 2003 to 2007, has been completely washed away. With the Dow closing below 7000 for the first time in more than 11 years, one can’t help but wonder, using tradit... [read more]
Buy/Sell Ideas for 2009Published February 10, 2009 | By Achim Neumann, PresidentATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NJ. – February –We wanted to briefly get in touch with you with some perspectives for 2009 – from an organization that has lived through several economic cycles and challenges as we experience today. On the buy side, the infinite pursuit of determining the “best buying po... [read more]
Considerations For Professional AdvisorsPublished February 4, 2009 | By Achim Neumann, PresidentATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NJ. – February – As a professional advisor to small business owners, you know about the hardships in trying to make a business successful, in particular in these challenging times. We are certain many business owners have experienced some type of decline in their business in ... [read more]
How To Sell Your Small BusinessPublished October 9, 2008 | By Achim Neumann, PresidentATLANTIC HIGHLANDS – October, 2008 – As small business owners, you know the hardships in trying to make a business successful. Making a return on your investment is the biggest challenge an owner can face, especially if the owner does not have time or patience to put into selling their business.... [read more]