M&A Advisor Tip: Intangibles Matter

Intangible assets can play a significant role in your business value. While these may not take physical form, they can be legally identified and transferred.

It can be a hard exercise, especially when you’re so close to the business. But here’s a list of some possibilities to consider formally documenting.

  • Contracts, licenses, distribution agreements, permits
  • Customer lists and loyalty metrics
  • Intellectual property, e.g., patents, trademarks, copyrights
  • Location-rights (e.g., land, water, mineral)
  • Marketing assets, including testimonials and portfolios
  • Supplier base
  • Trade secrets and proprietary processes
  • Web presence, internet domains
  • Workforce in place, management team

Think about the value of intangible assets as you grow your business. Conduct an inventory and document how each one contributes to your company’s success.

We will look at these things when we perform an estimate of value, an intermediary opinion of value or formal valuation. We also can help you identify the intangible assets buyers care about most.

What our clients are saying...

“BTS quickly located prospective buyers, obtained an excellent sales price, provided expert guidance and delivered it with a personal touch. Early on John Howe checked that I was prepared for life after the sale and that legal and financial council was lined up and ready to go when required. As necessary Ken Schaefer personally coached all players in the technicalities of the process, a team effort. I investigated several brokers before selecting BTS who exceeded my expectations in every regard.”

- Leander Nichols

Comptus