One thing that kills large deals is working capital PEGs don’t get addressed early by the broker and the parties. Small business owners often run their business with little to no understanding that if they sell to a private equity group of a more sophisticated buyer they will look for the working capital to be given to them in the sale. Here is an example of the way it works.
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The “Working Capital” Peg: How Cash and Inventory Are Negotiated at Closing—and How Sellers Can Improve It to Their Advantage
By Michael Shea, Transworld Business Advisors of Tampa Many business owners focus almost exclusively on sale price. But seasoned sellers know that working capital—how much cash, inventory, and short-term assets stay in the business at closing—can quietly swing deal economics by hundreds of thousands of dollars. In lower middle market transactions especially, the working capital […]
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