For a standard valuation, applying the market method means extracting multiples from comparable transactions or comparable stock-listed companies to estimate the current value of the company being valued. This cannot apply to seed stage startups for obvious reason: No stock-listed company can be comparable to a startup Multiples cannot be used at this stage as Read more about SEED STAGE VALUATION METHODS[…]
In order to value a company that is an acquisition target, or that can be potentially sold in the near future, we use the market approach, which involves analysing comparable transactions and comparable stock-listed companies. In the case of early-stage startups, this market approach cannot be used as the company is too young to be Read more about HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR STARTUP’S EXIT VALUE[…]
It is possible to value an early-stage company. In fact, most seed stage startups are valued this way, without carrying out complex valuations or projections. However, this makes the valuation highly uncertain, since the financial projections are also part of a company’s business model validation. Another important weakness is that without a financial plan, the Read more about HOW TO VALUE A STARTUP WITHOUT A FINANCIAL PLAN[…]
When we value a company, we value its equity (the Market Value of Equity) to determine the price paid for a transaction (acquisition, financing or other) where the investor receives ownership, which is an equity stake. The valuation can take place also for information purposes for debt financing, but it is mostly relevant for equity Read more about THE BASICS OF STARTUP VALUATION[…]
Business valuation dramatically reduces investment uncertainty. It is still a science under development as markets change and more information becomes available. Since valuations are forward-looking, the practice still involves a high degree of judgement. Startup valuation is based on leading practices rather than set standards. Most early-stage valuation decisions take place during negotiations, nevertheless they Read more about DIFFERENCES BETWEEN STARTUP VALUATION & STANDARD VALUATION PRACTICES[…]
When deciding what type of company valuation you need, there are few options available. It usually depends on your specific situation, company size, information available (specifically when the valuation is ordered by an investor) and type of transactions, as well as the expected audience and negotiations. The purpose or transactions for which you may want a Read more about BUSINESS VALUATION: WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS?[…]
As a valuation professional, explaining what value is and how you get to it, is sometimes a challenge. There are so many transactions in the market, especially at the early stages, that concepts have to be simplified to be able to negotiate quickly and effectively. The valuation then becomes a value that you agree on Read more about YOUR VALUATION IS NOT FIXED IN STONE[…]
It is not always straightforward what value or valuation really means. In the startup world, everyone is talking about it, tech news are filled with funding round valuation analysis and exit stories. Yet the talk often only touches the surface of what there is to know about the valuation of early-stage investments, or even the Read more about WHAT IS VALUE?[…]
There are a few companies out there offering automatic valuations for startups. While it seems like a good option for all those companies who can’t figure out how valuation works and what value to communicate to investors, using an automated model completely fails the scope of the valuation. There are three main reasons for this: Your financial Read more about BUSINESS VALUATION CALCULATORS: to use or not to use?[…]
Aswath Damodaran’s webinar on “Narrative and Numbers: A Guide to Disciplined Story Telling and Imaginative Number Crunching” on Sageworks provided some very interesting insights into different approaches to valuation. Damodaran distinguishes between those people who are more comfortable with number crunching, and the storytellers. The ‘Numbers’ people tend to think that valuation is all about Read more about DAMODARAN ON NARRATIVE AND NUMBERS IN VALUATION[…]
Before starting with your valuation you should establish a good information base, whether you’re doing it for your company internally or for an external client, which will save you time and prevent mistakes. This means going through a checklist on the assignment’s characteristics and collecting all key information. If you’re carrying out a valuation as an external Read more about THE INFORMATION BASE IN VALUATION[…]
In a valuation, nothing can be viewed in isolation, you always need to consider the overall picture. However, the big picture is also made up of many sources, inputs, logical decisions and methods, without which the overall picture would no longer make sense. Because the value of a company is not to be viewed in isolation, Read more about DECODING THE VALUATION PROCESS[…]
Until recently few countries had released their own valuation standards. With the market demanding stronger valuation standards, many countries have started working on their own guidelines. The International Valuation Standards Council, for example, seeks to unify these standards. However, the local standards tend to go more into the technical valuation details. The OIV (Organismi Italiano di Read more about AUSTRIAN, GERMAN AND ITALIAN VALUATION STANDARDS AT A GLANCE[…]
1. CHARACTERISTICS Software is commonly divided into system and application software. For valuation purposes it is useful to distinguish the following characteristics in order to assess its marketability and income stream₁: Valuing software as an asset requires a different process to valuing a company: it involves isolating the cash flows originating from the asset with Read more about UNDERSTANDING THE BUSINESS VALUE OF SOFTWARE[…]
Business valuation is a constantly evolving science, shaped by empirical research, opinions of leading experts and the judgement of the valuer. It is impossible to pinpoint the exact intrinsic value of a company, so all methods are aimed at detecting and quantifying as many factors as possible that can have an influence on the Read more about WHO CAN VALUE YOUR COMPANY?[…]