The judicious investor can understand the huge benefits of purchasing an established business, but also acknowledges the pitfalls awaiting the unwary buyer. Before finalizing the purchase, the cautious buyer can avoid the various acquisition risks by engaging in thorough diligence evaluation. However, there are some clients who often skip due diligence, considering it a spare expense, and such step is usually unwise. If you are willing to buy a business in Edmonton, a systematic process of due diligence can help you prevent a financial pitfall. You can also engage Performance Business Brokers a leading Edmonton business broker to assist in the due diligence of a business acquisition.

Significance of due diligence

A due diligence analyst has a number of responsibilities. Some of the crucial jobs include discovering undisclosed problems, verifying the accuracy of the seller’s representations and discovering hidden assets and opportunities. All these factors help in increasing the client’s confidence in the original business valuation. Similarly, uncovering neglected or hidden assets automatically raises the value of the deal for the buyer. As a result of revealing undisclosed issues if there are any, the purchaser gets an opportunity to change his mind and walk away from the deal. It also offers him a measure to get into negotiating for a more appropriate acquisition price.

Various types of due diligence

• Commercial – review of market, industry and business model of the issuer.
• Financial- review of financial position, policies, tax and internal controls.
• Reputational – review of reputation of individual counter-parties and credit worthiness.
• Legal–review of documentation for identifying potentially legal issues that may pose impediments or risks to the (i) transaction or (ii) in the issuer’s general operations, that may affect the consideration or value in connection with the dealing.

Purpose
The major purpose of diligence evaluation as well as structuring of the transaction lies in:

• Identifying issues relating to documentation and structuring.
• Identifying contractual and legal impediments.
• Verifying or confirming warranties and representations.
• Undertaking processes for the verification of representations and warrants provided.
• Validating business plan and examining issues and principal areas that needs to be recognized in the business plan.
• It helps in determining its impact on the proposed transaction.
• Address, understand and if possible determine risks and build plan of action to mitigate the same.
• Transaction management and formulating solutions and suggestions to deal with problems.
• Placing the buyer in a better position depending on the risks addressed, so that the deal can be negotiated or the cost of the acquisition can be adjusted. The buyers also get the opportunity to tailor the indemnities and warranties.

The approach to the due diligence process depends on what is intended to be accomplished and the type of transaction. It is a process of objective and thorough examination that is undertaken before the entry of corporate entities into major transactions like mergers and acquisitions, project finance and security, issuing new stock or other securities and so on. One of the major objectives of due diligence is to minimize the possibility of unknown risks or liabilities to the maximum extent practicable.