Corporate Finance

Due Diligence – Buy/Sell

Make sure it’s not just a good deal, but the right deal

All businesses involved in an acquisition or other private-equity transaction, either as buyers or sellers, need to make sure that the financial information they hold is as accurate as possible. This prevents paying too much (or in a seller’s case receiving too little) and, more importantly, ensures that business objectives are met.

Any organization considering a deal needs to verify all assumptions. Financial due diligence provides peace of mind to both corporate acquirers and financial sponsors by analyzing and validating all financial, commercial, operational and strategic assumptions.

We help corporate and financial buyers critically assess key opportunities, confirm deal assumptions, and analyze and validate all the financial, commercial, operational and strategic assumptions being made — ultimately ensuring there are no process pitfalls. 

WSBC helps drive stakeholder value in a transaction by providing the following:

Financial & accounting

• Pro forma EBITDA
• P&L trend analyses and operational reviews
• Balance sheet and working capital trend analyses
• Purchase accounting considerations
• Off-balance sheet and contingent obligation identification
• Purchase contact reps, warranties and indemnifications considerations

Operations & technology (IT)

• Assessing IT infrastructure and capabilities
• Identifying and assessing IT improvement projects
• Identifying and quantifying potential one-time costs
• Assessing planned levels of IT capital expense (CAPEX) and operating expense (OPEX) to support growth

Why WSBC?

The finance and accounting experts at WSBC have extensive experience helping organizations make financial decisions that put them on a track to lasting success. Buy/sell due diligence plays a crucial role in that path to long-term, strategic wins.

Our advisors help buyers check every box, from compliance with regulations to insurance coverage, licenses and permits, key financial information, intellectual property, publicity, IT systems and more, so that they can feel secure in their investment and avoid unwanted surprises down the road. 

Likewise, we help sellers understand the efficacy and value of their information systems, personnel, financial operations, workflow organization, revenue, risks, liabilities and other aspects of their organization that influence valuation. We can also provide recommendations for value-reducing issues and ultimately facilitate a smoother sales process. 

Never trust an assumption you can’t verify — as a buyer or as a seller. 

Valuation Services

Precise valuations for financial reporting and tax requirements

Business valuations are commonly required in acquisitions, stock compensation, equity and debt financings, impairment testing, estate planning, divorce, shareholder disputes, buy/sell agreements and other situations. 

Whether you’re involved in the sale or purchase of a business, or just complying with complex financial reporting and tax requirements, WSBC’s valuation specialists provide objective and independent assessments of value for the purposes of financial reporting, transactions and family-business succession planning.

We provide financial opinions to private equity firms, privately held and publicly traded companies, attorneys, financial advisors and high net worth individuals seeking to turn critical and complex financial issues into opportunities for growth, resilience and long-term sustainability. 

Allocating fair value in an acquisition, valuing equity securities and debt instruments, and measuring interests in a closely held business for estate planning and sale purposes are just some of the many areas in which we have valuation experience.  

You have assets, we have valuations

Proper asset valuation is a complex function that requires finance experience and an encyclopedic understanding of accounting standards, tax law and countless other proficiencies. 

The finance and accounting experts possess all of this and more and are prepared to provide you with accurate and defensible asset valuations so that you can make better short- and long-term financial decisions

M&A Services

Bringing organizations together through mergers and acquisitions, or carving them out through separations and divestitures, are among the most complex business activities an organization will ever undertake. WSBC is the only professional services firm that can advise strategic corporate buyers and private equity investors throughout the entire M&A deal life cycle. From conceiving strategy to selecting the right partner. From conducting thorough due diligence to closing the deal. From beginning to end, we align our services to address your transactions, integration, and separation needs, all with the goal of generating value for our clients.