Start With What an Outside Buyer Would Pay
Owners decide to sell for plenty of reasons. Some are ready to retire, a partner wants out, or an offer showed up unasked and nobody could say if it was fair.
Each of them needs the same first fact: the price a stranger with money would actually pay. Aim too high and the listing sits unsold. Aim too low and the buyer keeps the difference.
A broker who sells companies between Dallas and Fort Worth can show you a realistic range and point out what moves it up or down.
Profit Sets the Price, Not Sales
Buyers pay for earnings they can verify. A company with seven million dollars in sales can still sell for about two million if the margins are thin.
When the owner works in the business, brokers measure seller's discretionary earnings, the cash one working owner can take out. Larger firms with managers in place are priced on EBITDA instead.
Most Main Street companies trade around two to three times that cash flow. Where yours lands depends on risk, such as how much rests on you and how spread out your customers are.
Our note on why offers get cut after diligence begins shows what buyers check once they are serious.
Arlington Sells More Than Football Tickets
The city sits on the I-30 corridor between two big downtowns, with stadiums, theme parks, a large university, an auto assembly plant and the Great Southwest industrial district all inside its borders.
That mix feeds hotels, car lots, repair shops, fuel stations, child care centers, event vendors and machine shops. Each draws a different kind of buyer, and our business lines pages explain what each one checks first.
Signs Your Company May Be Ready
- Yearly sales are near a million dollars or higher
- Your tax returns and your books tell the same story
- The place keeps running when you take a week off
- No one customer makes up a large share of sales
- Your lease, or your ownership of the building, is documented
If a few are missing, you now know what to fix first. A broker can tell you which gaps cost real money and which ones buyers shrug off.
How Long Selling Usually Takes
Expect seven to nine months from signing with a broker to closing. Six months counts as fast, and many owners feel it drags even when the sale is moving at a normal pace.
Keep the company performing the whole way. A slump worries buyers, and a sudden jump right before listing makes them suspicious. Steady results sell best.
The way a buyer pays also changes the timeline. Our note on asset sales and stock sales explains the difference for sellers.
Why Owners Hire a Broker
Most owners sell once. Many buyers have bought several companies and know the terms by heart. A broker evens that out, screens buyers, keeps the sale confidential and creates competition for your company.
Some owners ask whether the fee is worth it. Taxes on a sale are usually a bigger cost than the commission, and a broker often earns the fee back through a higher price or a deal that survives diligence.
A broker also keeps you from signing a letter of intent with a buyer who called you directly. Those offers often come from people hoping for a cheap deal.
Who Sees Your Details
We send your answers to one brokerage partner, which may pay us a referral fee. Nothing about your company reaches a buyer without your approval, and the first call carries no commitment.