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Articles
Practical, plain-English writing on UK SME business valuation. Methods, value drivers, EMI shares, and what actually happens when you sell.
20 articles · Page 1 of 3
Selling & Exit
BADR and Business Sales in 2026: What's Changing
Business Asset Disposal Relief. What the 2026 changes mean for UK SME owners planning a sale, and how to model net proceeds before you commit to a route.
Selling & Exit
Why Offers Come In Below Expectations
The three structural reasons buyer offers usually disappoint UK SME owners, and the value-uplift work in the 12–24 months before going to market that consistently closes the gap.
Valuation Basics
Why EBITDA Alone Is Not Enough to Value Your Business
A complete UK guide to why EBITDA × multiple is only the headline, and why the add-backs, subtractions, capex normalisations, working-capital adjustments and quality-of-earnings work around it usually decide the deal.
Process
When Your Valuation Should Be Formal
Five situations where an indicative valuation is not enough, and a written, signed report from a qualified valuer is needed to defend the number in front of HMRC, a court, a trustee or another shareholder.
EMI & HMRC
When to Seek an EMI Valuation Before Granting Options
The right timing for an EMI share valuation, and the trap of granting options before HMRC agreement is in place.
Selling & Exit
What Makes a Business Easier to Sell
The structural factors that turn a difficult sale into a straightforward one, and the work to do well before going to market.
EMI & HMRC
What Is an EMI Share Valuation?
A plain-English explanation of EMI share valuations for UK companies granting employee options. What HMRC actually asks for, how Actual and Unrestricted Market Value differ, and why it matters.
Selling & Exit
Your Retirement Number Is Not a Valuation
Why the figure you need to retire on has nothing to do with what the market will actually pay for your business, and how to use both numbers separately to plan a credible exit.
Selling & Exit
Pre-Sale Valuation Review: What It Is and Why It Pays Back
A short, focused review 12–24 months before sale that almost always pays for itself many times over. What it covers, what owners discover, and how the value-uplift plan actually translates into a higher price.
Browse by topic
Valuation Basics
How UK SME valuation really works. Methods, multiples, EBITDA adjustments and the bridge from headline price to cash in your bank account.
Value Drivers
The factors that move your number up or down. Owner dependency, concentration risk, recurring revenue, contracts, and the quality of your team.
Selling & Exit
Preparing a UK SME for sale. Timing, advisers, deal structure, earn-outs, goodwill, and why first offers often come in below expectations.
EMI & HMRC
EMI share schemes, HMRC-facing valuations, minority discounts and the technical rules behind share valuations for UK tax purposes.
Process
What actually happens during a UK SME valuation. Indicative vs formal, information requests, timelines, and how the final report is built.
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