Corporate Valuation, Dynamics of Valuation

A business valuation is a general process of determining the economic value of a whole business or company unit. Business valuation can be used to determine the fair value of a business for a variety of reasons, including sale value, establishing partner ownership, taxation, and even divorce proceedings. Owners will often turn to professional business evaluators for an objective estimate of the value of the business.

The value of a company could be different for sellers and buyers, so valuation is integral part of the negotiation process. It is also crucial for the effective management of a company, for identifying its value-generating units, and formulating strategies for growth. Initial public offerings, portfolio management, and tax assessment are also areas that involve a lot of corporate valuation.

There are different valuation methodologies, yielding different results and used in different situations. The three main methods are discounted cash flow analysis (DCF), trading multiples, and precedent transactions. An experienced financial analyst knows how to use these methods in combinations in order to reach conclusive valuations.

A business valuation might include an analysis of the company’s management, its capital structure, its future earnings prospects or the market value of its assets. The tools used for valuation can vary among evaluators, businesses, and industries. Common approaches to business valuation include a review of financial statements, discounting cash flow models and similar company comparisons.