Step 2/12 In Selling A Business: Understanding the Income Statement
Posted on Sat, Oct 03, 2009
If you are considering selling a business in Tucson or Southern Arizona, or making a Tucson Business Investment, another critical aspect of your business that needs to be in order before you sell is your Income Statement.
Don’t wait until you are ready to sell, or need to sell, your business to invest the time and resources in ensuring that your income statement (and all of your accounting records) is thorough, accurate and consistent in the methods applied. If someone else, perhaps a book-keeper or CPA, has been doing your bookkeeping for you and you perhaps have only been reading top-line reports, you may not be aware of how entries are being booked.
Review the Income Statement and understand each of the entries. Dig in to the General Ledger to thoroughly understand what sub accounts and line items are being rolled up into each Income Statement Summary line, for both revenues and expenses.
Pay particular attention to what is included in the different expense accounts. Someone considering buying a business in Tucson or Southern Arizona, or making a Tucson Business Investment, will expect a detailed explanation of all expenses and will be looking for discretionary items that can be added back to income. Make sure you have recorded these, and kept back up receipts for spot check and cross reference during due diligence.
Make sure the Cost of Goods sold is accurate based upon accurate inventory amounts and purchase prices. If current prices of major inputs have changed since the time your raw material inventory was purchased, make sure to make a buyer aware of that and its materiality to the business.
We believe It can be well worth the expense to hire an outside bookkeeper or CPA to look over your bookkeeping processes and advise you on an changes in your procedures that may be advisable or necessary.
Again, don’t wait until you want or need to sell to commit to accurate accounting records. The Income Statement is the first place a buyer will go, and yours better be able to stand up to scrutiny during due diligence or you may lose the deal. Then, you’ll be hiring a forensic CPA to go back in time and clean things up. It is easier and more cost-effective to do things right the first time.
If you'd like more information on this subject, please contact us at 520-327-4454 or visit us at www.allenandyoung.com