There are following way to analyze the value of small business-:
1.Hire a business attorney to help you determine the true value of the business. An experienced business attorney will know what questions to ask and what formulas to use to arrive at a fair value.
2.Get a copy of the revenue reports for the business. Review the profits of the business before any taxes and compensation to the owners have been taken out. Add up the profits for the last two or three years.
3.Divide the total profit by the number of years used to arrive at the total. Multiply this number by two to five, based on the average selling prices for similar businesses in your area. It is standard practice in valuing a business to value it at two to five times the annual revenues. The typical multiplying factor for a business varies according to the type of business, so it is important to research the selling prices and revenues of similar businesses in your area.
4.Examine the revenue numbers for the business carefully. If the revenue stream shows a steady growth throughout the years, that is a positive sign. If, on the other hand, the revenue numbers show a significant decline, that can be a big warning flag. It could be that the business owner is attempting to unload a failing business. While you can always use your business savvy to turn things around, declining revenue numbers should lower the amount you are willing to pay.
5.Hire an outside appraiser to either confirm or dispute the value you have arrived at. It is always a good idea to conduct an independent appraisal when buying or selling a business. The appraiser will have experience in areas you might not, and can provide a valuable second opinion on the true dollar value of the operation.
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