Every sale, merger or take-over is different. However, they all have one thing in common: they are almost always time consuming and complex. When the stakes are high, you need a flexible adviser with expert knowledge and experience. An adviser who can look after the details for you and guide you through the process. The independent advisers at BDO are happy to help you.

Support for the buyer: due diligence

In any take-over process a substantial amount of information is exchanged. The seller wants to paint their company in the best possible light and their advisers will emphasise the positive aspects of the deal. This information and the vision it creates will form the basis for the initial offer. During the next step in the take-over process you, as buyer, have the chance to validate this information. A due diligence investigation is designed to critically evaluate all the information and build the full picture. Do the facts and figures back up the pitch? What are the specific risks you should be aware of? What issues are relevant to the structure of the transaction? We help you understand the whole story. Together, we can carefully check whether the deal measures up to your expectations before it goes ahead. We uncover the details, so that you can make an informed decision about whether, and on what terms, to proceed.

Support for the seller: vendor due diligence

Working on behalf of buyers, we often find that our investigations uncover some nasty surprises. These surprises have a serious impact on whether or not the process will succeed and puts you, the seller, on the back foot in negotiations. In some cases it can even lead to a transaction being cancelled altogether.

Vendor due diligence, a due diligence investigation where we act on behalf of the seller, substantially reduces the chance of such surprises occurring. Right at the start of the process we provide an overview of the potential issues a buyer might face, so that you, the seller, can address these issues in advance. This way, you prevent nasty surprises. A vendor due diligence report provides you with the opportunity to present a clear, consistent picture to the various prospective buyers. This will save both you and the buyers an enormous amount of time and lead to bids that are easier to compare. Every prospective buyer will carry out their own research, but most of the heavy lifting will be done. You will be able to clarify certain issues before they are raised. It puts you in the driving seat.

Investigations carried out by multidisciplinary teams

A (vendor) due diligence consists of various specialist investigations and specific focus areas. The financial due diligence is the key element. Other supplementary investigations include:

Tax due diligence
Employment-law due diligence
Pension due diligence
Legal due diligence (business law)
IT due diligence

Each supplementary investigation is carried out by specialists in the relevant disciplines within BDO. The specialists at BDO Transaction Advisory Services coordinate these teams and are your main point of contact. The final product of our due diligence is an integrated report including all the findings from the our various specialist teams.

Contact

Would you like to find out how our (vendor) due diligence could benefit your next transaction? Or do you need further insight into the risks associated with an upcoming deal? Then please contact our specialists who will be happy to help.