How to choose the right business valuation services firm
Business valuation professionals from a national valuation consulting firm for your valuation service needs.
Table of contents
- How to choose the right business valuation services firm
- How do you select a company appraisal firm?
- There are several factors to consider when choosing a business valuation firm.
- What next steps should I take when choosing a valuation firm?
- What else should I look out for?
- Additional factors to consider when choosing a business valuation firm
- Can I use a free online business valuation calculator instead?
- Due Diligence on Business Valuation Companies
- Company Valuation Firm Conclusion:
Operating a business can be extremely rewarding. For some, it represents an opportunity to build wealth when you sell your business. It might be a trial of leadership for your family. For many, it is a chance to create a legacy for generations.
Our valuation services can provide you with the numbers you need to make decisions about managing your business going forward and at exit. We will also help you understand how our final company valuation analyses relate to your financial reporting.
Please read our article on firm value vs enterprise value.
Small Business Valuation Services
Do you own a small business, or are you in charge of decision-making? Our value plan, done by our business valuation professionals, might meet your needs for around $3000. This fast and cost-effective valuation is designed for small business owners. It is a suitable market valuation analysis for non-court or non-IRS partnership interests/financial reporting and buy-sell agreements.
Valuating Your Company
Valuating your company is the first step to determining its worth and checking your wealth. Furthermore, use our valuation advisory services to get your valuation questions answered about the correct firms for your situation. Additionally, rely on our management consulting valuation team to meet your appraisal needs.
Regardless of your business motivation, evaluating its market worth is essential. Get a professional and certified business valuation from an expert national valuation company to determine your firm’s value.
Consequently, it is important that you perform complete research before selecting an accredited business valuation company. Your business appraisal services need to determine your company’s correct market value.
What is a valuation service firm?
A national business appraisal firm, like Business Appraisal FL|GA|HI, specializes in estimating the value of any business of any size. These appraisals are useful when a business owner seeks financing, creates an exit plan, or considers a potential sale, among other reasons.
Business valuation service firms conduct appraisals using various methods, including financial analysis of future earnings, future cash flows, market research, and comparable transactions.
Business valuation consulting firms often offer other advisory services, such as M&A, legal assistance, estate planning business valuations, Internal Revenue Service and tax reporting work, or purchase price allocation services.
How do you select a company appraisal firm?
There are several factors to consider when choosing a business valuation firm.
- Firm’s experience: When selecting a business valuation firm, ensure they have experience appraising comparable companies in your industry. They must understand your industry and have expertise in areas like estate and gift tax valuation. This will ensure a fair and accurate business valuation, like the valuation specialists at Business Appraisal FL|GA.
- Reputation: Analyze the firm’s reputation to confirm that it is trusted and has a good track record. If the valuation is for tax reporting purposes, ensure that their work meets IRS standards on a business value.
- Valuation Services Fees: The price of professional valuations varies by firm and may vary based on company size, purpose, valuation methodology, and operational complexity. Ensure the firm you choose has reasonable fees that align with its services and expertise. Very small businesses should pay less than $3700. You can read our article on value costs.
- Reason for Your Needing Valuation: Consulting The reason and the audience are critical for the right business valuation, timing, and cost. You may need valuation advisory services for:
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Strategic Planning for your board of directors
- Financial Reporting
- Needing a valuation consultant with transaction experience
- Valuation meeting financial accounting standards board
- Capital Financing
- Direct industry expertise
- Investing in privately held stock or business interests
- Taxation and gift tax planning
- Divorce and other legal proceedings
- Partnership or ownership changes
- Sales of your business
- Intangible assets valuation or intellectual property audit
- Succession planning
- Employee stock ownership plans (ESOP)
- Valuation Service Databases
- Business valuation firms employ diverse tools and databases, each tailored to specific valuation needs. Tools like Valutico, Equidam, and ValuSource, combined with databases such as RMA, BIZCOMPS, Duff Phelps, IRS Corporate Ratios, and Mergerstat Review, form the backbone of accurate, defensible valuations. As of March 31, 2025, the integration of AI and expanding data sources like PitchBook and Crunchbase indicate a dynamic field, ensuring firms can adapt to evolving market demands.
Considering these factors will help ensure that the valuation expert company you hire meets your business needs and achieves your firm value goal. We want to serve as your valuation professionals.
What next steps should I take when choosing a valuation firm?
When hiring a third-party business valuation firm, consider factors such as referrals from friends, family, business associates, and online searches. Seek referrals from professionals like business owners, tax planning lawyers, private equity, real estate appraisers, and SBA lenders.
At that point, feel free to contact the firms directly to get more information. Be sure to ask them about the methodology they employ to value the business.
This is important because you should be comfortable with the firm’s methods, valuation expertise, valuation opinions, asset valuation services, and national business valuation services.
What else should I look out for?
A certified business valuation by an accredited BA FL|GA|HI team member is a top-notch service that every business owner should seek when obtaining a company valuation.
Differentiating factors set business appraisal companies apart regarding efficiency, experience, credentials, pricing, market research, and service.
Additional factors to consider when choosing a business valuation firm
- Make sure the firm is licensed, accredited, and insured. Your utmost priority should be a certified business valuation by an accredited business appraiser. Accreditation validates an appraiser’s experience and knowledge and is required to deliver reliable and quality business valuations. An accredited senior appraiser is involved in every Business Appraisal FL|GA|HI job.
- Ask for a fee estimate before hiring the firm. Request a brief review of your financial statements, including the balance sheet, income statement, net income, cash flow analysis, growth rate, and latest tax returns.
- Inquire if the valuation services include a detailed explanation of the valuation report and a walkthrough of the methods used. Make sure a sample valuation and CV are available for business owners and advisors to review. Intangible assets can be tricky, and the correct research needs to be done to ensure your investment decisions.
- Business Valuation Methods Used. Business Appraisal FL|GA will always use at least six methods to determine a business’s fair market value. These include book value, the asset-based valuation method or liquidation value, the discounted cash flow analysis, and the market value method. Your business is more than just a PE ratio; business valuation experts should understand that.
Can I use a free online business valuation calculator instead?
Many online services rely on formulas and calculations to offer quick valuations—some are done in under thirty minutes. Meanwhile, business valuation platforms use user-provided metrics such as assets, financial reporting, capital structure, industry, value drivers, and growth prospects.
However, the problem with this approach is that many individuals tend to be biased and overestimate their assets’ worth. As a result, based on their company’s financial statements, they may have an unrealistic idea of its worth. Consequently, this often results in an overinflated valuation from sources that claim to provide accurate assessments of total market capitalization.
Due Diligence on Business Valuation Companies
Moreover, many of these applications ask for financial information, like profits and losses. Individuals filling out the form may fail to answer the questions correctly. We understand you are not one of our investment banking, hedge funds, or private equity clients with huge management teams.
This often happens when discussing technical topics, such as estimating earnings adjustments or calculating a profit multiplier for their company. Inputting values based on pure estimates or guesses will result in an inaccurate appraisal that requires further clarification. You will see discounted cash flow analysis (DCF) that doesn’t make sense from the free online valuation tools.
Is the valuation for shareholder dispute resolution? Expertise and proper industry knowledge are critical to receiving a valuation analysis that will hold up potential in a court of law from certified market valuation services.
For business owners to obtain the most accurate appraisal possible, experts advise hiring a CVA-accredited valuation firm like BA FL|GA|HI. To understand a company’s or enterprise value, refer to our guide on choosing a business valuation company.
Company Valuation Firm Conclusion:
Choosing a business valuation firm is an important decision. Business value or company valuation impacts your company’s future and exit strategy. Choose wisely from the many business valuation companies, especially for an estate and gift tax valuation. We want to be your market valuation services experts, meeting all accounting standards with an easy-to-understand valuation process.
The value of your business can vary depending on the appraiser’s expertise and approach. Follow the tips above to get the best valuation and understand the process. For 20+ years, we have been helping entrepreneurs without business valuation services throughout the United States, from Hawaii to New York and Alabama to Alaska.
Please read our guide in choosing the best valuation consultant for your specific asset valuation needs and learn about the appraisal process.
With offices across the US, BA FL|GA|HI can provide certified business valuation consulting services to meet your time, audience, and budget needs. Moreover, from Hawaii to New York City, from Miami to Seattle, we have cost-effective valuation services that meet your needs.
First, choose a qualified firm, like BA FL|GA|HI, to accurately and professionally appraise your company. Moreover, our firm comprises a certified team of accredited business appraisers with valuation experience, eager to value your business and walk you through the valuation process.
We want to be your business appraisal management firm with great customer service.