Valuing Synergies

In mergers and acquisitions (M&As), there are some buyers who are willing to pay a premium above the fair market value of the business on a controlling basis. This premium typically is the result of cost-saving or revenue-building synergies that a specific buyer can potentially gain by acquiring the seller’s business. When selling a business, it makes sense to find a buyer who’s willing to pay the highest possible price. Here’s some guidance to help identify synergistic buyers and establish a reasonable asking price. What is synergistic value? According to the International Valuation Glossary — Business Valuation, synergistic value is “the result of a combination of two or more assets or interests where the combined value is more than the sum of the separate values.” This often results...