Frequently Asked Questions

M&A advisory helps business owners navigate the process of selling, buying, or transitioning a business. This includes business valuation, preparing the company for sale, identifying and screening buyers, managing negotiations, and supporting the transaction through to closing.

Maven works with profitable small and medium-sized businesses across services-led and operational sectors, including professional services, engineering, logistics, healthcare, education, and digital businesses. We focus on businesses with clear cash flow, transferable operations, and realistic exit expectations.

Most buyers value companies based on EBITDA, cash flow stability, growth potential, and risk. Valuation is often expressed as a multiple of EBITDA, adjusted for factors such as owner dependence, customer concentration, industry outlook, and quality of financial records.

A typical M&A process includes valuation and preparation, confidential buyer outreach, initial discussions, negotiation of a Letter of Intent (LOI), due diligence, and closing. The process can take several months and requires careful coordination to protect value and confidentiality.

Many SMEs are suitable for advisory support if they have stable cash flow and clear operations. The key factor is not size, but whether the business can be transferred successfully to a new owner.

Buyers look for clean financials, stable EBITDA, proper documentation, and operations that don't rely solely on the owner. An advisor can help assess readiness and potential valuation.

Business valuation in Singapore does not follow a single fixed formula. Instead, valuation approaches depend on the type of business, its financial performance, industry, and transaction context. Common valuation methods include EBITDA multiples, asset-based valuation, discounted cash flow (DCF), and market comparables. In practice, valuation is both an art and a science. While financial models provide a starting point, the final value of a business is shaped by market demand, risk factors, buyer profile, and deal terms — not just the numbers alone.

EBITDA shows true operating profitability and is used to calculate valuation multiples (e.g., 3×–5× EBITDA for many SMEs).

On average 3–12 months, depending on industry, financial cleanliness, buyer demand, and the speed of due diligence.

Many SMEs with strong fundamentals — clear cash flow, stable operations, and a transferable model — have buyers. Size matters less than profitability and stability.

Yes. Serious buyers require P&L, balance sheet, tax filings, customer concentration, contracts, and operational details before making an offer.

Typically: 3 years of financials, customer/supplier contracts, staff list, SOPs, IP documents, and a prepared prospectus.

An LOI (Letter of Intent) outlines preliminary terms. It can be binding or non-binding depending on structure — an advisor will help you negotiate this correctly.

Not initially. Most deals maintain confidentiality until the final stages.

A deep review of your business — financial, legal, operational, compliance — conducted by buyers before finalising the deal.

Common buyers include strategic acquirers, competitors, private investors, family offices, PE-backed groups, and owner-operators.

An advisor protects confidentiality, prepares valuation, markets discreetly, and negotiates terms — dramatically improving outcome and reducing risk.

Most work on a combination of retainer + success fee or full success fee, depending on complexity and deal size.

When cash flow is stable, EBITDA is strong, and the business does not rely heavily on the owner.

Improve EBITDA, clean up financials, reduce dependencies, systemise processes, and diversify customer base.

Yes, but valuation may drop. Buyers will assess whether decline is recoverable or structural.

It's possible but difficult — buyers usually want at least 2–3 years of clean statements.

Digital services, logistics, healthcare, engineering, education, and professional services.

Yes, but it affects valuation. Transition plans or extended handovers often solve this.

Buyers will want clarity on acquisition channels — predictable systems increase valuation.

An M&A exit or management buyout (MBO) may be ideal. Succession planning helps.

Very. Advisors protect confidentiality until buyers are vetted and NDAs are signed.

Through advisors, private networks, curated deal sourcing, and off-market opportunities — not just listings.

Assess EBITDA quality, customer concentration, operating risks, staff stability, and transferability.

Depends on industry and risk profile — most SMEs sell between 2×–5× EBITDA.

Yes, if strong management is in place or if you install a capable operator.

Key-man risk, customer concentration, legal obligations, staff turnover, and undocumented processes.

Yes — including earn-outs, vendor financing, transition periods, and handover terms.

Preparing the next leader or team to take over the business smoothly.

Look at staff capability, leadership depth, independence from the owner, and operational maturity.

Succession keeps leadership internal; M&A transfers ownership externally.

Valuation, timeline planning, documentation cleanup, and determining whether succession or sale fits best.

Yes — depending on industry restrictions. Many foreign investors and family offices acquire Singapore businesses.

Not necessarily. Some sectors require local partners.

Singapore does not have capital gains tax, but tax implications vary based on structure.

Only for regulated industries (finance, healthcare, education, etc.).

Most buyers evaluate the business net of GST — though compliance is reviewed in due diligence.

Business overview, financials, customer breakdown, staff structure, risks, and growth opportunities.

3-year P&L, tax filings, balance sheet, customer metrics, contracts, and operational details.

A secure digital folder with all documents needed for buyer assessment and due diligence.

Outdated contracts, unclear ownership structures, compliance gaps, or pending disputes.

EBITDA = Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation & Amortisation, with owner add-backs included.

Industry growth, customer concentration, risk profile, financial hygiene, owner dependency, and transferability.

A valuation method based on projected future cash flow, adjusted back to present value.

Adjustments that remove one-off or personal expenses to reflect true profitability.

We focus on valuations, documentation, and exit readiness — not just listings or mass outreach. Our process is quieter and more personalised.

We prioritise sellers with strong fundamentals, clear financials, and realistic expectations.

Digital services, engineering, logistics, healthcare, education, and professional services.

Yes — including structuring, valuation, and transition planning.

Yes — we maintain a network of serious buyers across Singapore and the region.

Yes — exit readiness, succession planning, and financial clean-up support are available.