RSM have earned a reputation for providing timely, relevant and value added due diligence advice and reports. Make sure you have the information you need before making critical decisions, with the help of our financial due diligence team.
Without doubt, the success of an acquisition to an acquirer, be it a corporate or financial investor, can be significantly influenced by the extent and quality of the due diligence undertaken. Financial due diligence is a key aspect of the overall investigation into the target entity.
Our financial due diligence team comprises specialists who are deeply committed and experienced in providing:
- Due diligence for investors, banks and private equity houses (e.g. when considering funding a management buy-out);
- Due diligence for corporate acquirers, in which case we report to the acquirer and, where appropriate, their funders;
- Vendor due diligence – this is commissioned by a vendor, but remains a robust independent review upon which a purchaser can ultimately place legal reliance. It identifies potential issues and reduces the probability of these being used by a purchaser to reduce the price. This is because they can be presented in a managed way by the vendor, rather than being identified by the purchaser and used as a negotiating tool against the vendor.
The specifics of the deal always determine the scope of financial due diligence. However, the process typically includes:
- An in-depth analysis of underlying historic performance, cash flows, assets and liabilities;
- A critique of management's forecasts, including the working capital requirements of the business;
- A review of the underlying financial systems and controls; and
- Analysis of the taxation position of the business.
Our reports will also include:
- A summary of the key issues that have been identified by our work; and
- Our views on the associated risk and implications for the deal, including integration and other post-deal issues where appropriate.
RSM have a reputation for thoroughness, so you can transact with more confidence, knowing that any issues have been properly reviewed and thought through. Also, we aim to identify key issues at the earliest stage so you can reach a ‘go/no-go’ decision earlier.