Selling your business with a clear process
Thinking about selling your business? We guide owners of a GmbH, GmbH & Co. KG or AG through the entire sale: discreetly, in a structured process, and with a clear view of what your legal form means for the transaction.
One sale, many occasions
Behind the decision to sell a business stand occasions as individual as their owners: retirement, a succession without a successor in the family or the wish to develop the company further with a strategic partner.
The path there is well plannable for all its individuality: a structured sale process with valuation, discreet buyer search and competitive negotiation. How the transfer itself works, however, depends on the legal form. The legal and tax execution rests with your legal and tax advisers; we structure the transaction and run the process.
Selling a GmbH
The standard case in the German Mittelstand: the shares are transferred in a share deal, notarised as German law requires. The articles of association set the framework, for instance through share transfer restrictions. Alternatively, an asset deal transfers individual assets, with different consequences for liability and taxes.
Selling a GmbH & Co. KG
Here the limited partnership interests and the shares in the general partner GmbH change hands together. For tax purposes, partnership rules apply, for many sellers with allowances and reduced rates. The structure should be aligned with your tax adviser early on.
Selling an AG
Shares in an AG can generally be transferred without a notary; registered shares with restricted transferability require the company's consent. With several shareholders, an aligned seller side is essential, and board and governance matters run alongside the process.
BAHAMA GmbH → BPE Unternehmensbeteiligungen
Founded in 1950, BAHAMA of Reichshof in North Rhine-Westphalia is a leading manufacturer of professional large-scale parasols for restaurants and hotels, made in Germany and distributed in over 50 countries. We advised the shareholders on the sale of their shares to Hamburg-based BPE Unternehmensbeteiligungen.
Read the full announcement →Questions about selling your business
What is my business worth?
The market value follows from recognised M&A methods, DCF, multiples and transaction-based comparisons, and ultimately from a competitive process. A first reliable estimate comes from our fixed-fee company valuation.
How do I find a buyer for my business?
Candidates include strategic buyers such as competitors or customers, investment companies, family offices and individual acquirers. We identify suitable candidates from our network and database of 3,500 financial investors and over 800,000 companies, and approach them anonymously at first, so that nobody learns prematurely that your business is for sale.
Can I sell my business if it depends heavily on me?
Yes, with the right preparation. A second management level, documented processes and a negotiable transition period reduce the dependency on the owner, and with it the purchase price rises. The earlier you start, the better this can be arranged.
What is the difference between a share deal and an asset deal?
In a share deal you sell the shares in the company, and the business continues as a whole. In an asset deal, individual assets are transferred, such as machinery, contracts and customer relationships. The choice affects liability, taxes and the transfer of contracts; it is made together with your legal and tax advisers.
Would you like to sell your business?
The first conversation is non-binding and, of course, confidential.