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How to successfully transfer a business?

This is a recurring question for which there is no magic answer. Our advice on how to successfully transfer your business

5 moments not to be missed for a successful transmission

How to successfully transfer a company? That is to say, how to perpetuate its activity, its attractiveness and its jobs? And how to anticipate its evolution in the months, years, decades to come? The transfer process is divided into several stages. Each of them must be carefully followed and carried out to ensure the success of the final operation.

How to successfully transfer a business: 5 key periods

Prepare yourself and the company for the transfer

How to make a success of your business transfer? By anticipating all the questions and difficulties inherent to the project. The transferor must first start a personal reflection. They must ask themselves what their motivations and objectives are for the operation. He must also make an assessment of the company, several diagnoses on its financial health and draw the necessary conclusions. Or perhaps to take strategic decisions to increase the value of the business.

Evaluate the company

The next point is naturally the estimation of the company’s value. This is a delicate exercise, which should be entrusted to professionals. A company is indeed valued on many technical and complementary aspects:

net assets
profitability
comparison with competitors and the market

In all cases, it is essential to keep in mind that the sale price differs greatly from the net price received after taxes by the seller.

Putting the company up for sale

Until now, the seller has worked in the shadows, in complete confidentiality. When the company is ready, he can act. He can publish his offer of transmission. The timing is crucial. The functioning and the life cycle of the company can influence the best moment to sell. It also means that the market is ready: healthy, even growing.

Find a buyer

How to successfully transfer a business is largely determined by the choice of a buyer. Many options exist. First, internally. Talk to your family if it is a family business. Think also of your collaborators as well as your employees, for the takeover of the company in the form of SCOP. If this is not conclusive, then do your research outside the company. This can be a contact you know – a competitor, supplier or customer – or a completely unknown person – an investor or group of investors, with whom you will then start the transfer.

Negotiate and conclude the transfer

There are many aspects to consider regarding the mode of transmission. The buyer will have questions and doubts. You will have to prove your good faith and justify the price you are asking. He can negotiate the sale price but also the payment period, the possibilities of tax optimization, the guarantees, the maintenance of certain contracts, etc. The after sale is also a point to discuss: how will the transmission of knowledge be organized and does the buyer expect your presence in the offices during the transition phase?
How to succeed in the transfer of a company? Ask Actoria, a team of professionals specialized in the transfer of companies and dedicated to your project.

FAQ

What services does Actoria provide?
Actoria specializes in mergers and acquisitions advisory for small and mid-sized businesses. Our services include company sales, succession planning, buy-side and sell-side mandates, business valuation, financial diagnostics, investor sourcing, negotiation support and full transaction execution until closing.

Who does Actoria work with?
We support SME owners, family-business leaders, shareholders, entrepreneurs, private investors, and corporate groups seeking to acquire or divest businesses in Europe and North Africa.

In which countries does Actoria operate?
Actoria has local teams in Switzerland, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Morocco and Tunisia, and manages cross-border deals across Europe, Africa and the Middle East through an international buyer network.

How many potential buyers are in Actoria’s network?
Our proprietary network includes more than 6,500 qualified industrial buyers, strategic acquirers and financial investors, allowing us to match sellers with high-quality counterparties.

Does Actoria support confidential business sales?
Yes. Confidentiality is fundamental to our process. All discussions, documentation and buyer approaches are handled discreetly to protect the interests of the seller and the business.

What industries does Actoria cover?
We advise companies across multiple sectors, including industrial production, manufacturing, services, IT and digital, healthcare, logistics and distribution, construction, and specialized B2B services.

What is the typical size of businesses Actoria represents?
We primarily advise SMEs with revenues generally ranging from CHF/EUR 2 million to 100 million, depending on jurisdiction and market.

How does Actoria determine the value of a business?
We perform detailed financial and strategic analysis using multiple valuation methods, including discounted cash flows, market multiples, asset-based methods, and sector benchmarking.

How long does a business sale process take?
A standard transaction typically takes 6 to 12 months depending on market conditions, buyer interest, company complexity and diligence requirements.

Why choose Actoria as an M&A advisor?
With over 20 years of experience, a senior advisory team, a structured methodology, and an extensive network of qualified buyers, Actoria delivers independent advice, tailored execution and strong transaction results for SME owners.

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Actoria has swiftly identified the inefficiencies in our company’s processes, proposed optimizations, and implemented them effectively. Furthermore, Actoria has provided outstanding support throughout all stages of our company’s transfer to a group within our industry. This includes preparing our company, identifying potential buyer partners, and negotiating up to the point of the partner’s capital entry. Actoria delivered expert negotiation skills and secured a valuable partner for us.

Sylvain LibherTriplast

We were quite anxious to find a solution, as my health was deteriorating rapidly. Actoria’s consultant played a crucial role in the successful completion of my company’s sale. Their involvement was essential in executing this delicate project, as it impacted our daily operations. This project, which was close to my heart and increasingly necessary, was made possible thanks to the decisive momentum provided by Actoria.

Olivier de BellevueBrehm

First, Actoria conducted a thorough assessment of our company’s strengths and weaknesses, and then suggested incorporating these insights into our management approach to enhance our company’s value. Actoria led this project alongside my entire management team, enabling the involvement of all key personnel, and swiftly implementing a solution that allowed an investor to enter our capital. This was complemented by the inclusion of some of my company’s executives and a bank.

Romuald SoblesseKaufmann SA

I couldn’t be happier with the result, but I am especially pleased with my decision to work with Actoria. The success of this mission was the direct result of Actoria’s hard work and sophisticated professionalism on my business. From our first meeting through the reasonable preparation process, all phases of the transfer, legal and financial operations were managed by the Actoria team. Their skills were even more evident when the complexities of this transaction were at its peak.

Hervé RoduitOmega Group

Hiring Actoria made the difference to achieve my original goal and move on to my next professional challenge. Selling a company like AMR in this market has not been an easy task. Actoria has demonstrated perseverance in identifying good buyers with knowledge of my industry in order to continue the development of my business, and has provided professional advice throughout the process.

Nicolas RafaleAMR SA

The company’s sales process was a lengthy and challenging journey. The professional support from Actoria made this endeavor much more manageable. I would like to extend special thanks to the consultants from Switzerland and France for their highly effective collaboration. Your consultants proposed creative solutions during the negotiations, which effectively overcame significant obstacles in order to finalize the agreement. Their experience, knowledge, and professionalism played a crucial role in the success of this transaction.

Gilbert SibersteinGroupe Janvic

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The group in short :

Every year More than 30 successfull transactions with 20 Senior Consultants and Partners On companies with 5 to 100 employees With a turnover of 1 to 100 Million

We are located in many countries in Europe and Africa to provide access to foreign buyers/investors:

ACTORIA Swiss ACTORIA Morocco ACTORIA Belgium ACTORIA Spain ACTORIA Luxembourg ACTORIA France ACTORIA Italy ACTORIA Tunisia

The question of selling a business in Europe arises sooner or later. How to find the right buyer in Europe ? How to successfully transfer my business in Europe ? When you want to hand the hand-over to a successor , buyer, buyer or investor , the terms used are various: delivery company Europe, sale company, sale company Europe, sale small business in Europe. Whatever the terms used for the sale of your company in Europe, you can put your company on a list of companies for sale in Europe, a business exchange, or seek advice from a fusacq, a specialist in business transfer in Europe. With him you can think about the best buyer: family, employee , investment fund, external buyer. Sometimes it can offer you other solutions such as a getting closer to a company, a merging or establishing an alliance with another European company.

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