Company sale process (M&A)

The company sale process is the structured sequence of steps from the decision to sell through to closing: business valuation, preparation of the information memorandum, buyer identification and approach, data room management, indicative bid collection, preferred bidder selection, financial due diligence management and SPA negotiation. A well-run M&A process creates competitive tension, protects seller value and ensures timeline control. The financial advisor's role is to orchestrate each phase, anticipate obstacles and maintain momentum to closing.

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Example: the structured sale of a Swiss services company (CHF 22.0 million revenue) runs over 9 months: 20 initial buyer contacts, 12 NDAs signed, 8 management presentations, 5 indicative offers received (CHF 16.0–24.0 million range), 2 preferred bidders in parallel due diligence, and 1 final offer accepted at CHF 22.5 million — a 15% premium over the initial valuation benchmark, driven by competitive tension throughout the process.

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Hectelion leads company sale processes from strategy to closing, providing independent valuation, process management and negotiation support.