Buying a business in France

In the process of buying a business in France, IBT Partners sits at the crossroads between companies wishing to invest and companies looking for investors.

One of the dominant features for the next decade for many European economies, notably the French, is the number of small to medium-sized companies that are up for sale. Many of these were started post World War ll but now face inheritance issues and a lack of generational continuity. For companies looking to enter or develop new markets, buying an existing company that has the distribution channels and contacts to put products and services on the ground, can often be the fastest and smoothest entry method.

IBT Partners can help you at all stages of acquisition from candidate selection to finding additional management through our own contacts and databases or by using our accounting, legal and executive search networks.

IBT Partners works closely with its clients and selected professional advisors to provide a range of services to facilitate buying a business in France, including the following:

• Pros and Cons: An introduction to the advantages and disadvantages of buying an existing business in France, the specifics, the quick route to market, the opportunities, the drawbacks and risks…. 
• Review: A 12 point review process to deciding on the right type of business to buy as well as a study of the market in France for your business acquisition requirements
• Research: The research, where to look for a business to buy, profiling, identification and short listing……
• Valuation: How to value a business as a going concern including; assets, IP, liabilities, management, staff, income, clients, costs and recurring profits
• Due diligence, to make sure a business is worth buying: from an initial overview and information verification through to accounting and legal validation and agreement 
• Fiscal and tax planning in France, an early stage review, which has ramifications for the whole purchase program
• Financing the purchase of your business in France, French banks, loans, equity, venture capital, business angels, French local and regional Government grants
• The mechanics and the processes of how to buy your business in France, the commercial relations, administrative processes, the role of lawyers and accountants 
• Negotiations, the verbal offer and the formal offer, the proposal document, the submission of the offer and follow-up, managed on your behalf
• Concluding, through to the final business purchase agreements, the signature(s), the guarantees, the various parties to the agreements, the finalisation processes