8 minutes read In 2022, the UK witnessed a surge in the creation of Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs), with a record-breaking 332 companies joining the fold. This brought the total number of employee-owned businesses in the country to 1,418 (source: Employee Ownership Association). This trend can be attributed to various factors, including succession planning needs, the…
7 minutes read Achieving competitive advantage in business is synonymous with outperforming competitors. This advantageous position is founded on four key pillars: efficiency, quality, innovation, and customer responsiveness. By excelling in these areas, a company differentiates its offerings, delivers enhanced value to customers, and potentially operates at a lower cost base, thereby increasing market share and…
9 minutes read A sale of your business to all the employees via an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) is a relatively simple, advisor and vendor-driven exit strategy and therefore more immediate than a trade sale. What’s more, to encourage such sales, they are currently subject to 0% Capital Gains Tax, provided they meet the qualifying rules.…
8 minutes read From a legal perspective, when purchasing a company in the UK it is your job to check that everything is accurately represented. UK law operates on the principle of Caveat Emptor, which is derived from the Latin phrase, “quia ignorare non debuit quod jus alienum emit” meaning, ‘let a purchaser beware, for…
4.5 minutes read Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs) have become quite popular among business owners to sell their businesses. In the UK alone, there are now over 1,300 EOTs, and they received more than 400 applications last year. While the 0% tax break on Capital Gains is a significant advantage, there are other reasons why Employee…
4.5 minutes read The impact of Capital Gains Tax rates on business sale timings The sale of a company is often the ultimate goal for an entrepreneur. Cash in the bank and freedom of time – however, with your business generating a good yield and alternative investments being volatile, many business owners understandably choose to…
6 minutes read Buyers and investors have remained highly active despite the market volatility, but how can you best prepare your business for sale to drive the “we need, we want” motivation in buyers in a market where quality pays? 1. Fail to plan, plan to fail This may be just a saying, but its essence…
4 minutes read EOT – Employee Ownership Trust Employee Ownership Trusts (“EOTs”) are becoming an increasingly popular way for business owners to transfer ownership of their companies to their employees. The UK Government introduced several tax incentives for EOTs in 2014, including a 0% Capital Gains Tax (“CGT”) rate on the sale of shares to an…
9 minutes read Acquisitions can propel companies to competitive advantage faster than organic growth, however, they are fickle with over half failing to achieve the expected synergy or value gain post-deal. So, how do you improve the odds and ‘buy right’? A foundation is to make sure you don’t overpay but rather than another focus on…
3 minutes read Mergers and acquisitions (“M&A”) are increasingly common however, the increasing frequency of M&A deals has raised concerns regarding the tax implications. There is a growing debate about whether Capital Gains Tax (“CGT”) rates should be increased for M&A transactions. Proponents of the increase argue that higher CGT rates will generate more revenue for…