SBA Loans and Business Acquisitions: What the New Rules Mean for Sellers
Quick Answer New SBA rules for business acquisition loans took effect October 1, 2026. Why should sellers pay attention? Because financing affects more than the buyer’s loan application. SBA financing can influence deal structure, cash at closing, seller notes, valuation support, financial diligence, transition planning, and certainty of close. According to Mark Pompeo, Senior Vice […]
If You Want to Sell by 2028, When Should You Start Preparing?
Timing the Sale: Part 6 of 6 Tax Policy, Election Cycles, and Exit Planning for Business Owners Quick Answer: When should you start preparing to sell your business by 2028? If you want to sell your business by 2028, you should begin preparing as early as possible, ideally in 2026. Owners who want to close in […]
What Business Owners Should Ask Their CPA Before Selling
Timing the Sale: Part 5 of 6Tax Policy, Election Cycles, and Exit Planning for Business Owners Quick Answer: What should business owners ask their CPA before selling? Before selling a business, owners should ask their CPA how the transaction may be taxed, whether the sale is likely to create capital gain or ordinary income, how […]
What Lenders Watch During Election-Year M&A
Timing the Sale: Part 4 of 6 Tax Policy, Election Cycles, and Exit Planning for Business Owners Quick Answer: What do lenders watch during election-year M&A? During election-year M&A, lenders focus less on political speculation and more on concrete credit risk. They evaluate cash flow, debt service coverage, buyer experience, industry trends, geography, quality of financials, management continuity, and whether the business […]
Why Buyers and Sellers May Pause During Election-Year M&A
Timing the Sale: Part 3 of 6Tax Policy, Election Cycles, and Exit Planning for Business Owners Quick Answer: Do buyers and sellers pause during election years? Election years naturally bring periods of tax and economic uncertainty, and that uncertainty can affect buyers and sellers differently. Buyers may watch financing conditions, policy signals, valuations, and risk. […]
Do Election Years Slow Down Business Sales? What Owners Should Know
Timing the Sale: Part 2 of 6Tax Policy, Election Cycles, and Exit Planning for Business Owners Quick Answer: Do election years slow down business sales? Election years can slow business sale activity, especially when buyers, sellers, and lenders become more cautious while waiting for policy, tax, and economic clarity. Strong companies can still sell during […]
Should Tax Policy Affect When You Sell Your Business?
Timing the Sale: Part 1 of 6Tax Policy, Election Cycles, and Exit Planning for Business Owners Quick Answer: Should tax policy affect when you sell your business? Tax policy should be one factor in deciding when to sell a business, but it should not be the only reason to sell. Business owners should consider potential […]
2026 M&A Outlook for the Lower Middle Market
What Business Owners Need to Know in 2026 At the start of 2026, the lower middle market is showing steady and disciplined M&A activity. Deal flow remains active, capital is available, and buyers are engaged. What has shifted is not demand, but how decisions are being made. Buyers are more deliberate, diligence is more thorough, and fundamentals are […]
M&A Market Snapshot: Sector Valuations CPAs Should Watch
CPAs are trusted advisors. That means they’re often the first to hear when a client is thinking about a sale or restructuring. By having a pulse on sector valuations, a CPA can engage in those conversations with confidence. To help, Viking is committed to providing market-leading transaction insights. Here, we analyzed our most recent 100 transactions. […]
2025 M&A Outlook for the Lower Middle Market
Multiple factors are aligning to create a dynamic M&A environment for closely held businesses in 2025. Declining interest rates, a surplus of private equity capital, and a wave of generational transitions are converging to fuel deal activity. These factors, paired with increased confidence in the post-election economy, point to a dynamic and competitive M&A landscape […]
7 Tax Credits for Business Owners
As tax season approaches, it’s no surprise that no entrepreneur looks forward to it. But, there is a bit of hope: many tax credits for business owners are available if you know what to look for. While Viking Mergers & Acquisitions cannot give tax advice, we can connect you with an excellent tax advisor if […]
SBA Issues Change of Conditions for a Seller Note
We wanted to share some important changes that the SBA has issued and what that means for both Buyers and Sellers. The SBA changed the conditions for a Seller Note to be considered part of the Buyers Equity Injection (aka Down Payment). Under the former guidelines, the seller note must be on Full Standby (no […]
23 Tax Deductions for Business Owners
The U.S. tax code can be dense and confusing, especially for businesses. There are many rules about which expenses you can write off and which don’t qualify. On top of that, only some expenses are fully deductible, while others are partially deductible. Although we cannot advise on your taxes, Viking Mergers & Acquisitions […]
When to Sell Your Business: 4 Key Predictors
Timing is critical when planning an exit strategy, and business owners must consider several factors. In our 26+ years of assisting business owners in their exit planning, “when is the right time to sell?” is a question we hear all the time. But from an owner’s standpoint, this could be tricky to predict. Is it […]
Viking Intern Returns to App State With Valuable Experience
We were extremely fortunate to have Conrad Nelsen spend three months with the Viking Mergers & Acquisitions team in Charlotte, NC. Conrad was our Spring 2020 recipient of the Viking Entrepreneur Endorsement Scholarship. He is working towards a double major at Appalachian State University in Finance & Banking and Risk Management & Insurance, along with […]
What is Amortization in EBITDA? How to Understand & Calculate EBITDA
At Viking Mergers & Acquisitions, we consistently express to our clients that performing a valuation of their business is the first step in planning a successful exit strategy. Business valuations include many moving parts, and understanding specific components of the process can give an entrepreneur an idea of what their business is worth. What Is […]
Examples of Mergers & Acquisitions: 8 Factors for Success
Mergers and acquisitions are often discussed together, but the terms are not actually interchangeable. The term merger refers to a strategic process whereby two or more companies mutually enter a legal agreement to form a new business entity. Large scale examples of mergers include the 1998 merger of Exxon Corp and Mobil Corp to become […]
Seller’s Discretionary Earnings Explained
Seller’s Discretionary Earnings Definition Seller’s Discretionary Earnings (SDE) is a cash-flow-based estimate of the total financial benefit a full time owner-operator derives from the business on an annual basis. This measure helps compare the cash flows and values of businesses by “recasting” or “normalizing” their financial statements. The nature of the SDE allows prospective buyers, […]
What Will a Business Broker Help Do?
More than ever, business owners are realizing the need for increased efficiency and responsiveness to change, and whether you are buying or selling a business, bringing in the right kind of help can make all the difference. But what will a business broker help do that you can’t do for yourself? This is a worthwhile […]
LLC vs C-Corp vs S-Corp: Choosing a Business Structure
Starting a business is an exciting venture, and choosing the right business structure is an important step. The business structure you choose will influence everything from day-to-day operations to taxes and how much of your personal assets are at risk. Be sure to choose a business structure that gives you the right balance of legal […]