The Exit-Readiness Finance Guide: Start Now, Prove It Monthly

Start now and prove it monthly. Clean, consistent reporting lifts buyer confidence, protects your multiple, and reduces price reductions during due diligence.

18 Months to Exit: The Finance Clean-Up That Lifts Valuation.

Eighteen months gives you time to clean history, lock future visibility, and show a sustained run of clean reporting. Small issues today become negotiation leverage for buyers tomorrow. Fix them early and you shift leverage back to you.

The six finance fixes buyers care about

Normalising adjustments

• Identify and remove one-off or owner-specific costs.
• Prepare a reconciliation from reported EBITDA to normalised EBITDA.
• Document every adjustment with invoice-level evidence.

Outcome: A credible earnings base that supports a higher multiple.

Working capital targets

• Analyse monthly working capital for the last 12 to 24 months.
• Agree a target level and improve receivables collections, inventory turns, and supplier terms.
• Build a clear policy for cut-off, accruals, and provisioning.

Outcome: A fair working capital peg and fewer completion-day disputes.

Lock down key contracts and renewals

• Map all customer, supplier, and lease agreements with end dates and change-of-control clauses.
• Renew early and, where possible, extend terms beyond the expected completion date.
• Centralise executed copies and consent requirements.

Outcome: Revenue visibility and lower perceived risk.

Tidy up IP ownership and registrations

• Confirm ownership of trademarks, domains, patents, code, and creative assets.
• Assign contractor-created IP to the company and close any gaps.
• Ensure registrations are current in all relevant jurisdictions.

Outcome: Clean title to the core assets that buyers will pay for.

Establish consistent management reporting

• Produce monthly reporting on a set calendar: P&L, balance sheet, cash flow, KPIs, cohort or unit economics, and variance analysis.
• Reconcile to statutory accounts and lock down a version-controlled copy each month.
• Automate where possible and eliminate manual spreadsheets that create version risk.

Outcome: Build trust in the numbers and enable faster due diligence.

Fix any lurking tax exposures

• Run a tax health check across corporation tax, VAT, payroll, R&D, and international issues.
• Resolve open queries and document positions with your advisers.
• Prepare a schedule of tax filings and clearance letters.

Outcome: Fewer surprises and reduced need for aggressive warranties or price holds.

How Oldfield helps

Oldfield handles tax, accounting, and business advisory. We specialise in helping business owners and families navigate complex changes, succession planning, and tax-efficient structuring. We also work alongside trusted FCA-authorised advisers and solicitors to deliver joined-up solutions where this is required.

Why plan with Oldfield?

Oldfield Advisory has guided owner-managed businesses for nearly 50 years through fiscal cycles, restructures, exits, and succession events. Our experience ensures that clients translate every policy change into actionable, holistic strategies that protect both the business and your personal goals. 

If you are considering an exit or sale, we can run a quick diagnostic and give you a focused action plan. Reach out, share your timing and we will outline the path to a cleaner, higher-value sale. You can contact your adviser to explore a strategic planning review; otherwise, use the form below. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What if I only have 12 months?
A: Prioritise management reporting, working capital discipline, and tax efficiency. You can still reduce the risk of price reductions during due diligence.

Q: What are normalising adjustments?
A: They are add-backs that remove one-off, non-recurring, or owner-specific costs to present a sustainable earnings base.

Q: Should I restate historicals?
A: Only if material and supportable. A transparent bridge with evidence is usually better than a restatement.

Q: How do I set a working capital target?
A: Use a data-led analysis of month-end levels over 12 to 24 months, adjusted for seasonality and growth, then document the policy.

Q: Do I need vendor due diligence?
A: It is not mandatory, but a light vendor pack often speeds buyer due diligence and reduces renegotiation risk.

Please note: This article is for general information purposes only It does not constitute financial or tax advice. Tax rules can change, and the correct approach will depend on your specific circumstances. You should seek advice from a suitably qualified professional before taking action.