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Professional Services Business Valuation Issues 

The Professional Scientific and Technical Services sector covers a range of consultants in scientific, business and other industries that has grown by 2.5% pa in the past five years.  It includes:

  • Engineering consultancies

  • Scientific testing

  • Architectural services

  • Legal services

  • Environmental services

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The key issues that these businesses have that will influence a business valaution include:

  • Reliance on key staff

  • Documented procedures and systems 

  • Cost of marketing and managing referrals

  • Cost of technology

  • Achieving suitable revenue to exceed breakeven point

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We have seen some industry rationalisation and mergers and acquisition activity over the past five years to achieve economies of scale and cost efficiencies. 

 

Key Drivers of Professional Services Business Valuations

Key Industry Statistics

According to IBISWorld, there is a wide variety of industry revenue growth rates, including:

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We have collated industry performance statistics based on ABS data and detailed them in a whitepaper, which can be downloaded from the link below.

What Makes a Business Highly Valuable?

SME Performance Whitepaper

A Professional Services business valuation is driven by key factors below such as: 

  • Revenue size

  • Diversity of client base

  • Geography of market coverage

  • Level of recurring revenue

  • Low reliance on key staff

  • Effective management systems and integrated IT systems

  • Documented processes and management systems

  • Niche or differentiated market​

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EBITDA Margins range from 15% to 40% (for some large service providers), depending on the size of the business, location, range of services, technology and automation.

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Typical EBITDA Multiple ranges we have observed are:

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  • Revenue of $1m - $10m: 1.0x - 3.0x

  • Revenue of $10m - $20m: 2.5x - 4.5x

  • Revenue greater than $20m: 4.0x - 6.0x

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Our Business Valuation Experience

Our Professional Services business valuation experience has included including business valuations for:

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  • Town planning and consulting practices

  • Multi-office engineering consultancy

  • Immigration services 

  • A number of state-based and multi-state scientific and environmental testing business

  • Interior design consultancy ​to international hotels

  • Two legal practices (one an intellectual property legal practice)

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