Transaction Advisory Services

We turn financial data into a defensible narrative that maximizes value and eliminates “price chipping” at the closing table.

In a business transaction, uncertainty isn’t just a headache for you. It’s leverage for the other side. Whether you are preparing to sell, merge, or acquire, the financial decisions you make today dictate exactly how much value you will walk away with at closing. At BA, Inc., our transaction advisory services give you the clarity and foresight to navigate these high-stakes moments when even a minor oversight can become a multi-million dollar ‘price chip’.

For nearly 20 years, we’ve partnered with middle-market owners around the Boston area who refuse to let late-stage surprises derail their life’s work. We don’t just ‘help with the math’—we help you identify what your business is truly worth, defend that valuation through rigorous diligence, and structure the deal to ensure you maximize your after-tax cash.

How Our Transaction Advisory Services Protect and Create Value

We help you move through a transaction from a position of strength, not reaction. Our work focuses on the issues that buyers, lenders, and investors care about most—and the ones that tend to derail deals.

Quality of Earnings (QofE)

If your financials create confusion, buyers assume risk. Our QofE analysis goes beyond the surface to identify normalized EBITDA and uncover ‘debt-like items’—such as accrued bonuses or deferred maintenance—that buyers often use as leverage to reduce your payout.

Due Diligence Defense

Whether you’re on the buy side or sell side, diligence is intense. We manage financial due diligence services by anticipating questions, organizing data, and addressing concerns before they escalate. This reduces friction, shortens timelines, and keeps negotiations focused on value rather than cleanup.

Transaction Structuring & Tax Strategy

It’s not what you sell for—it’s what you keep. Strategy matters more than headline price. Our tax and advisory services are integrated early, helping you evaluate asset vs. stock sales, working capital adjustments in M&A, and strategies for reducing tax liability when selling a business. All so you can maximize what you keep.

Objective Valuation Support

When buyers challenge numbers, evidence is what wins. We provide the financial reporting and analysis needed to support valuation assumptions, bridge gaps in expectations, and keep discussions grounded in data.

BA Inc.’s Role in Your Transaction

Buyers negotiate based on perceived risk. We help reduce that risk by strengthening financial reporting, clarifying earnings, and supporting the assumptions behind value. The result is a clearer story, stronger positioning, and a more efficient path to close. Our core transaction advisory services include:

Buy-Side Due Diligence

Before you acquire, we analyze historical earnings, working capital requirements, cash flow trends, and risk exposures so you know exactly what you’re buying and what you’re inheriting.

Sell-Side Preparation Services

Preparing a business for sale starts well before marketing. We help clean up accounting, strengthen financial statement services, and present deal-ready reporting that reduces buyer skepticism and limits price renegotiation.

Accounting & Financial Reporting for Transactions

From purchase accounting to post-close reporting, we ensure your accounting and advisory services support the transaction instead of slowing it down. This includes opening balance sheets, revenue recognition considerations, and integration planning.

Ongoing Advisory Support

Transactions don’t end at closing. As your business transition advisor, we support purchase price adjustments, post-transaction reporting, and the financial integration of newly combined entities.

Why Business Owners Choose BA, Inc.

We are not deal brokers. Our fee is not tied to the deal closing, which means our advice remains 100% objective and focused on your financial health, not just a commission. When you partner with us, you get…

Objective insight:

We surface issues early, before they become deal-breakers.

Reduced risk:

We identify debt-like items, tax exposures, and reporting gaps others miss.

Continuity:

Our accounting, tax, and advisory teams work together, so strategy doesn’t reset mid-deal.

Efficiency:

Clear financial narratives reduce back-and-forth and keep deals on track.

With a team of 30 professionals led by senior CPAs, we provide the technical firepower of a ‘Big Four’ firm with the personal attention of a boutique partner. With our transaction advisory services, we don’t use generic playbooks. We use your data to build a rigorous, defensible financial case that stands up to the most aggressive buyer scrutiny.

Let BA, Inc. Reduce Your Risk Before It Becomes Leverage

Don’t go to market unprepared. A small overlooked detail in your financials can cost a lot in “price chips” later. Schedule a consultation, and let’s identify your risks before your buyer does.

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FAQs

What is a Net Working Capital (NWC) Peg?

The NWC Peg is a target level of working capital you must leave in the business at closing. We help you negotiate a favorable peg so you don’t inadvertently hand over extra cash to the buyer.

What is a Quality of Earnings (QofE) report, and why does it matter?

A QofE report evaluates whether earnings are sustainable by analyzing normalized EBITDA and cash flow. It goes beyond GAAP compliance to explain how the business truly performs, which is critical during negotiations.

What are common EBITDA add-backs?

Common add-backs include owner’s salary above market rate, personal travel/auto expenses, one-time legal fees, and non-recurring startup costs for new product lines. Identifying these effectively increases the ‘normalized’ profit of your business.

How far in advance should I prepare for a sale?

Ideally 6–12 months. Early preparation allows time to address accounting issues, strengthen financial reporting, and optimize tax outcomes, which helps reduce the risk of late-stage repricing.

What’s the difference between financial due diligence vs. audit?

An audit verifies compliance with accounting standards. Financial due diligence examines the drivers behind the numbers, like customer concentration, margins, working capital, and risks tied directly to valuation.

Can transaction advisory services really increase valuation?

Yes. By identifying and supporting legitimate add-backs, clarifying normalized earnings, and reducing perceived risk, we help justify stronger valuation multiples.

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