Business sales and acquisitions in Alicante

It depends on the sector and the size. For small businesses the buyer is usually a professional in the same trade or a manager who wants to become an entrepreneur by buying something that already works. For companies with more structure, competitors looking to grow, groups from outside the province and, sometimes, financial investors appear. It is worth preparing the information with the most likely type of buyer for your business in mind.

There is no fixed timeframe. The factors include how well the documentation is prepared, the number of buyers with genuine interest, the financing the buyer needs and how long the review of accounts, contracts and legal matters takes. A company with its information in order from the start usually moves faster than one where every question from the buyer means searching for paperwork.

Both, and each case is indicated. The total number of active companies and its breakdown by broad sector count companies. The figures for specific activities that you will see on the sector pages count premises or establishments, because the INE does not publish companies by province and detailed activity. A company with three premises appears once as a company and three times as an establishment.

Yes, confidentiality is a normal part of the process. The business is first presented anonymously, without its name or any details that identify it, and detailed information is only shared with buyers who have signed a confidentiality agreement. When and how to inform the team is decided calmly, normally once the transaction is well advanced; if the business is sold as a going concern (unidad productiva), Article 44 of the Estatuto de los Trabajadores (Spanish Workers' Statute) requires information to be given before the transfer, so it is worth confirming this with an employment adviser.

As a basis, the annual accounts and tax returns for the last financial years, a breakdown of sales by customer and by business line, the contracts with customers, suppliers and the landlord of the premises, the workforce and their terms, the licences and permits for the activity and an inventory of the assets. Having all this before you start avoids delays and gives the buyer confidence.