Buying a Business in Louisiana

Investing in a business can be advantageous for companies and private parties. The transaction can be complicated, however.

There are Federal and Louisiana laws concerning mergers, acquisitions, negotiations and securities exchange that may impact the purchase of a business.

What Parts of the Business Am I Buying?

If a party wants to direct business operations, the best way is to acquire a right called "control". With control of a business, the party acquires all assets and the customer base of the business, plus it also assumed the company's debts. To balance the positives and negatives, the party buying a business must get a complete picture of the financial position of the business. Through a process called "due diligence", a buyer gains this understanding. The process of due diligence uses Federal and Louisiana guidelines to protect both parties. If these guidelines are not followed, a party may be found in breach of a legal duty. Following the process of due diligence dutifully is the best way to inform oneself for whether to buy a business. Also if the business is eventually bought, transfers of ownership happen much more easily once the process is followed.

How Much Will the Business Cost?

The price of a business mostly depends on how much ownership stake is required for control. The value of the business property and the type of business are also important factors. The process for how the right of control can be transferred or modified is defined by specific laws in Louisiana. Procedures may make buying a business more or less expensive than simply the market value of its assets.

How Can a Leesville Attorney Help?

The laws in Louisiana place many unique demands on parties seeking to purchase businesses. An attorney in Leesville, Louisiana can inform you of the particularities of your investment as it relates to local law, as well as advise you of the least costly route to acquiring control.