Buying a Business in Missouri

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

There are particular laws in Missouri and the US that concern negotiations, mergers, acquisitions and securities exchanges. You may need to consider how these laws impact your situation before you buy a business.

What Parts of the Business Am I Buying?

The purchase of a business in Berkeley is actually the purchasing of a right called "control". With this right, a party can direct business operations as it sees fit, it acquires ownership of business assets, and it assumes liability for all business 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 acquires this understanding. Federal and Missouri guidelines define the process of due diligence, and occasionally legal consequences arise when these procedures are not followed properly. However, obedience to the process of due diligence leads to a better informed decision about purchasing the business. And afterwards, it may also help the ownership transfer to go more smoothly.

How Much Will the Business Cost?

The price of a business depends on the value of the ownership stake that is necessary to exert control, and this in turn is determined somewhat by the value of the business property and the type of business. The procedure for how the right of control can be transferred or modified is defined by particular laws in Missouri. Procedures may make buying a business more or less expensive than simply the market value of its assets.

How Can a Berkeley Attorney Help?

The laws in Missouri place many unique demands on parties seeking to purchase businesses. An attorney in Berkeley, Missouri 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.