Comprehensive Due Diligence Solution

Comprehensive due diligence support primarily in the areas of tax, compliance and regulatory, operations, financial and accounting, investigations and disputes and cyber/IT risk.

Duff & Phelps offers a specialized team of accounting, tax, compliance, cyber security, forensic and technology specialists who together will conduct due diligence to advise on risks in a potential transaction. Our deal teams have specific industry knowledge, years of experience, proven analytical skills and comprehensive transactional expertise to support any engagement.

Duff & Phelps’ Comprehensive Due Diligence Solution team works to address client concerns pre- and post-transaction.

Common Pre-Transaction Concerns

• What is the business achieving in terms of normalized EBITDA?
• Are there tax exposures and how should this transaction be structured to minimize taxes?
• What is the true current value of the business?
• Does this transaction meet your initial investment thesis?
• How will value be created: acquisition vs. organic, automation vs. out-sourcing, etc.?
• Can the operations be optimized to enhance productivity and reduce cost?
• Are there hidden risks such as cyber security, #MeToo, background/culture and compliance issues?

Common Post-Transaction Concerns 

• Can you help us with our net working capital adjustment, purchase price allocation, pro-formas and opening balance sheet?
• How can you assist with our merger integration and process improvement initiatives?
• How do we drive, capture and track results and protect created value?
• How do we optimize value?
• Can you implement control procedures around the cyber and compliance risks you identified?
• Can you assist us with sell-side diligence and have your investment bankers bring us to market?

Duff & Phelps’ Differentiated Comprehensive Due Diligence Approach

Expertise–Eliminate the “Noise” 

• Our tailored approach will ensure a clear articulation of value and risk
• We provide concrete recommendations based on facts
• We interrogate and validate the acquisition thesis that underpins the transaction
• Our background and experience allow us to quickly address the issues and processes, cultural nuances and data limitations, delivering incisive, lateral thinking
• We will eradicate value leakage while challenging the robustness of the acquisition process
• We know what can go wrong:
   
  • Failure to link between historical results and forecasts with sufficient granular analysis
  • Acquisition story is not clearly articulated and/or supported by robust plans and forecasts
  • Management distraction

Unique Senior Level Involvement–Working With Us Feels Different

• Managing directors lead each engagement and take the time to fully understand and critique the investment opportunity, identify likely diligence issues and assess acquisition readiness
• Our straightforward structure and personal investment drive the seamless, rapid deployment of our strength
• There is no “B-team”
• Collaborative, agile and collegiate: we will work with you as part of your team
• Senior-led teams, not a learning ground for junior resources
• Seamless team of functional, transactional specialists, enabling full alignment on key issues and minimizing duplication of time, cost and effort
• Single point of contact

Driving Value–Focus on What Drives Value

• We do not engage if we cannot deliver excellence
• We pride ourselves on commercial transparency
• We are not an accounting firm and bring an independent perspective without compromising quality of advice.
• We stay in front of the transaction to get the job done, and beyond
• We will invest time up front in understanding what “good” looks like
• Clear and unambiguous communication of our findings and implications–not lost in a confusing minefield of “consultant speak”