One of the most important factors when starting a new business or acquiring an existing business is to ensure that the appropriate structure is established from a governance, asset protection and taxation perspective.
In recent years, Australian businesses have been hit with a perfect storm of pressures; a global pandemic, supply chain and labour issues, higher inflation and interest rates, weak consumer spending, escalating fuel prices, and the list goes on.
While some of these have eased and conditions improved, the natural ebb and flow of the economy means businesses across different sectors will have their own challenges at various times of the cycle.
The hallmarks of a business requiring restructuring and risk advice are often evident too – difficulty paying suppliers, inability to attract and retain staff – or remunerate them appropriately, loss of key contracts, and failure to identify new channels for growth and expansion.
For business owners, engaging with specialists who can independently and objectively assess the structure and performance of a business can have a tangible impact on its future viability . Restructuring & risk advisory professionals can also develop and implement a comprehensive recovery plan, ensuring vastly improved systems and processes as well as build value and trust.
Timing too, is everything. The sooner risks are identified and managed, the higher the likelihood the health of the business can be restored and normal trading resume.
What makes our team different?
HLB Mann Judd’s experienced team of experts assist business owners and their stakeholders in developing sustained restructuring strategies while mitigating financial, commercial and operational risks.
We conduct a deep-dive into the business and its performance – both historical and forward-projections. We look at staffing and company culture – are employees motivated and productive? We also review existing governance frameworks and policies, as this can often predetermine why risks have arisen in the first instance.
Businesses exhibiting any or all of the following characteristics would benefit from a restructuring & risk advisory review from HLB Mann Judd:
- Declining financial position – including reduced margins/ profits, recurring trading losses or failure to meet forecasts
- Inability to reduce debt, loan repayment deferrals or working capital facilities that have become core debt
- Breach or anticipated breach of banking covenants
- Payments to creditors being made outside of normal trading terms or underpayment arrangements
- Inability to produce timely and accurate management accounts
- Failure to identify risks in a changing business environment
- Loss of key personnel.
How we help clients
With the ability to draw on specialists within the firms from our audit, tax, corporate advisory and business services divisions, we offer comprehensive solutions for:
- Debtor assessment and process improvement reviews
- Business performance reviews
- Business continuity planning
- Debt and equity restructuring
- Refinancing options and financial forecasting reviews
- Planning and implementing business restructures and integrations
- Merger and acquisition advice
- Cost reduction and product profitability analysis
- Informal work-out solutions
- Financial and operational risk assessments
- Private equity transactions
- Pre-lending reviews and investigating accounting reports for financiers
- Solvent winding up and distribution of assets
- Solvency, operational and Safe Harbour reviews.