Selling an SME: Why an Adviser’s Transaction Experience Matters

2 July 2026, Frankfurt am Main

In a recent article, WELT presented the advisory approach of Edelweiss Corporate Finance and examined what truly matters when selling an SME. The key message is clear: three factors determine the value achieved in a company sale, and entrepreneurial experience alone cannot replace any of them.

The market determines the price

The optimal purchase price is determined neither by the seller nor by a single interested party, but by competition. Only when several qualified buyers compete for a company does a price emerge that reflects its true market value. That is precisely what a structured sale process is designed to achieve: it brings the right interested parties to the table and allows the market to determine value.

Confidentiality protects value

Discretion is far more than a formality; it is a core measure for protecting value. If plans to sell become known too early, employees, customers and suppliers may become unsettled, weakening the seller’s negotiating position. A professional process ensures that the intention to sell is disclosed only when the owner decides the time is right, and not before.

Experience cannot be improvised

No matter how confidently an owner runs the business, selling a company is usually a once-in-a-lifetime transaction. An experienced M&A adviser brings structure to the process, negotiating expertise gained across numerous transactions and the judgement required to recognise the right moment. This experience often determines the outcome, and it cannot be improvised.

The best buyer is not always the highest bidder

Price is not the only consideration. The best buyer is the one offering the strongest overall package: an attractive valuation, but also compelling prospects for employees, customers and the company itself. Business succession is about more than a number; it is about safeguarding an owner’s life’s work.

Read the full article in WELT

We are delighted that WELT has addressed this topic. The full article on the Edelweiss advisory approach is available from WELT: Selling an SME (WELT, in German). Handelsblatt has also featured our approach; find out more in our article on selling an SME.

Are you considering selling your company or planning its succession? Arrange a confidential, no-obligation initial consultation with our M&A experts.