What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the phrase "business valuation"? Mathematics? Formulas perhaps? Maybe even WACC (weighted average cost of capital) for those of you with a MBA. The end product of an appraisal is often a numerical value and people sometimes perceive the process to be math intensive. Although it is true that the use of formulas and equations is essential to the valuation procedure, due diligence procedures encompass far more than mathematical models. The importance of due diligence research cannot be overlooked because of its crucial role in justifying the outcome of a valuation.

There are many factors that directly influence the value of a subject business or hotel, and they can generally be classified under the following three main areas contributing to value: company environment, industry dynamics and economic conditions. These factors then form different aspects of due diligence research. In the following paragraphs, we will discuss the three areas of due diligence research in more detail.

Company research encompasses several different factors, and in most cases, these have the most direct impact on a company's day-to-day operations. Some examples of company research are customer demographics, management/directorship structure, suppliers, advertising and intellectual property. ...