Buyers and Sellers of Businesses in Bulgaria Still Can’t Agee on the Price

24 Chasa Daily, 31.01.2011

Nikola Stoyanov – the Managing Partner and Co-founder of real estate agency BULGARIAN PROPERTIES – gave an interview to leading daily newspaper 24 Chasa. Nikola Stoyanov is also the Managing Director of the newest addition to the group – the company for business consulting, mergers and acquisitions BusinessForSale.BG, which was set up in 2009.

In the last few months there has been an increase in the number of enquiries from potential buyers. However, the interests of the two parties still cannot meet. That is why there has been no increase in the number of deals with businesses in Bulgaria. Deals are concluded only with sensibly prices businesses with potential for development. The exceptions are those businesses which can prove that investing in them will bring the buyer at least 10-15% annual return on investment.

I hope that in 2011 the long-awaited sobering down of sellers and buyers will come and their interests will finally meet resulting in more deals. At present, sellers offer at prices that are too high and the buyers are ready to pay a price that is too low. If the market continues to be calm in the next 6 months we might witness a gradual improvement. There won’t be a boom in mergers and acquisitions but we expect a calmer market and more deals in 2011.

Upon an improvement in the economic conditions in Europe and the world we will witness an increase in the acquisitions in Bulgaria. The moment is suitable for buying an interesting business at a bargain price, which is what the braver investors will do.

Regretfully, the accumulated stress and insecurity among the market players are too great and few of them will appreciate the good acquisitions conditions at the moment.

At present, most offers stay on the market too long. There are many companies which have been on the market for more than a year without a clear idea whether there will be a deal soon. Everyone understands that the times do not presuppose quick deals.

That is why we advise all sellers not to start selling now if they can afford that as the market of expensive assets and businesses is quite unfavorable. Of course, there are many companies which are put up for sale at a just price.

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