Questions we are asked most
Valuation in Singapore: the questions people actually ask
Practical answers to the questions that come up before an engagement starts — cost, timing, documents, credentials and shelf life. Technical questions specific to each service are answered on the individual service pages.
- Typical fee driver
- Purpose, number of entities or instruments, complexity of the capital structure
- Typical timeline
- 5–15 working days from complete information
- Minimum information
- Financial statements, management accounts, cap table, forecasts, transaction documents
- Report shelf life
- Tied to the valuation date; refresh after any material event
- Free at enquiry stage
- Scoping, feasibility view, information list and fixed-fee quote
Before you enquire
Three pieces of information turn a vague enquiry into a same-day quotation: what is being valued, why, and as at what date. If you have those, the rest is detail. If you do not have all three, send what you have anyway — working out the right scope is part of the job, and we do not charge for it.
The fastest route is the online enquiry form, which captures those fields in one pass. Phone and WhatsApp work too, but written enquiries usually get a faster quote because nothing has to be transcribed.
Deciding whether you need a valuation at all
Not every situation requires a formal report. A rough internal view may be enough for early strategic planning, and some transactions can be supported by a simpler basis — net asset value for certain share transfers, for instance. A formal independent valuation earns its cost when:
- An auditor will test the number
- A regulator or exchange requires disclosure
- A tax authority may assess it
- A counterparty is negotiating against you
- A court or tribunal may weigh it
- Directors need evidence that they discharged their duty
If none of those apply, say so when you enquire. We will tell you if a lighter approach is sufficient.
What we will ask you for
| Category | Items |
|---|---|
| Financial | Audited financial statements for the last three years, latest management accounts, and the trial balance at the valuation date |
| Forward-looking | Financial projections with the assumptions behind them, plus prior forecasts against actual results where available |
| Structure | Constitution, shareholders’ agreement, full cap table, group structure chart, details of options and convertibles outstanding |
| Transaction | Term sheets, sale and purchase agreements, subscription agreements, instruments of transfer, board resolutions |
| Operational | A short description of the business, its market, its competitors and the next twelve months of plan |
| Asset-specific | Title documents, asset registers, technical reports, lease agreements — depending on what is being valued |
Nothing on this list is unusual, and most of it already exists. The commonest cause of delay is not the absence of documents but the absence of a forecast anyone is willing to stand behind.
The report itself
What it contains
Subject and purpose, the basis and premise of value, the valuation date, scope of work and any limitations, the information relied upon, the methodology and why it was selected, the assumptions with their sources, the analysis, sensitivities, and the conclusion — with the signatory’s designation on the signature page.
Who can rely on it
A report is addressed to a named party for a stated purpose. Third party reliance — by an auditor, a lender, an exchange — is normally accommodated, but it needs to be agreed at the outset because it affects scope and wording. Retrofitting reliance after delivery is possible but is not free.
Confidentiality
Engagement information is treated as confidential and handled under our ISO 9001 quality system. Where a report will be published in a circular or announcement, the publication scope is agreed in writing before issue.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a valuation cost in Singapore?
It depends on scope rather than on company size. The main drivers are the purpose (internal reference costs less than a report supporting a regulatory filing), the number of entities, assets or instruments in scope, the complexity of the capital structure, and whether an auditor or regulator will test the work. We quote a fixed fee after scoping, so there is no open-ended hourly exposure.
How long does a valuation take?
Typically five to fifteen working days from the point at which information is complete. Simple single-entity work can be faster; multi-entity purchase price allocations, portfolios and litigation reports take longer. Deadlines are usually met or missed on the information-gathering stage, not the analysis.
Can you work to an urgent deadline?
Often, yes -- but tell us at the enquiry stage rather than after the engagement letter is signed, because it affects how we resource the file. If a deadline is genuinely not achievable without compromising quality, we will say so rather than accept the work and deliver something that will not survive review.
How long is a valuation valid for?
A valuation speaks as at its valuation date and nothing else. It does not expire on a schedule, but it stops being useful once something material changes -- a funding round, a large contract won or lost, a significant shift in the market, or simply the passage of a reporting period. As a working rule, a valuation more than six to twelve months old should not be used to support a new transaction or share grant.
Who can sign a business valuation report in Singapore?
Legally, anyone -- business valuation is not a licensed activity here. Practically, the audiences that matter look at the signatory's credentials. The Chartered Valuer and Appraiser designation, administered by IVAS under ACRA, is the most directly relevant for business valuation, and holders are subject to a disciplinary framework. We commit to CVA sign-off on Singapore business valuation reports.
Will you tell us the answer before we commit to the full report?
We can discuss the likely range and the key sensitivities early, and we will flag promptly if the analysis is heading somewhere you were not expecting. What we will not do is agree a conclusion in advance -- a valuation that was decided before the work was done has no value to anyone who has to rely on it.
Do you value companies outside Singapore?
Yes. We value Singapore holding companies with overseas operations, and subsidiaries and assets located across Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America, coordinating with our Hong Kong practice on cross-border mandates.
Can you review a valuation someone else prepared?
Yes. We perform independent reviews and model validations, either as a full second opinion or as an agreed-upon procedure limited to specific components such as methodology, key assumptions, calculation integrity or discount rate derivation. This is often the fastest way to resolve a disagreement with an auditor.
Question not answered here?
Ask it directly. Scoping questions are answered by a valuer, not a call centre, and there is no charge for the conversation.