Acquisition Loans
An acquisition loan is a loan that's given to a company to purchase a specific asset, to acquire another business, or for other reasons that are laid out before the loan is granted. Typically, a company can only use an acquisition loan for a short window of time and only for the agreed upon purpose. An acquisition loan is a loan that allows a company to purchase an asset or to acquire another company. There are set rules on what an acquisition loan can be used for as well as the time in which it can be used. There are many different types of acquisition loans, such as startup loans, SBA loans, equipment financing, and business expansion loans.
An acquisition loan is sought out when a company wants to acquire an asset or company but doesn't have enough liquid capital to do so. The company may be able to get more favorable terms on an acquisition loan because the assets being purchased have a tangible value, as opposed to capital being used to fund daily operations or to release a new product line.
The tangible asset can be used as collateral for the loan. If the borrower defaults on the loan, the lender can reclaim the asset that was purchased with the funds and then liquidate the asset to cover the unpaid portion of the loan.
When an acquisition loan is applied for and approved, it must be used within the allotted time period for the purpose specified at the time of application. If it is not, the loan is no longer available. Once the loan is paid back per the payment schedule, no more funds are available. In this way, it is different from a line of credit. .
Acquisition loans can also be used for the purchase of another company. In this instance, the acquiring company has to determine if the target company's assets constitute adequate collateral to cover the loan needed for its purchase. It must also determine whether the combined businesses can generate enough cash to pay off the loan, both the principal and the interest. Sometimes, when an acquisition is particularly large and complicated, an investment bank, law firm, and third-party accountant work together on the structure of the loan to make sure it is properly structured.
Considerations
Often the price of a business loan is stated in terms of an interest rate, points and other fees. A point is a fee that equals 1 percent of the loan amount. Points are usually paid to the lender, Business Finance Consultant, or both, at the settlement.
Often, you can pay fewer points in exchange for a higher interest rate or more points for a lower rate. Ask Magnum Enterprise Solutions about points and other fees.
Read MoreThings You Should Know!
If you see advertisements for lenders offering extremely low rates, don't be misled. Most of the time these very low rates refer to the starting rate on an adjustable rate mortgage or graduated payment mortgage. In other cases, the rate advertised may be for a balloon loan. This is a loan where the remaining balance will have to be paid off early. An example of this is called a 30 due in 5. In this type of loan your payments are based on a 30-year term to make them affordable.
The remaining balance of the loan however, must be paid off at the end of the 5th year. This means that you will probably have to refinance the loan or sell the house at the end of 5 years to satisfy the debt. Locking in your rate or point at the time of application or during the processing of your loan will keep the rate and/or points from changing until settlement or closing. Ask if there is a fee to lock-in the rate and whether the fee reduces the amount you have to pay for points. Find out how long the lock-in is good, what happens if it expires and whether the lock-in fee is refundable if your application is rejected.
There is no single nationwide finance rate; interest rates can vary according to the amount of the business loan, the length of the loan and from lender to lender. Look at the entire package that's being offered, including the fine print about penalties and assumptions. The more knowledgeable you are about the loan process, there will be fewer surprises in store for you at closing.
Lease or Buy?
The first thing you need to know about equipment leasing is that it is 100% financing. Because a lease is essentially a "rental" of equipment, there is usually no down payment required to access the equipment your business needs. This directly contrasts most commercial bank equipment loans, which require a minimum of 10% and as much as 50% down payment. By comparison, most equipment leases will require only the first and last payment in advance of delivery. Even if you only need a small amount of equipment, this can result in a tremendous reduction in the "out of pocket expense" necessary to upgrade your equipment. This gives you the opportunity to put thousands of dollars of working capital back into your business, instead of giving it to your banker.
Read MoreFinancial Calculators
Equipment Lease & Loans
If you don't understand the difference between a lease and a loan, you are not alone. Many business owners continue to finance their equipment the "old fashioned" way, through loans, because they don't fully understand the potential benefits of leasing their equipment.
These benefits can be seen in four important areas, initial cost, equipment obsolescence, tax benefit and off balance sheet financing. Because of these benefits, many business owners are realizing that they do not need to own their equipment in order to conduct business. They only need to use it.
Helpful Tips
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Economic Obsolescence occurs when a business equipment cannot keep up with the demands of the market or lacks the technology to help the business remain competitive. Leasing helps avoid obsolescence by allowing you to upgrade every few years. In other words, if the equipment appreciates, buy it. If the equipment depreciates, lease it.