Dallas–Fort Worth · Valuation
Where can I get a confidential valuation for my Fort Worth business?
Which kind of confidential valuation fits your purpose, what goes into it, and what to bring to the first meeting.
By Michael D. Rubin, CEO & Founder · September 2026 · 901 words
You can get a confidential valuation for your Fort Worth business from MDR & Associates, the DFW M&A advisory firm based in Frisco, which offers a free, confidential opinion of value after reviewing three years of your financials, plus a free online valuation snapshot for a quick first range. Where you should go also depends on why you want the valuation. A number for planning a sale, a number for a partner buyout and a number for estate planning are different jobs.
This answer helps you match the valuation to its purpose and explains what goes into it. It is written for owners who want an honest number without anyone else learning they asked.
Match the valuation to the reason you need it
The most common mistake is getting the wrong kind of valuation: a formal report when you only wanted to know what buyers would pay, or a quick estimate when a lender or court needs a documented one. Start with your reason. Formal valuations and pre-exit consulting are optional services with their own price; the opinion of value and the snapshot are free. Details are on the business valuation page.
If you need a formal valuation for a partner or estate matter and also want to know what the company would sell for, say so at the start. The two numbers can differ, and that is normal: a sale price reflects what a particular buyer will pay for control of the company and its future results, while a formal valuation follows the rules of its purpose.
| Your reason | What fits | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Curious what the company might sell for | Online valuation snapshot | A quick range, no documents |
| Thinking about selling in the next year or two | Free opinion of value from a sell-side advisor | A low-to-high range based on three years of financials and buyer demand |
| Partner buyout, estate or gift planning, lender or court requirement | Formal third-party valuation | A written report prepared for that purpose; a separate, paid service |
| Planning to raise value before a sale | Opinion of value plus pre-exit consulting | A range now, and a plan to move it |
What a sale-focused valuation looks at
An opinion of value for a sale asks one question: what would qualified buyers pay today? It starts with adjusted EBITDA. EBITDA is earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. Adjusted means recast: the owner's personal expenses, above-market or below-market pay, one-time legal or repair costs and similar items are corrected, so the figure shows what the company earns for a new owner.
That figure is multiplied by a market multiple. MDR most often sees three to seven times adjusted EBITDA for companies in the $3 million to $100 million revenue range. The multiple depends on factors buyers price every day, listed below; two companies with the same EBITDA can land far apart because of them. A longer explanation is in what is my business worth.
- Growth trend over the last three years
- Margins compared with similar companies
- Customer concentration, meaning how much revenue comes from the largest customers
- Recurring or repeat revenue versus one-time work
- How much the company depends on the owner
- Condition of equipment, facilities and records
What to bring, and what can stay private
For an opinion of value, bring three years of tax returns and financial statements, the current year's profit and loss statement, a list of owner-related expenses run through the company, and a short summary of your largest customers. Customer names can stay off the page at first; revenue by customer is what matters. None of this needs to come from your staff; an outside CPA can pull most of it without anyone in your office being involved. The meeting can happen away from your office if visitors on the shop floor would raise questions.
Expect a range rather than a single number, with the reasons behind the low and high ends, and the two or three changes that would move it most. A range that comes with no explanation is not much use for planning.
Why confidentiality is worth insisting on in Fort Worth
Fort Worth owners, bankers and suppliers tend to know one another, and a rumor that a company is being valued is quickly heard as a rumor that it is for sale. That can unsettle employees and invite competitors to call your customers. A good valuation provider treats the request itself as confidential and contacts no one about your company, not your bank, not your customers and not potential buyers.
Ask any provider directly who will see your numbers and whether the firm will sign a confidentiality agreement with you. The answers should be quick and specific.
How MDR & Associates handles a Fort Worth valuation
Since 2008 MDR has closed more than 250 transactions for Texas owners, so our opinion of value reflects what buyers actually pay rather than a formula. A valuation does not start a sale: no buyer is contacted unless you later choose to engage us to sell. If the opinion of value shows a gap between what the company is worth today and what you need, we will tell you what would close it and roughly how long that might take.
We are based in Frisco and meet Fort Worth owners at their office, after hours or somewhere discreet; the Fort Worth page has more. The quickest private start is the free valuation snapshot.
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