| Below you will find a complete checklist to help you get ready for a merger or acquisition. If you're able to gather this information, there is a very good chance you will satisfy due diligence requirements from a buyer.
Organization Documents · Articles of Incorporation, and all amendments · Bylaws, and all amendments · Minutes book, including all minutes and resolutions of shareholders and directors, executive committees, and other governing groups · Organizational chart · Capitalization table including a list of shareholders and number of shares held by each · Copies of agreements relating to options, voting trusts, warrants, puts, calls, subscriptions, and convertible securities · A Certificate of Good Standing from the Secretary of State of the state where the Company is incorporated · Copies of active status reports in the state of incorporation for the last three years · A list of all states where the Company is authorized to do business and annual reports for the last three years · A list of all states, provinces, or countries where the Company owns or leases property, maintains employees, or conducts business · A list of all of the Company's assumed names and copies of registrations Financial Information · Audited financial statements for three years (or all years if less than three), together with Auditor's Reports · The most recent unaudited statements, with comparable statements to the prior year · Auditor's letters and replies for the past five years · The Company's credit report, if available · Any projections, capital budgets, and strategic plans · Analyst reports, if available · A schedule of all indebtedness and contingent liabilities · A schedule of inventory · A schedule of accounts receivable · A schedule of accounts payable · A description of depreciation and amortization methods and changes in accounting methods over the past five years · Any analysis of fixed and variable expenses · Any analysis of gross margins · The Company's general ledger · A description of the Company's internal control procedures Physical Assets · A schedule of fixed assets and their locations · All U.C.C. filings · All leases of equipment · A schedule of sales and purchases of major capital equipment during the last three years Real Estate · A schedule of the Company's business locations · Copies of all real estate leases, deeds, mortgages, title policies, surveys, zoning approvals, variances, or use permits Intellectual Property · A listing and schedule of all software code · A schedule of domestic and foreign patents and patent applications · A schedule of trademark and trade names · A schedule of copyrights · A description of important technical know-how · A description of methods used to protect trade secrets and know-how · Any "work for hire" agreements · A schedule and copies of all consulting agreements, agreements regarding inventions, licenses, or assignments of intellectual property to or from the Company · Any patent clearance documents · A schedule and summary of any claims or threatened claims by or against the Company regarding intellectual property Employees and Employee Benefits · A list of employees including positions, current salaries, salaries, and bonuses paid during last three years, and years of service · All employment, consulting, nondisclosure, non-solicitation, or noncompetition agreements between the Company and any of its employees · Resumes of key employees · The Company's personnel handbook and a schedule of all employee benefits and holiday, vacation, and sick leave policies · Summary plan descriptions of qualified and nonqualified retirement plans · Copies of collective bargaining agreements, if any · A description of all employee problems within the last three years, including alleged wrongful termination, harassment, and discrimination · A description of any labor disputes, requests for arbitration, or grievance procedures currently pending or settled within the last three years · A list and description of benefits of all employee health and welfare insurance policies or self-funded arrangements · A description of worker's compensation claim history · A description of unemployment insurance claims history · Copies of all stock option and stock purchase plans and a schedule of grants Licenses and Permits · Copies of any governmental licenses, permits, or consents · Any correspondence or documents relating to any proceedings of any regulatory agency Environmental Issues (this will probably not apply to most web and Internet companies) · Environmental audits, if any, for each property leased by the Company · A listing of hazardous substances used in the Company's operations · A description of the Company's disposal methods · A list of environmental permits and licenses · Copies of all correspondence, notices, and files related to EPA, state, or local regulatory agencies · A list identifying and describing any environmental litigation or investigations · A list identifying and describing any known Superfund exposure · A list identifying and describing any contingent environmental liabilities or continuing indemnification obligations Taxes · Federal, state, local, and foreign income tax returns for the last three years · States sales tax returns for the last three years · Any audit and revenue agency reports · Any tax settlement documents for the last three years · Employment tax filings for three years · Excise tax filings for three years · Any tax liens Material Contracts · A schedule of all subsidiary, partnership, or joint venture relationships and obligations, with copies of all related agreements · Copies of all contracts between the Company and any officers, directors, five-percent shareholders, or affiliates · All loan agreements, bank financing arrangements, line of credit, or promissory notes to which the Company is a party · All security agreements, mortgages, indentures, collateral pledges, and similar agreements, including guaranties to which the Company is a party, and any installment sale agreements · Any distribution agreements, sales representative agreements, marketing agreements, and supply agreements · Any letters of intent, contracts, and closing transcripts from any mergers, acquisitions, or divestitures within last five years · Any options and stock purchase agreements involving interests in other companies · The Company's standard quote, purchase order, invoice, and warranty forms · All nondisclosure or noncompetition agreements to which the Company is a party · All other material contracts Product or Service Lines · A list of all existing products or services and products or services under development · Copies of all correspondence and reports related to any regulatory approvals or disapprovals of any Company's products or services · A summary of all complaints or warranty claims · A summary of results of all tests, evaluations, studies, surveys, and other data regarding existing products or services and products or services under development Customer Information · A complete schedule of the Company's customers in terms of sales thereto and a description of sales thereto over a period of two years, including customer names, addresses key contacts and phone numbers. · Any supply or service agreements · A description or copy of the Company's purchasing policies · A description or copy of the Company's credit policy · A schedule of unfilled orders · A list and explanation for any major customers lost over the last two years · All surveys and market research reports relevant to the Company or its products or services · The Company's current advertising programs, marketing plans, and budgets, and printed marketing materials · A description of the Company's major competitors Litigation · A schedule of all pending litigation · A description of any threatened litigation · Copies of insurance policies possibly providing coverage as to pending or threatened litigation · Documents relating to any injunctions, consent decrees, or settlements to which the Company is a party · A list of unsatisfied judgments Insurance Coverage · A schedule and copies of the Company's general liability, personal and real property, product liability, errors and omissions, key-man, directors and officers, worker's compensation, and other insurance · A schedule of the Company's insurance claims history for past three years Professionals · A schedule of all law firms, accounting firms, consulting firms, and similar professionals engaged by the Company during past five years Articles and Publicity · Copies of all articles and press releases relating to the Company within the past three years |


