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One in five SME owners planning full or partial sale within two years

One in five owners at small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are planning to sell all or part of their business within the next two years, a study has found. Owners polled cited a range of challenges, including rising costs and profitability issues, as well as positive reasons for selling, such as releasing liquidity for another venture.

The study, conducted on behalf of Handelsbanken Wealth & Asset Management, found that 20 per cent of SME owners are planning some form of disposal, although just 6 per cent are planning a full sale within two years, with rising costs and profitability concerns featuring in many owners’ thoughts.

However, 40 per cent of those planning a full or partial sale were motivated by a desire to release liquidity to invest in another business venture. 20 per cent, meanwhile, cited retirement as a factor in their sale plans and a further 20 per cent said they were seeking a sale due to an absence of succession options within their family.

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