Frequently Asked Questions

The Comparable Company Analysis (CCA) Tool is a free, AI-powered valuation calculator that helps business owners get an indicative view of their company's value. It works by identifying listed companies similar to yours and applying their market trading multiples — such as EV (Enterprise Value)/Revenue, EV (Enterprise Value)/EBITDA, Equity Value/Revenue, Equity Value/EBITDA, and Price/Earnings — to your company's financial figures to derive an implied enterprise value or equity value range.

It is designed to give you a starting point for understanding your business's market value, not a definitive or legally certified valuation.

The tool is designed for Singapore SME business owners and entrepreneurs who want a quick, indicative view of their company's value. It is particularly useful if you are:

• Considering selling your business and want a rough sense of what it might be worth
• Preparing for a discussion with investors or potential buyers
• Planning for succession or shareholder restructuring
• Seeking bank financing and want to understand your collateral value
• Simply curious about how the market values businesses like yours

The tool is intended for adults aged 18 and above only.

Yes — the Comparable Company Analysis Tool is currently available free of charge. There is no registration required and no credit card needed. Access the tool here →

If you require a formal, professionally certified valuation report for commercial, legal, or financing purposes, please contact Kairos Yu (ACVA, MBA, RMC) at +65 8399 8322 or kairos@kairos.sg for a formal engagement.

Alongside the listed comparable company multiples, the tool also shows an illustrative M&A transaction multiple range for your sector -- a second reference point based on what acquirers have typically paid for controlling stakes in similar businesses.

This is a fundamentally different basis to the comparable company figures above it: listed company multiples reflect minority, freely-tradable share prices, while transaction multiples reflect a controlling-interest basis that already includes a typical acquisition control premium and expected synergies. This is why the transaction multiple range is generally higher than the trading multiples for the same sector -- and why you should not apply the tool's Control Premium input on top of the transaction-multiple figures, since that would double-count the premium.

This range is AI-estimated based on general sector patterns in its training data, not based on specific named transactions -- exact deal terms for private company M&A are rarely disclosed publicly and are not reliable for the AI to recall precisely. Treat this as a directional reference point, not a precise benchmark, and verify independently before relying on it.

When you describe your company's industry and sector, the tool uses AI to identify listed companies on regional or global stock exchanges that operate in similar industries and have comparable business characteristics.

The AI draws on its training data to suggest relevant peers. Where possible, the tool then looks up live trading multiples for each suggested company (marked with a ⚡ icon) so the figures reflect current market conditions rather than the AI's training data alone. If live data isn't available for a particular company -- which can happen from time to time -- the multiple shown is the AI's own estimate instead, based on its training data with a knowledge cut-off date. We strongly recommend independently verifying the suggested comparables and their multiples before relying on them for any decision.

Yes — your financial data never leaves your browser. Revenue, EBITDA, EBIT, net profit, and net debt figures you enter are processed entirely within your own device and are never transmitted to or stored on our servers.

The only information sent to our AI engine is the industry description you provide — for example, "Singapore-based spa and beauty parlour." This is used solely to identify relevant comparable companies.

When you close the browser tab, all data you entered is erased permanently. We do not store, log, or retain any financial information you input into the tool.

Only you can see the financial data you enter — it stays on your device at all times. The industry description you type is processed by AI in order to generate comparable company suggestions. The AI company does not use API-submitted data to train its AI models and does not retain it beyond the immediate processing window.

Kairos Global Pte. Ltd. does not have access to the financial figures you enter into the tool unless you choose to share them with us directly.

Yes. The tool has been designed with Singapore's Personal Data Protection Act 2012 (PDPA) in mind. Our full Personal Data Protection Statement is available on the tool page.

Key points:

• Financial data is processed locally on your device — not on our servers
• We do not collect personally identifiable information through this tool
• The industry description sent to our AI engine is subject to the AI provider's privacy policy
• You may contact our Data Protection Officer at kairos@kairos.sg for any PDPA-related enquiries

The PDF report is generated entirely within your browser and downloaded directly to your device. It is never sent to or stored on our servers. Once downloaded, the report is yours to keep, share, or delete as you see fit.

We recommend storing the report securely given that it contains indicative financial information about your business.

The tool provides an indicative range, not a precise or certified value. The accuracy depends on several factors:

• Quality of comparables: Listed companies are rarely a perfect match for private SMEs. Differences in size, geography, growth profile, and management quality all affect how appropriate the multiples are
• Multiple freshness: The tool looks up live trading multiples where available; otherwise it falls back to the AI's own estimate, which is based on its training data and may not reflect current market conditions
• Financial inputs: The tool relies on figures you enter — if these are estimates rather than audited numbers, the output will reflect that uncertainty
• Private company discounts: The tool allows you to apply a Control Premium (for controlling interest) and DLOM (for private company illiquidity), but determining the appropriate percentages requires professional judgement

We recommend treating the output as a starting point for discussion rather than a definitive answer.

No — this report is not suitable for formal commercial, legal, or financing purposes. Banks, lawyers, and investors will require a formal valuation report prepared and certified by a qualified independent valuer.

For a formal valuation report suitable for:

• Business sale or acquisition transactions
• Bank financing or collateral assessment
• Investor presentations or fundraising
• Shareholder disputes or litigation
• Estate planning or probate
• IRAS tax matters

Please contact Kairos Yu (ACVA, MBA, RMC) at +65 8399 8322 or kairos@kairos.sg for a formal engagement.

The tool currently uses the market approach — specifically the Comparable Company Analysis method — because it can be automated using publicly available data from listed company trading multiples.

In a professional valuation, a valuer does not necessarily apply all three valuation approaches. Instead, the valuer selects the most relevant primary approach based on the nature of the business, availability of data, and purpose of the valuation, and then cross-checks the result using a second approach. The three recognised approaches are:

• Market approach — uses comparable company trading multiples or comparable transaction multiples; suitable when reliable market data exists
• Income approach — Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) analysis; preferred when the company has reliable financial projections and positive future cash flows
• Asset approach — Adjusted Net Asset Value (ANAV); used when the company holds significant tangible assets, is in financial difficulty, or is in a holding company structure

For example, a formal valuation by Kairos Global may adopt DCF as the primary approach and cross-check the result using comparable company EV/EBITDA multiples — or vice versa, depending on the circumstances. The choice of methodology is a matter of professional judgement guided by International Valuation Standards (IVS).

If your company is currently unprofitable, EBITDA, EBIT, and net profit multiples will not be meaningful. In that case:

• Use the EV/Revenue multiple as the primary metric — simply enter your revenue and leave the other fields blank
• Consider whether the asset approach (Adjusted Net Asset Value) may be more appropriate — this values the company based on the fair market value of its assets and liabilities rather than earnings
• For early-stage or loss-making companies, a formal valuation may rely more heavily on DCF analysis using projected future earnings

Contact us to discuss which approach best suits your company's situation.

Understanding the starting point: Public company trading multiples reflect minority, marketable interests -- they represent what a minority shareholder pays in the open market. This is a critical principle that determines which adjustments apply. In the tool, this field is labelled Control Premium (+%) / Discount for Lack of Control (-%) -- enter a positive number for a premium, zero for no adjustment, or a negative number in exceptional cases.

Control Premium -- applied when valuing a controlling interest (more than 50% of shares). Since public multiples reflect minority pricing, you need to add a Control Premium to convert the minority public multiple to a controlling interest value. The premium reflects the added value of decision-making power -- setting dividends, selling assets, changing management. Typical range: 15% to 35%.

Formula: Controlling Interest Value = Public Minority Value x (1 + Control Premium)

No adjustment needed for minority interests: Contrary to common misconception, when moving from public multiples directly to a private minority equity value, no DLOC is needed and the Control Premium field should be left at 0%. Public multiples already represent minority interests, so applying a DLOC would be double-counting. DLOM is then applied separately to reflect the illiquidity of private company shares.

DLOM (Discount for Lack of Marketability) -- applies to all private company valuations, both controlling and minority interests. Private company shares cannot be sold as easily as listed shares -- finding a buyer takes time and involves uncertainty. Typical range: 20% to 50%, with 35% commonly adopted as a midpoint for Singapore private companies (Liu and Wong, 2017).

The appropriate adjustments depend on:

• Whether you are valuing a controlling or minority interest
• The company's profitability, growth prospects, and financial position
• The nature of the shareholder agreement and exit rights
• Industry, market conditions, and liquidity of comparable companies

These adjustments require professional judgement. We recommend seeking professional advice on the appropriate rates for your specific situation.

A formal valuation report prepared by Kairos Global Pte. Ltd. typically includes:

• Engagement scope and purpose — clearly defined basis and standard of value
• Company background — history, operations, management, ownership structure
• Industry and economic analysis — market outlook, competitive landscape, regulatory environment
• Financial analysis — historical financial performance, normalisation adjustments, ratio analysis
• Methodology selection — choice of primary valuation approach based on nature of business, data availability, and purpose
• Primary valuation analysis — typically one of: Discounted Cash Flow (DCF), Comparable Company Analysis, or Adjusted Net Asset Value, depending on circumstances
• Sensitivity analysis — testing key assumptions such as discount rate (WACC) and terminal growth rate
• Cross-check — a second approach used to validate the primary result, e.g. EV/EBITDA multiples cross-checking a DCF conclusion
• Conclusion of value — final valuation opinion supported by evidence and professional judgement
• Assumptions and limiting conditions
• Valuer's certification — signed by a qualified Accredited Valuer (ACVA), prepared in accordance with the International Valuation Standards (IVS)

Intangible assets are non-physical assets that contribute to a company's value but do not appear on the balance sheet at their true worth. Common examples include:

• Brand and trademarks — the value of your company name and reputation
• Customer relationships — long-term contracts, repeat business, customer loyalty
• Intellectual property — patents, proprietary processes, trade secrets
• Goodwill — the excess of business value over net asset value
• Software and technology — proprietary systems or platforms
• Workforce and management team — assembled and trained staff

You may need intangible asset valuation for:

• Mergers and acquisitions (purchase price allocation)
• Licensing or franchising agreements
• IRAS transfer pricing requirements
• Financial reporting under FRS 103 (Business Combinations)
• Insurance purposes
• Litigation or dispute resolution

Contact us to discuss whether intangible asset valuation is relevant to your situation.

The timeline and cost depend on the complexity of the engagement:

• Simple indicative valuation — typically 5 to 10 business days
• Full formal valuation report — typically 2 to 4 weeks depending on the availability of financial information and the complexity of the business
• Intangible asset valuation — varies by scope; typically 3 to 6 weeks

Fees are quoted on a case-by-case basis depending on the scope of work, purpose, and complexity. Please contact Kairos Yu (ACVA, MBA, RMC) at +65 8399 8322 or kairos@kairos.sg for a no-obligation discussion and fee estimate.

ACVA stands for Associate Chartered Valuer and Appraiser — a professional designation awarded to qualified business valuers who have met rigorous training, examination, and experience requirements in accordance with the International Valuation Standards (IVS) published by the International Valuation Standards Council (IVSC).

An ACVA-certified valuation report carries professional credibility with:

• Banks and financial institutions
• Investors and private equity firms
• Legal professionals and courts
• IRAS and government agencies
• Buyers and sellers in M&A transactions

Kairos Yu holds the ACVA designation, as well as an MBA and RMC (Registered Management Consultant) credentials, ensuring that all formal valuation reports meet professional standards.

Yes — Kairos Global Pte. Ltd. is an EDG (Enterprise Development Grant) consultant. The EDG is administered by Enterprise Singapore and supports Singapore SMEs in upgrading their business capabilities.

Valuation-related activities that may qualify for EDG support include:

• Business valuation for merger, acquisition, or divestment purposes
• Intellectual property valuation and strategy
• Financial management and governance improvements

Contact us to find out if your company qualifies and how we can assist with the EDG application process.

Yes — once the AI has suggested comparable companies, you may remove up to 2 comparable companies that you consider not relevant to your business. To remove a comparable, click the × button on the right side of that row.

Please note the following rules:

• You may remove a maximum of 2 AI-suggested comparable companies per session
• A confirmation prompt will appear before each deletion, showing which deletion number it is (e.g. deletion 1 of 2)
• Once 2 comparables have been removed, the delete buttons are locked and no further removals are permitted
• A status message below the comparables table will show how many deletions you have remaining at all times

This limit is in place to ensure the integrity of the valuation analysis. Removing too many comparables can significantly distort the results and reduce the reliability of the implied valuation range.

Yes — you may add 1 replacement comparable company of your own choice after the AI has suggested its comparables. To add a replacement, click the "Add replacement comparable" button below the comparables table.

Please note:

• Only 1 replacement row may be added per session
• You will need to manually enter the company name, ticker symbol, and all relevant valuation multiples (EV/Revenue, EV/EBITDA, EV/EBIT, P/E)
• After 1 replacement has been added, the "Add replacement" button is locked
• You can verify a company's multiples on financial data sources such as Yahoo Finance before entering them

These limits are in place to prevent misuse of the tool and to maintain the quality and integrity of the valuation analysis.

The limits — maximum 2 deletions and 1 replacement — are in place for two reasons:

• Integrity of results: The AI selects comparables based on industry relevance and business similarity. Allowing unlimited deletions could lead to a cherry-picked set of comparables that produce an artificially high or low valuation, which would be misleading
• Professional standards: In a formal valuation, the selection of comparable companies is a matter of professional judgement guided by IVS standards. This tool is designed to give you a fair, balanced indicative range — not to be manipulated to produce a desired outcome

If you believe the AI has selected unsuitable comparables or you require a customised comparable set, please contact Kairos Yu (ACVA, MBA, RMC) at +65 8399 8322 or kairos@kairos.sg for a formal valuation engagement.

If you click "Find comparables with AI" again — for example to try a different industry description — the comparables table is completely refreshed and all deletion and replacement counters are reset to zero. You will have a fresh set of 2 deletions and 1 replacement available for the new set of comparables.

If you click "Clear all data", all counters are also reset and the tool returns to its initial state.

If the button does not respond or shows an error, please try the following:

• Check your internet connection — the tool requires an active internet connection to retrieve AI-generated comparables
• Try a different browser — Chrome, Firefox, or Microsoft Edge are recommended
• Disable browser extensions — ad blockers or privacy extensions can sometimes interfere with the tool
• Wait and retry — the AI service may occasionally be busy; try again after a minute
• Add comparables manually — if the AI lookup fails, you can always enter comparable company names and multiples manually in the table

If the problem persists, please contact us at kairos@kairos.sg and describe what you see on screen.

If the PDF download does not start:

• Check your browser's download settings — some browsers block automatic downloads; look for a notification in the address bar or at the bottom of your screen
• Allow pop-ups for kairos.sg — in Chrome, click the padlock icon in the address bar and ensure pop-ups are allowed
• Try a different browser — Chrome is the most reliable for PDF generation
• Ensure you have completed the calculation first — the Download PDF button only appears after clicking Calculate Valuation

If the issue continues, please contact us at kairos@kairos.sg.

Strange characters (such as — instead of dashes) are a text encoding display issue. To fix this:

• Hard refresh the page — press Ctrl + Shift + R (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + R (Mac)
• Clear your browser cache — in Chrome, go to Settings → Privacy → Clear browsing data
• Try a different browser — Chrome, Firefox, or Microsoft Edge are recommended

If the issue persists, please contact us at kairos@kairos.sg and we will look into it promptly.