Quality of earnings, explained for founders

The adjustments a buyer makes to your profit, and the ones you can make first.

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Written by
Published

September 14, 2026

Reviewed

September 14, 2026

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8

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Topic
Two advisers working through a client’s printed accounts

The short answer

A quality of earnings review restates your profit as a buyer will see it. One off items come out, costs you have not been paying come in, and the result is the number the price is based on.

What gets adjusted

One off costs and income, owner costs that will not continue, and costs a new owner will have to pay, such as a market salary for a role you have done for free. Each one moves the number the price is set on.

What buyers look for first

Revenue that will not repeat, costs held in other companies, and deferred income treated as revenue. These are the adjustments that change prices, because they are the ones owners do not see coming.

How to see it first

Commission your own review before a sale. It costs less than the adjustments it finds, and it lets you fix or explain each one before a buyer prices it.

Sources and review

Sources: Ordway due diligence reviews completed from 2020 to 2026. Reviewed by Priya Raman on 15 September 2026. Next review March 2027. This article is general information, not advice on your situation.

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Priya Raman

Priya Raman

Partner, Due diligence

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