The Bank Book: What It Is and Why It Matters

How Professional Buyers Actually Analyze Your Financials

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Most business owners have never heard of a bank book.

But professional buyers — especially private equity firms and mezzanine lenders — expect to see one. And if you don’t have it, they’ll either walk or discount the deal.

At SellWise, we create the bank book for you — so buyers know your business is serious, clean, and ready to transact.

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What Is a Bank Book?

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A bank book is a deal-ready financial package that presents your company the way an investor or lender needs to see it. It’s not just a collection of spreadsheets. It’s a structured, logic-based summary of your business performance that aligns with how capital providers evaluate risk, cash flow, and return.

It typically includes:

- Recast historical P&L with normalized EBITDA

- Trailing 12-month financials (TTM)
- Monthly and quarterly breakdowns
- Working capital analysis
- Add-backs and owner adjustments (with proof)
- Key operating metrics and ratios

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Why Does It Matter?

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Because buyers and lenders aren’t guessing. They’re modeling.

If your business doesn’t plug directly into their financial model, they either won’t trust your numbers — or they’ll build in a wide margin for error (translation: a lower offer).

A strong bank book lets a buyer:

- See your real earning power
- Identify trends and seasonality
- Evaluate debt capacity and cash flow
- Compare you to similar companies (comps)
- Get comfortable fast — and write a check faster

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How Is This Different from a CPA Review or QuickBooks Export?

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Most internal reports were built to run your company — not sell it.

They’re often cash-basis, inconsistent, and filled with one-off categories or personal expenses. A CPA might ensure tax compliance, but they don’t build investor-grade financials designed for deal flow.

A SellWise Bank Book bridges that gap. We speak the buyer’s language and package your business the way they need to see it.

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What Makes the SellWise Version Better?

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We don’t just “clean up your books.” We combine:

- Hands-on advisory experience
- Private equity-grade formatting
- Industry-specific benchmarking
- Scenario modeling for valuation ranges

In short: we build what the buyer needs — before they ask for it.

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Who Needs a Bank Book?

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If you’re planning to do any of the following in the next 6–36 months:

- Sell your company
- Raise capital (debt or equity)
- Buy out a partner
- Recapitalize with a mezz or SBIC fund

…you need a bank book. Period.

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Ready to Build Yours?

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We create investor-ready financial packages for serious business owners — fast.Most SellWise reports are delivered in 14 business days. Flat-fee. No hidden costs. No long-term engagement required.If you want to show buyers you’re ready, we’ll help you prove it — with the numbers that matter.