Chart:  The Cost of Buying Small Business Companies Scott Shane at Small Business Trends reports: Many people think buying a business is expensive. But, actually, the typical private company sells at a low price. According to BIZCOMPS, Business Valuation’s data base of private company sales, the median price of the 12,022 companies sold since 1995 on which Business Valuation has data was $166,000, less than ...

Buying an Established Business The Wall Street Journal's "Running a Business" blog analyzes the benefits of buying vs. building: If you're interested in entrepreneurship, but lack ideas or time to create a new business, buying an established company may be a wise alternative. You'll inherit a working infrastructure complete with resources you'd otherwise have to secure on your own, such as equipment and emp ...

Business-For-Sale Market Heats Up So writes Angus Loden at The Wall Street Journal blog In Charge: On the challenges of entrepreneurs managing their businesses. Sales of small businesses rose 8% in the second quarter over the same period last year, hitting the highest level since the closing months of 2008, with a growing number of smaller firms finding buyers, according to business-broker data. Getty Image ...

SEC Wakes Up to Reverse Merger Companies Weeks after several Chinese reverse-merger companies have stopped trading in the US amid widespread fraud allegations, the Securities and Exchange Commission has issued a warning that, hey, maybe investors ought to think twice about those reverse-merger companies.  Okey doke!  Mark Gongloff relays from the Wall Street Journal Law Blog.  The Securities and Exchange Co ...