All Types of Due Diligence Documents Checklist

 

1.                Legal Due Diligence Documents

Ø  Shareholder certificate documents

Ø  Local/state/federal business licenses

Ø  Occupational license

Ø  Building permits documents

Ø  Zonal and land use permits

Ø  Tax registration documents

Ø  Power of attorney documents

Ø  Previous or outstanding legal cases

2.              Financial Due Diligence Documents

Ø  Up to date tax returns documents

Ø  Audited financial statements (at least 3 years)

Ø  Auditor's correspondence for last five years

Ø  Copies of all loans and credit agreements

Ø  Details of company investments (bonds, marketable securities, etc.)

Ø  Capital structure

Ø  Projections, capital budgets, and strategic plans

Ø  Up to date tax and pension liabilities

Ø  Details on when contracts and leases are renewed and whether the terms change

Ø  Details of stockholders (percentage holdings, voting rights, etc.)

Ø  Foreign exchange reserves

Ø  List of unrecorded liabilities

Ø  List of collateral for debt

Ø  Details of owner withdrawals (if any)

Ø  Revenue by client (if possible)

Ø  Gross margins analysis

Ø  Fixed/variable expenses analysis

Ø  List of non-operational expenses

Ø  General ledger

3.              Sales and Marketing Due Diligence Documents

Ø    Detailed overview of sales and marketing strategy

Ø    Marketing/sales coordination protocols

Ø    Revenue listed by customer

Ø    Exhibit relationship between marketing expense and revenue growth

Ø    Details of existing sales contracts (and when they expire)

Ø    List of top 10 suppliers

Ø    Sales reports by category of product or service

Ø    Details of credit terms with customers

Ø    Current market share (if possible)

Ø    Percentage of sales owing to each sales channel (e.g. online, offline, direct sales, etc.)

4.             Human Resources Due Diligence Documents

Ø    Provide a list of current employees and independent contractors

Ø    Employee rules of conduct handbook and safety policies

Ø    Detail past employee disputes (if any)

Ø    Detail employee and independent contractor terms of employment

Ø    Detail updated employee resumes

Ø    Outline policy of working with labor union (if any)

Ø    Outline training conducted with existing employees

Ø    Worker's compensation/unemployment claims history

Ø    Outline policy of bonuses, incentives, commissions and deferred commissions

Ø    Detail policies for sick days, paid holidays, paid vacations and overtime pay

5.             Property, Plant, and Equipment Due Diligence Documents

Ø    Equipment

Ø    Real estate

Ø    Technology

Ø    Inventory

6.             Contract Due Diligence Documents

Ø    Customer contracts

Ø    Supplier contracts

Ø    Joint venture/partnership agreements

Ø    Settlement agreements

Ø    Franchising agreements

Ø    Accounts receivable schedule

Ø    Accounts payable schedule

Ø    Equipment leases

Ø    Non-compete agreements

Ø    Employee contacts

Ø    Loans, credits, and guaranties agreements

7.              Intellectual Property Due Diligence Documents

Ø    Trade secrets

Ø    IP claims and litigation

Ø    Domain names

Ø    Issued patents

Ø    Patent applications

Ø    Design patents

Ø    Design patent applications

Ø    Industrial designs

Ø    Industrial design applications

Ø    Liens on intellectual property

Ø    Copyrights

Ø    Licenses

Ø    Licensing agreements

Ø    Trademarks

Ø    Agreements/documents regarding ownership and rights of use of advertising copy, trade-marks, logos, and slogans

8.             Company's Good Standing and Organization Due Diligence Documents

Ø    Organizational Chart

Ø    Shareholders/percentages owned

Ø    Voting trusts, subscriptions, calls, puts, options, and convertible securities agreements

Ø    State of incorporation status reports for the last three years

Ø    Assumed names

Ø    Company minutes book

Ø    Company bylaws and amendments

Ø    List of the states and countries where the company has employees, owns assets, leases assets, and does business

Ø    The Articles of Incorporation/amendments.

Ø    Annual reports for the last three years.

Ø    A Certificate of Good Standing from each Secretary of State where the company conducts business

 

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