Question regarding purchase price

So I am a bit confused on what the actual price paid for a full company is.
Example: Company A: 50 million market cap, 20 million cash, 0 debt Company B: 50 million market cap, 0 cash, 20 million debt

Would the actual amount paid (assuming all cash transaction) be 70 million for company A and 30 million for company B (making the effective purchase price of both the same)? Or would the actual amount paid be 50 million for both, making the effective purchase price of company A be 30 million and the effective purchase price of company B be 70 million?

Thanks so much!

6 Comments
 

No, see my reply below. The sellers receive $50MM of the $70MM in financing raised by the buyer. The remaining $20MM goes to repaying (or refinancing/rolling) the existing debt.

 
Most Helpful
"Airdux B" It always was the shareholders cash and it still is. Yes, the sellers do end up receiving $70M, but only $50M is paid by the buyer.

This is incorrect. A company with a $50MM market cap (equity value) and $20MM in cash is a $30MM company (enterprise value) that happens to be sitting on $20MM cash. Once the sellers sweep the $20MM of cash out pre-sale, the market cap of the company falls to $30MM.

Enterprise value is: Equity Value (Market cap) + Debt - Cash.

Company A's Enterprise Value is: $50 + $0 -$20 = $30MM Company B's Enterprise Value is: $50 + $20 -$0 = $70MM

To buy Company A you need $30MM in financing. To buy Company B you need $70MM.

 

Asperiores totam distinctio rerum ea nihil dolorem. Et sed est exercitationem non et accusantium recusandae expedita. Architecto fugit magni itaque. Suscipit error et qui ea minus sed. Eligendi consequatur perferendis laudantium ea qui est. Et autem sed fuga alias ipsam id minus quae.

Cupiditate dolores enim ut distinctio. Fugit reiciendis ut sit nihil vel itaque. Repellat nihil occaecati magnam officia tenetur. Nulla atque aspernatur sunt rerum et consequatur.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.7%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (15) $434
  • Associates (46) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (79) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”