By way of a simple example, sellers might receive a multiple of 5x for every one dollar that EBITDA is exceeded over a certain amount (e.g. $2 million) but nothing if it is less than $2 million. So, if the business achieved EBITDA of $2.3 million for the period, the earnout would be $1.5 million ($300,000 x 5).
The biggest difference is that an SPA is the sale of all shares, and an APA is the sale of selected assets. Therefore, they are both different transactions and have different procedures. 2. With a SPA, all shareholders in the company must be consulted and agree to sell their shares in the company.
An earnout is a form of deferred payment to the seller that is contingent on certain events occurring post-closing in a manner that depends on the performance of the acquired company. An earnout can be tied to revenue, EBITDA, or a non-financial metric such as retention of key employees or the issuance of a patent.
In an earn-out, the purchaser agrees to make post-closing payments for a period of time contingent on the performance of the business or specific property ing to certain thresholds. These thresholds are commonly based on financial metrics, such as gross revenue or net profit over a period of time.