assetkaupat

Assetkaupat, or asset deals, refer to transactions in which a buyer acquires specific assets and may assume selected liabilities of a business rather than purchasing the target company’s shares. In Finnish corporate practice, assetkaupat are used to cherry-pick useful assets such as inventories, equipment, IP rights, contracts, and real estate, while excluding unwanted liabilities and exposures.

In an assetkaupat, the transfer is achieved through asset transfer agreements and related documentation for each asset category. Contracts, permits, licenses, and employment arrangements may require third-party consents or formal assignments. The closing typically follows a staged process, with due diligence focused on the condition and value of individual assets, incoming liabilities the buyer agrees to assume, and the accuracy of asset ownership records. Tax treatment and regulatory approvals depend on the jurisdiction and the nature of the assets involved.

Advantages of assetkaupat include the ability to tailor the acquired bundle of assets and liabilities, limit exposure to unwanted liabilities, and, in some cases, achieve more favorable tax or accounting outcomes. Disadvantages can include the complexity of coordinating multiple asset transfers, the need for numerous third-party consents, higher transaction costs, and potentially longer closing times. Asset deals may also require extensive due diligence on IP, contracts, customer relationships, and employee matters to ensure a clean transfer.

Compared with share deals, assetkaupat reduce acquires of non-core assets but often involve more complex transfers and consent requirements, while share deals transfer all assets and liabilities of the target company in a single package.