€1M+ Trapped Value Uncovered in a Trading Group with 1% Margin
A family-owned commercial group with €15 million in turnover had built substantial scale, but net margin remained at 1%. Leadership required a 360° financial diagnostic to see beyond daily firefighting.
At a Glance
ONISIS executed a 9-week diagnostic analyzing sales mix, working capital, inventory, balance sheet assets, and inter-company trading. The review identified over €1M in trapped operating value (€700K in corporate real estate structuring) and delivered a strategic roadmap with 5x annualized profit potential.
INDUSTRY
RETAIL & WHOLESALE TRADE
COMPANY PROFILE
Second-generation family business with multiple B2B/B2C trading operations.
PRIMARY OUTCOME
€1M+ Trapped Value UncoveredSERVICE PILLAR
Financial Planning→The Challenge: €15M Top-Line Turnover Trapped at a 1% Net Margin
Second-generation siblings managed a family commercial trading business with €15M in turnover. Business volume was substantial, yet net margin hovered at just 1%.
Daily operational firefighting consumed executive bandwidth. Leadership needed a comprehensive financial diagnostic to see where value was created, where capital was trapped, and which decisions would have the greatest impact on net margin.
The Financial Diagnostic: 360° Review of Working Capital, Sales Mix & Corporate Assets
The 9-week financial diagnostic analyzed core value drivers: sales composition, working capital cycles, inventory holding costs, balance sheet asset structure, and cross-selling between business units.
The review uncovered over €1 million in trapped value. Approximately €700,000 of this related to the structure of corporate real estate used by operating companies. We evaluated restructuring options to transfer value to the balance sheet without burdening operating profits while preserving family asset ownership.
The review also highlighted specific opportunities to adjust sales mix, working capital discipline, and asset utilization.
Management Strategy: Prioritized Operational Roadmap & Asset Restructuring
Leadership adopted the strategic diagnostic roadmap, establishing clear operational priorities across sales mix, working capital management, and property structuring.
Armed with clear findings, executive management initiated key internal adjustments to liberate trapped balance sheet value and work toward the business's full earnings potential.
What Changed in Practice
Every engagement is different. Here, we share the business impact for this specific case
5x
Annualized Profit Potential
€1M+
Trapped Value Identified
9 Wks
Diagnostic Sprint Duration
To honor the confidential nature of our engagements, client identities remain private.
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