This document provides a due diligence checklist for clients investing in a business or project in Panama. It recommends requesting corporate documents, material contracts, financial information, litigation records, tax filings, property records, employment records, insurance policies, acquisition agreements, and documentation of compliance with government regulations. The goal is to gather information to evaluate the investment opportunity and indicate any requests that may be unduly burdensome.
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This document provides a due diligence checklist for clients investing in a business or project in Panama. It recommends requesting corporate documents, material contracts, financial information, litigation records, tax filings, property records, employment records, insurance policies, acquisition agreements, and documentation of compliance with government regulations. The goal is to gather information to evaluate the investment opportunity and indicate any requests that may be unduly burdensome.
This document provides a due diligence checklist for clients investing in a business or project in Panama. It recommends requesting corporate documents, material contracts, financial information, litigation records, tax filings, property records, employment records, insurance policies, acquisition agreements, and documentation of compliance with government regulations. The goal is to gather information to evaluate the investment opportunity and indicate any requests that may be unduly burdensome.
Copyright:
Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
This document provides a due diligence checklist for clients investing in a business or project in Panama. It recommends requesting corporate documents, material contracts, financial information, litigation records, tax filings, property records, employment records, insurance policies, acquisition agreements, and documentation of compliance with government regulations. The goal is to gather information to evaluate the investment opportunity and indicate any requests that may be unduly burdensome.
Copyright:
Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
Download as doc, pdf, or txt
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The document provides a detailed due diligence checklist to evaluate investments or business projects in Panama. It recommends reviewing corporate documents, material contracts, litigation information, financial statements, taxation records, property details, employee information, insurance policies, acquisition agreements, and compliance with government regulations.
Recommended corporate documents for review include articles of incorporation, bylaws, certificates of good standing, board and shareholder meeting minutes, addresses and jurisdictions of business, and information provided to shareholders/directors.
Recommended material contracts and agreements for review include bank and lender relationships, credit agreements, security agreements, mortgages, guarantees, equipment leases, and other agreements evidencing outstanding loans.
Due dilligence check list
Due Diligence Checklist
We recommend that clients request (either through us or independently) the following information and documentation, before proceeding with an investment in a business or project in Panama. Obviously, some items in this list will not always be applicable to all transactions, but they are intended simply to draw your attention to things which you should consider. It is always good to indicate to the project/investment that if compiling any of the requested items would be unduly burdensome, to let you know so that a less burdensome alternative can be arranged.
Corporate documents of the Company and its subsidiaries:
1. Articles of Incorporation and any amendments
2. Bylaws/regulations (if applicable) and any amendments thereto 3. Certificate of Good Standing from the Companies Registry, showing all up-to-date company information 4. Minutes of all Board of Directors, committee and shareholders meetings and all consents to actions without meeting (resolutions) 5. Addresses and jurisdictions in which the company is qualified to do business and where the company has offices, holds property or conducts business 6. Material information or documents furnished to shareholders/directors during the last two years (if applicable)
If the Company is Publicly Traded, then you should also request:
1. All applications and permits for issuance/transfer of securities
2. Sample copies of stock certificates, warrants and options 3. Stockholder information, indicating the number of shares held, dates of issuance, and consideration (price) paid 4. All stock options, stock purchase and other employee benefit plans and forms of agreements 5. List of any outstanding stock options and warrants 6. Any registration rights or pre-emptive rights agreements 7. Convertible debt instruments 8. Proxies 9. Any voting trust agreements, buy/sell agreements, stockholder agreements, warrant agreements, proxies or right of first refusal agreements 10.Any other contracts, arrangements or public/private documents or commitments relating to the shares of the Company 11.Any special debt arrangements, guarantees or indemnification between officers, directors or the shareholder(s) and the Company
Material Contracts and Agreements
1. List of banks or other lenders with whom the Company has a
financial relationship (make sure that this list briefly describes the nature of the relationship, whether there are any lines of credit, equipment leases, encumbrances, etc.) 2. Credit agreements, debt instruments, security agreements, mortgages, financial or performance guarantees, indemnifications, liens, equipment leases or other agreements evidencing outstanding loans to which the Company is or was a party within the past 3 years 3. If the Company is required to present any compliance reports to lenders, or other material correspondence to lenders, the reports submitted by the Company or its accountants 4. Any other material contracts which the Company may have which affect its obligations/indebtedness
Litigation
1. Is the Company currently involved or threatened by any
litigation? 2. Summary of disputes which it may have with its suppliers, competitors or customers 3. Correspondence with the auditor/accountant regarding threatened or pending litigation/assessments/claims 4. Copies of any pleadings (complaints/answers/motions) or correspondence for pending or prior lawsuits involving the Company or its Principals (shareholders/directors/officers) 5. Decrees, orders or judgements from courts or governmental agencies 6. Settlement documentation
Financial Information
1. Audited financial statements since inception (where available,
otherwise financial statements) 2. Tax returns for the previous 3 periods 3. Quarterly income statements for the last 2 years and the current year (to date) 4. Cash flow projections or operating budgets 5. Business plan and other documents describing the current and/or expected business of the Company, including all material marketing studies, consulting studies or reports prepared by the Company 6. If there has been any changes in the accounting methods or principles used during the last 3 fiscal periods - a description of these changes 7. Copies of management letters or special reports by auditors and any responses to these for the last 3 fiscal periods 8. Copies of letters to counsel of the Company delivered to auditors for the last 3 fiscal periods 9. Any documents relating to material write-downs or write-offs other than in the ordinary course of business 10.Description of all contingent liabilities (in Panama, this should include employment liquidations) 11.Aging schedules for accounts receivable for the last two years
Taxation
1. Evidence that the Company is current on income, sales, social
security, education and any other tax payments (Paz y Salvo) 2. Any notice of assessment, tax reports, etc. from local authorities
Property
1. List of real and material personal property owned by the
Company 2. Title and mortgage documents and security agreements pertaining to such property 3. Any outstanding leases with an original term greater than one year for real and personal property to which the Company is the lessor or lessee 4. Where the Company has proprietary technology which was developed/owned by the Company, documents relating tot he ownership and copyright/patent/trademark filings
Employees and Related Parties
1. A management organisation chart and biographical information
on principals 2. Summary of any labour disputes 3. Correspondence or notes concerning any pending or threatened labour strikes 4. Collective bargaining agreements and negotiations undertaken for this 5. Employment and consulting agreements for officers, directors, key employees and any other principals. If they have loan agreements or any other transactions with the Company, then documentation relating to these 6. Schedule of all salaries and compensation paid to directors, officers and key employees for the 2 most recent fiscal years, itemising salary, bonuses and fringe benefits (use of cars, property, etc.) 7. Summary of employee benefits and copies of any pension, profit sharing, deferred compensation and retirement plans 8. Summary of management incentive or bonus plans which fall outside of the above, as well as any other fringe benefits 9. Copies of confidentiality agreements (if applicable)
Insurance and Liability
1. Schedule of any insurance policies in force for "key men" or
"director indemnification" policies 2. Schedule or copies of all material insurance policies of the company covering property, liabilities and operations, including product liability. 3. Any other relevant documents pertaining to the Company's exposure, including special reserve funds and accounts
Acquisitions, Partnership or Joint Venture Agreements
1. If the company is undertaking or has undertaken any
acquisitions, partnerships or joint ventures, you should obtain copies of any contracts or agreements 2. Review any documentation pertaining to potential acquisitions or alliances
Government Regulations & Filings
1. Review the Company's ANAM or licensing files - commercial
license, local municipal licenses, social security filings, etc. and ensure that the company is completely compliant with each of the government agencies which regulate the activities which it undertakes