CIM (Confidential Information Memorandum)
A CIM, or confidential information memorandum, is the full package a qualified buyer receives after signing an NDA: financial statements, equipment schedule, lease terms, utility history, service-mix detail, and operating description.
Why Does CIM Matter in a Laundromat Sale?
The CIM is where a buyer forms a price. Its quality directly affects the multiple, because a buyer discounts uncertainty and a complete package removes uncertainty. Three sections move the number most on a laundromat. The equipment schedule with serial numbers, the utility history with original bills, and the lease summary with the assignment clause quoted rather than paraphrased.
What Does It Look Like in Practice?
Two identical stores go to market. One CIM includes 36 months of original water bills, machine-level card exports, and the full lease. The other says 'utilities approximately $5,400/month.' The first attracts offers near the top of the range; the second attracts offers structured to protect the buyer from what they cannot see.
What Should You Check?
- Include the equipment schedule with serial numbers and 36 months of original utility bills.
- Quote the assignment clause rather than paraphrasing it.
- Complete it before marketing; a buyer discounts what they cannot see.
Where Does This Come Up?
- Documents Needed to Sell a Laundromat (Complete Data Room List)
- Blind Teaser
- Selling a Laundromat Confidentially: The Disclosure Ladder
- Laundromat Valuation: How Stores Are Priced and Why
Related Terms
- Blind Teaser — A blind teaser is a one-page marketing summary
- NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) — An NDA, or non-disclosure agreement
- Deal Room — A deal room is the organized repository
- QoE (Quality of Earnings) — QoE, or quality of earnings
See the full laundromat glossary for all 78 terms.
The Next Step
This page is general information about laundromat transactions, not legal, tax, or investment advice, and not a guarantee of sale price, timing, or financing approval. Verify current rules with your own CPA, attorney, lender, and the relevant state or municipal agency before acting.