"A good horse only jumps as high as it needs to" is a German saying to explain why targets are sometimes only just met. Occasionally, though, even a good horse stumbles or fails to clear the hurdle.

When targets are missed, credit covenants are breached, or this is foreseeable, the economic performance of the company and the future viability of the business model are quickly called into question.

Both the entrepreneur and the financing banks and investors search for the causes. The core question is whether the drop in performance is temporary or prolonged, for example, due to changing market and competitive conditions or cost structures.

This situation requires an external assessment by an independent advisor who can evaluate the financials, market positioning, and operational performance.