• QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    SBA 7(a) and 504 Loans: How Business Valuations Drive Smarter Lending Decisions

    April 30, 2025

    This article provides a case study that highlights the methodology behind SBA-compliant business valuations. The article underscores the importance of grounding the analysis in standard valuation techniques, using reliable industry benchmarks, and properly documenting adjustments. The role and value of business appraisers to the lender and parties involved in a potential SBA-financed transaction is also discussed. Business valuations play a vital role in SBA financing. For both 7(a) and 504 loan programs, an independent business valuation is typically required in the following situations: The total financing amount (including SBA loans, seller financing, or other funding sources) exceeds the appraised value…

  • QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Enterprise Value vs. Market Value of Invested Capital

    November 13, 2024

    In Small Business Valuations In a recent joint business valuation review engagement, the author and a fellow appraiser discussed whether one should use market value of invested capital (MVIC) or enterprise value (EV) when applying an income approach in business valuation. In this article, the author discusses these two concepts and sheds some light on why one might use one over the other. A recent joint business valuation review engagement sparked hours-long discussion between myself and a fellow appraiser about whether we should use market value of invested capital (MVIC) or enterprise value (EV) when applying an income approach in…

  • Estate Planning - QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Essential Guide to Gift Tax and Estate Planning

    May 1, 2024

    Consider the SLAT and GRAT in Gift Planning Understanding gift tax regulations is crucial for individuals and their advisors because it impacts estate planning strategies and can significantly affect the overall tax liability. Properly utilizing exemptions and understanding the rules surrounding gift taxation can help individuals minimize their tax burden and ensure a smooth transfer of assets to their intended beneficiaries. This article discusses the availability of the SLAT and GRAT gifting techniques. Understanding gift tax regulations is crucial for individuals and their advisors because it impacts estate planning strategies and can significantly affect the overall tax liability. Properly utilizing…

  • QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Determining the Fair Market Value for a NFT

    May 1, 2024

    A Practice Guide for Practitioners What are the proper questions and approaches that enable valuation professionals to value non-fungible tokens (NFTs)? The author describes the questions and methods used to value NFTs. With the recent IRS proposal, the focus on fair market value is repeated as the preferred method for cryptocurrency transactions that do not involve cash.[1] The IRS redefines fair market value to simply market value for cryptocurrencies traded on an exchange; this limits the applicability to less than 10% of cryptocurrencies and highlights the need for practitioners to understand how to apply fair market value calculations to cryptocurrency.…

  • QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Economic Obsolescence Measurement Best Practices

    May 31, 2023

    (Part III of IV) Part one of this four-part series discussed the unit principle of property appraisal. Part two discussed the methods of economic obsolescence measurement. This third part recommends best practices responses to the most typical assessment authority objections for economic obsolescence measurements. Introduction Valuation analysts (“analysts”) are often asked to develop value for complex industrial and commercial properties for taxation and other purposes. Unit principle appraisals value these complex properties as a single unit operating collectively on a going concern basis. And the analysis of economic obsolescence is an important cost approach component in the unit principle appraisal…

  • QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Economic Obsolescence Measurement Best Practices

    May 10, 2023

    (Part I of IV) Valuation analysts (“analysts”) are often asked to value special-purpose industrial and commercial property. These analyses may be developed for various purposes, including taxation purposes. This discussion focuses on the identification and measurement of economic obsolescence in the application of the cost approach to value such special-purpose property. This topic is particularly relevant to the unit principle appraisal of integrated and complex properties operating on a going-concern basis. Analysts and tax assessors often apply the unit principle of appraisal to value such complex industrial and commercial properties for state and local ad valorem tax appeal and litigation…

  • Litigation Consulting - QuickRead Top Story

    Looking Back to Go Forward

    December 7, 2022

    A Review of the Basics for Lost Profits (Part III) This is the third installment of this series. The first part provided an overall introduction to this review of the basics for lost profits. The second part reviewed the similarities and differences between estimating lost profits and litigious based business valuations. This installment takes a deeper look into the methods for calculating lost profits. Four methods based on the “but for” theory are examined. The discussion of each methodology highlights the approaches taken for calculating lost profits and weaknesses or concerns that arise with each method. Read Part I Here…

  • QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    What Changes to the Lease Accounting Standards Means

    June 22, 2022

    For Business Valuations Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 842: Leases is the lease accounting standard published by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, which replaces prior guidance from ASC Topic 840. ASC 842 brings previously off-balance sheet operating leases onto a company’s balance sheet. The new standard takes effect for private companies in fiscal years starting after December 15, 2021, and represents a fundamental change to financial statements, which are the foundation of business valuation analyses. This article will focus on potential impacts to a valuation analysis because of the change in accounting standards. Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 842: Leases…

  • Intellectual Property - QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Intellectual Property Valuations

    December 8, 2021

    The Relief From Royalty Method (Part I of V) This is the first article of a five-part series that focuses on what valuation analysts and owner/operators need to know about one category of intangible property: intellectual property. There are generally accepted cost approach, market approach, and income approach methods that may be used to value intellectual property. This discussion focuses on the application of the market approach. This discussion focuses on one market approach valuation method: the RFR method. The RFR method is often applied to value an owner/operator’s intellectual property for transaction, taxation, financing, accounting, litigation, and many other…

  • QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Cost Approach to Intellectual Property Valuation

    October 13, 2021

    Part I: Conceptual Principles This is a four-part article series. The articles and discussion focus on the conceptual principles and the practical applications of the cost approach in the development of intellectual property valuations. Part I of this discussion focuses on the conceptual principles that support the application of the cost approach to intellectual property valuation. Part II describes the generally accepted cost approach valuation methods. Part III describes the practical measurement procedures related to intellectual property cost metrics and obsolescence metrics. Part IV presents several illustrative examples of the application of the cost approach in hypothetical intellectual property valuation…

  • QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Should the Market Approach be Excluded

    June 25, 2021

    When Guideline Companies are Not Very Good? When given a choice, do you prefer to minimize errors of commission or omission? The answer will likely influence your view as to whether the market approach should be used when valuing a company with guideline companies that are not very good. Someone who seeks to minimize errors of commission will likely exclude the market approach due to the difficulties in executing the analysis. Conversely, someone who seeks to minimize errors of omission will likely include the market approach due to the insight it can provide as a ‘sanity check’ to the other…

  • Litigation Consulting - Mergers and Acquisitions/Exit Planning - QuickRead Top Story

    Delaware Chancellor Rejects “Apples-to-Oranges” Damages Analysis

    April 21, 2021

    Dieckman v. Regency GP LP et al. This article discusses Dieckman v. Regency GP, LP, a recent Delaware Chancery Court decision. It is a reminder for valuation professionals providing damages testimony to be wary when mixing the use of the market approach and income approach when estimating damages in situations where multiple entities are involved. For example, using the income approach in valuing the allegedly harmed subject company and then using a market approach for a similarly situated company that allegedly harmed the subject company (and vice versa). On February 15, 2021, Chancellor Andre Bouchard of the Delaware Court of…

  • QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Book Review

    January 13, 2021

    The Art of Business Valuation: Accurately Valuing a Small Business This is a book review of The Art of Busines Valuation: Accurately Valuing a Small Business. This book is a guide and desk reference for valuing businesses under $10 million in revenues. The primary question answered in the book is: How do we as business valuators, business brokers, accountants, lawyers, owners, and other interested parties prepare, review, evaluate, or use an accurate business valuation for small and very small businesses in a difficult environment? A business valuation is not just a matter of applying techniques, it has to make sense.…

  • QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Paycheck Protection Program

    November 18, 2020

    Valuation Considerations When PPP Has Been Used The Payroll Protection Program (PPP) is a program established in 2020 by the U.S. Congress entitled the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act known as the CARES ACT. This Act, which was in response to the President’s closing of the economy on March 13, 2020, was enacted to assist certain businesses, self-employed, sole proprietors, certain nonprofit organizations, and American Tribal businesses in continuing to pay their employees. In this article, the author addresses how a PPP loan should be treated when the entity is the subject of a valuation. A Little History…

  • QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Valuing a Wealth Management Business

    February 19, 2020

    The Art and Science Most businesses have special characteristics that affect its value. Some are endemic to the industry and some relate to the personal nature of those managing the business. Wealth management businesses have both characteristics. Here are some considerations that go into determining the valuation. Most businesses have special characteristics that affect its value. Some are endemic to the industry and some relate to the personal nature of those managing the business. Wealth management businesses have both characteristics. Here are some considerations that go into determining the valuation. Defining a Wealth Management Business Wealth management businesses manage investible…

  • QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Issues in Estimating

    December 11, 2019

    The Cost of Equity Capital (Part II of II) This is the second of a two-part series article focused on issues that arise estimating the cost of equity capital. In most forensic-related valuation analyses, one procedure that affects most valuations is the measurement of the present value discount rate. This discount rate analysis may affect the forensic-related valuation of private companies, business ownership interests, securities, and intangible assets. This discussion summarizes three models that analysts typically apply to estimate the cost of equity capital component of the present value discount rate: (1) the capital asset pricing model, (2) the modified…

  • QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Issues in Estimating

    December 4, 2019

    The Cost of Equity Capital (Part I of II) This is the first of a two-part series article focused on issues that arise estimating the cost of equity capital. In most forensic-related valuation analyses, one procedure that affects most valuations is the measurement of the present value discount rate. This discount rate analysis may affect the forensic-related valuation of private companies, business ownership interests, securities, and intangible assets. This discussion summarizes three models that analysts typically apply to estimate the cost of equity capital component of the present value discount rate: (1) the capital asset pricing model, (2) the modified…

  • QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Terminal Value

    October 16, 2019

    The Problem with Exit Multiples Most of an Income Approach-based valuation is frequently in the terminal value. Thus, an Income Approach-based valuation that relies on an exit multiple to arrive at a terminal value is essentially a Market Approach-based valuation in disguise. Many practitioners do not use an exit multiple to arrive at a terminal value for this reason. Nevertheless, numerous practitioners prefer to use an exit multiple. The basis is straight-forward: the goal is to arrive at a value of the business at the end of the discrete projection period and a hypothetical sale at that time is likely…

  • Practice Management

    Book Review

    February 21, 2018

    The Business Valuation Bench Book by William J. Morrison and Jay E. Fishman In this article, Ed Mendlowitz provides readers a review of William J. Morrison and Jay E. Fishman’s The Business Valuation Bench Book; a book geared to judges.

  • QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Which is Best: EV/EBITDA, EV/EBITA, or EV/EBIT?

    January 17, 2018

    Adherence to Development and Reporting Standards in Family Law Litigation When applied correctly, the Market Approach can link value to market evidence and help support a thorough and well-reasoned valuation. However, valuation analysts often struggle with a variety of challenges when applying the Market Approach that include locating and selecting good comparable companies, selecting or calculating various valuation multiples from reported data, and weighting or selecting indications of value derived from various applied multiples. Recently published research from Doron Nissim at the Columbia Business School at Columbia University NY may shed some light on the best measure of operating performance…