• Case Law - Litigation Consulting - QuickRead Top Story

    Case Study—Royalties and Lost Profits from Intellectual Property Infringement

    Theory into Practice In our literature and at professional conferences, we often discuss the theoretical aspects of our work. For lost profits this includes discussions on the best method for valuing lost profits (before and after, yard stick, but for) or the optimal discount method (ex ante, ex post, or hybrid). Occasionally, these become academic debates with little impact on our “real life” work. This year, I received an assignment that allowed me to apply some of these theoretical ideas to real life circumstances. This case involved stolen intellectual properties and three separate loss categories: lost royalties, lost profits, and…

  • QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Book Review

    Best Practices: Thought Leadership in Valuation, Damages, and Transfer Price Analysis This fall, Robert F. Reilly and Robert P. Schweihs published Best Practices: Thought Leadership in Valuation, Damages, and Transfer Price Analysis. The book celebrates the 50th anniversary of Willamette Management Associates and is intended to present thought leadership. The topics selected for inclusion are topics that the authors felt did not already enjoy thought leadership discussion in the current literature. As the authors note: “we were not satisfied with the breadth or depth of the available literature in [many of the topics covered]. We usually concluded: Someone should write…

  • QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Issues in Estimating

    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…

  • Practice Management - QuickRead Top Story

    Option Pricing

    Not For Your DLOM, For Your Proposal Have you read any of the literature addressing value pricing? Ron Baker is the authority in this filed. In this article, Rod Burkert introduces the subject of pricing options, a menu of services and fee choices prospects can consider, so as to remove or mitigate price as an objection to hiring. Have you read any of the literature addressing value pricing? Ron Baker is the authority in this field. I highly recommend his book, Implementing Value Pricing: A Radical Business Model for Professional Firms, for an introduction to the basics and his Facebook…

  • QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Issues in Estimating

    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…

  • Practice Management - QuickRead Top Story

    How to Write a Case Story

    In Nine Easy Steps Professionals marketing for their accounting, valuation, and finance already know that case stories can be powerful tools when selling your services. However, most case studies are dry, dull, and deadly. Even case studies built on the old challenge/solution/results model can be made more compelling. In this article, the author suggests several  ways to present a compelling case story. Professionals marketing for their accounting, valuation. and finance already know that case stories can be powerful tools when selling your services. However, most case studies are dry, dull. and deadly. Even case studies built on the old challenge/solution/results…

  • QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Terminal Values in DCFs

    And Runaway Valuations In a discounted cash flow analysis, a large portion of a firm’s value is typically attributed to the terminal value, i.e., the value beyond the projection period. Valuation presentations often show or discuss what happens to the firm’s value if the perpetuity growth rate (PGR) is changed. In this sensitivity analysis, it is common to see wild swings in valuations because the terminal value changes a lot when one changes the PGR for a given level of weighted average cost of capital (WACC). However, this large variation in terminal values could be a result of not linking…

  • Litigation Consulting - QuickRead Top Story

    Managing Business Interruption Claims

    What Forensic Accountants Need to Avoid Doing What do forensic accountants need to know when performing a business interruption loss engagement? What are some of the common errors and pitfalls that forensic accountants need to avoid? In this article, the author will answer these questions as well as walk through the process of performing a business interruption loss engagement. [su_pullquote align=”right”]Resources: Business Interruptions and Lost Profits [/su_pullquote] When natural disasters or damages occur and business operations are interrupted, forensic accountants are an invaluable tool for both the insured and the insurance companies. Forensic accountants are engaged to calculate a fair…

  • QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Equity Size Premium

    Observations and Delaware Fair Value (Part II of II) This is the second of a two-part article, read Part I here, that focuses on empirical evidence supporting the size premium adjustment, observations regarding the CRSP size premium 10th decile category, liquidity issues that may account for the size premium, and certain Delaware Chancery Court decisions involving a size premium discussion. In this second part, the author focuses on the latter two points. These are discussed since in the past few years there have been numerous fair value business valuation related disputes decided by the Delaware Court of Chancery that involved…

  • Practice Management - QuickRead Top Story

    Is Self-Employment

    A Risk Reduction Strategy? Being self-employed is no longer code for “recently laid-off” or “fired”. The self-employed professional diversifies risk. It is a privilege for the talented, but it also requires motivation and continual sharpening of the saw. How ready are you to assess your talents? Level of risk tolerance?   As a practice development coach for our industry, I get a ton of questions asking what it’s like to be a sole practitioner and why did I choose to be one. Well, I’ve been practicing on my own since July 2000, so I have some insight. But I want…

  • QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Equity Size Premium

    Observations and Delaware Fair Value (Part I of II) This is a two-part article that focuses on empirical evidence supporting the size premium adjustment, observations regarding the CRSP size premium 10th decile category, liquidity issues that may account for the size premium, and certain Delaware Chancery Court decisions involving a size premium discussion. These are discussed since in the past few years there have been numerous fair value business valuation related disputes decided by the Delaware Court of Chancery that involved certain cost of equity capital postulates. Valuation analysts should be aware of potential issues related to incorporating a size…

  • Practice Management - QuickRead Top Story

    Five Tips

    For Finding Guest Blogging Opportunities Have you considered an article you have written on another website, posting a guest blog? What are the benefits? How hard is it to get or become a guest blogger? In this article, the author discusses the opportunities of posting a guest blog. [su_pullquote align=”right”]Resources: Get Published in QuickRead[/su_pullquote] Have you ever considered writing a guest blog to reach new audiences? If you already post blogs on your own site, guest blogging may be much easier than you would think. More importantly, doing so is also a great way to expand your audience, promote your thought…

  • QuickPress

    Poor Recruitment Processes Can Damage Brands

    Research into recruitment experiences has underlined the potential damage caused to brands by negative processes. These might include failure to provide feedback and to acknowledge receipt of the application. To read the full article in Personnel Today, click: Poor Recruitment Processes Can Damage Brands.

  • QuickPress

    The Best CEO-CFO Team for M&As

    Buyouts engineered by optimistic CEOs and pessimistic CFOs have the best odds of success. As the U.S.-China trade war drags on, sirens are going off on sales, earnings, and growth forecasts around the world. But one aspect of corporate activity is bucking the gloom: mergers and acquisitions (M&As). Global appetite for M&As is at a 10-year peak, fueled by years of sustained economic growth and low cost of debt. To read the full article in Instead Knowledge, click: The Best CEO-CFO Team for M&As.

  • QuickPress

    Report Finds Shift in Accounting Firm Hiring

    CPA firms are turning to nonaccounting graduates in increasing numbers, a new AICPA survey reveals. Nonaccounting graduates constituted 31% of all new graduate hires in public accounting in 2018, an increase of 11 percentage points over 2016, according to the 2019 Trends in the Supply of Accounting Graduates and the Demand for Public Accounting Recruits. To read the full article in Journal of Accountancy, click: Report Finds Shift in Accounting Firm Hiring.

  • QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Confronting Behavior Bias

    In Financial Projections (Part II of II) This is a two-part article that considers the review and assessment of prospective financial information. Specifically, this discussion describes the behavioral bias that may influence financial projections. This discussion should inform any party involved in compiling or assessing financial projections. This discussion is particularly relevant for fiduciaries who may be involved in the transaction or other investment decision-making process. In Part I of this article, the authors discussed key questions fiduciaries should ask to understand financial projections and eliminate or reduce bias. In this second-part, the authors discuss company-specific considerations—a qualitative approach and…

  • Case Law - QuickRead Top Story

    Litigious Attitude Couple With Major Blunders Leads to Big Loss

    Lessons on Ill-Conceived Strategies that Companies Should Avoid Doing in Business and in Litigation Being aggressive in business and in litigation is considered an advantage. But, as illustrated in a recent 7th Circuit case, it is possible to be overly aggressive. When this is coupled with some serious mistakes in business and in litigation, it can be disastrous. The cases, 4SEMO.COM Incorporated v. Southern Illinois Storm Shelters, Inc., Ingoldsby Excavating, Inc. and Bob Ingoldsby, 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, Nos. 18-1998 and 18-2095, October 7, 2019) offer experts, lawyers, and business owners lessons on how an unchecked ego and an…

  • QuickPress

    Improve Your Meetings: The Attendee List

    Getting rid of meetings is the false solution, since they are forums for organizational democracy, knowledge sharing, decision-making, and communication. Thus, recent business books and scientific studies have focused on improving meetings and increasing meeting ROI through evidence-based practices. To read the full article in Financial Management, click: Improve Your Meetings: The Attendee List.

  • QuickPress

    Foreign-Derived Intangible Income Guidance Addresses Many Open Questions

    The law known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) made many significant changes to the international tax regime. One important change is Sec. 250, which was enacted by Section 14202(a) of the TCJA, and generally provides a domestic C corporation (1) a deduction for its foreign-derived intangible income (FDII) for the tax year, and (2) a deduction for its Sec. 951A global intangible low-taxed income (GILTI) inclusion for the tax year. To read the full article in The Tax Advisor, click: Foreign-Derived Intangible Income Guidance Addresses Many Open Questions.

  • QuickPress

    Six Tips for Decluttering Your Digital Workspace

    Just as cluttered stacks of paper can become overwhelming in the workplace, so can an overflowing e-mail inbox or a computer desktop littered with electronic files. “From a productivity standpoint, a cluttered desktop and files equals a cluttered mind.” To read the full article in Journal of Accountancy, click: Six Tips for Decluttering Your Digital Workspace.