Highlights the “Good” and “Bad” Hindsight Debate Many predictions are doomed to fail whereas hindsight is undefeated. Predicting the future is very difficult due to the countless permutations that can occur. By contrast, anyone can observe what happened after the fact. Not surprisingly, it can be tempting to focus on the reliability of hindsight over the (typically) more relevant contemporaneous projections ...

to Convert Leads into New Business In this post, Dr. Frederiksen shares some thoughts on ways to use virtual marketing to increase visibility, communicate your expertise, and build engagement with prospects. In the age of COVID-19, these marketing techniques are essential to a firm’s survival. In my most recent post, I explained some key advantages of virtual marketing over more traditional approaches. In t ...

Time to Revisit this Tool If you think Monte Carlo simulations are too complex to use in business valuation, you are not alone. There are three main reasons valuators shy away from using Monte Carlo analysis: 1) they do not totally understand it, 2) it involves statistical analysis and most would prefer not to relive their college statistics class, and 3) it is difficult to explain, especially to a jury. A ...

Avoiding Trademark Infringement Sometimes you need to use your competitors' trademarks to sell your products or services. This is particularly true when you are selling, for example, replacement parts, and need to say that your replacements are compatible with the trademark owners’ products. It can also be important when providing services such as repair. If you repair BMW automobiles, you need to let other ...

and its Impact on Lost Profits Calculations These are challenging times. Financial experts are faced with economic uncertainty and differing projections from various sources as to what the “new normal” will look like. Regardless of the economic circumstances, financial experts are hired to estimate lost profits. These calculations must be made with reasonable certainty. But to be reasonably certain, proxima ...

Personal Damages Calculations and Exposure to COVID-19 Financial experts who, in the past, have been reluctant to take on personal injury economic damages as part of their practice should reconsider that decision today. Not only is the field growing and on the verge of a potentially huge boom driven by the COVID-19 crisis, there are plenty of resources to help you quickly get up to speed performing these ty ...

In a SPAC Merger Transaction The fair value of equity consideration issued in a merger involving a public company is generally calculated as the product of the quoted price for the individual equity instrument times the quantity issued (commonly referred to a “P times Q”). However, if the merger involves a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), determining “P” can be subjective and may result in differ ...

Caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic Business leaders, tax practitioners, and attorneys are considering how to address the serious challenges that may arise from disruptions in commercial activities due to business closures, travel restrictions, and stay-at-home orders that were put in place in many countries around the world in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. This is also impacting transfer pricing syst ...

and “Voodoo” Economic Forecasts? One of the issues facing the business valuation community as well as business owners is the newly created accounting metric called “EBITDAC”, which stands for Earnings Before Interests, Taxes, Depreciation, Amortization, and Coronavirus. This is a non-GAAP accounting metric used by some companies today to raise more debts from lending institutions by adjusting or recasting t ...

Here’s How to Land Them What is an aspirational client? How can valuation professionals find and engage them? In this article, Rod Burkert shares his insight and experience finding aspirational clients. Aspirational clients. Who are they? What steps does it take to land them? Why are they important to our practice growth? When we started our practices, we were happy with the clients we got because we needed ...

Marketing During COVID-19 and Beyond Over the past few months, COVID-19 has become a household word, and shelter-in-place orders have rocked the business world. Small wonder that the concept of virtual marketing and business development has jumped to center stage. Nearly overnight, thousands of professional services firms have begun scrambling to figure out how to replace the only marketing approach they ha ...

The Court Opens to Tax-Affecting In Estate of Jones, the court addressed the tax affecting issue along with several other issues discussed in the valuation world today, including the proper approach for valuing an operating timber business (income vs. asset-based), the reliability of management projections, and the appropriate discount for lack of marketability. For the first time in 20 years, a valuation e ...

Forensic engagements that involve determining lost profits or other economic damages often require a “time series” of economic and market data. When the lost profits or other economic damages engagement involves comparing international companies, multi-country economic data, and international market data, the challenges in locating meaningful data become especially difficult. In this article, the authors sh ...

Procedures and Bankruptcy Code Changes for CPAs and Consultants A business or individual facing financial distress can utilize three types of federal bankruptcies to attempt to resolve their financial difficulties. This article provides an overview of the differences and when each would be used. Keep in mind that bankruptcy is a legal proceeding and must be handled by an attorney. However, business and fina ...

Their Potential Impact on Valuing a Construction Contractor Construction claims may impact the value of a construction company. In this article, the author discusses the issues that arise and the methodologies that may impact the valuation. A construction claim is a demand made by the contractor to the owner for additional revenue for construction work performed on a construction project which is beyond the ...

For When a Client Wants to Sell Their Business The authors in this article share a checklist developed and provided to firm clients contemplating a sell of their business. Following are the steps involved when a client wants to sell their business. Buyers can also use this list as a timeline and road map of the steps that are expected to occur and what is expected of them. ❏  Be sure client wants to se ...

Repurchase Obligation Liability There are certain valuation aspects that are unique to employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) sponsor company valuation engagements. The ESOP repurchase obligation is one of those aspects. There is a diversity of practice in the valuation profession as to how to treat the repurchase obligation for sponsor company valuations performed for ESOP administration purposes. There are ...

Seven Things You Can Do When You Have Nothing To Do You were humming along nicely … until the shelter-in-place orders hit. All cylinders were firing. You were busy! And now you are not … or not as. What do you do with the (hopefully temporary) lull? Panic? Or use the opportunity to systematically find more work? You were humming along nicely … until the shelter-in-place orders hit. All cylinders were firing ...

Target Market Research Why do some professional services firms grow faster than others? The 2020 High Growth Study provides insights on this topic—and on the impact of doing original research about one’s target audience. The author in this article shares the value of target marketing. Why do some professional services firms grow faster than others? The 2020 High Growth Study provides insights on this topic— ...

A Leverage ESOP versus a Non-Leverage ESOP An employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) is a qualified retirement plan that allows employees to hold equity in the sponsor company that employs them. There are various strategies that may be considered when the sponsor company forms an ESOP. One important structural decision regarding the ESOP formation is whether the ESOP will be leveraged or non-leveraged. This d ...