A Case Study An ESOP is one of many options available to business owners considering succession-planning options. There are substantial advantages, but there are also regulatory and cost considerations. A feasibility study may suggest whether the ESOP is an appropriate option. In this article, authors Kelly Finnell and Andrew Holmes share their views on when an ESOP is feasible using a case study. ...

Simple Steps to Save Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars By implementing just a few simple steps and procedures, business owners can catch or prevent financial fraud that can have devastating financial and personal consequences. In this article, Chris Hamilton outlines six simple steps business owners can put into practice today. ...

A Case Study, Part 2 of 2 In this second part of the article, Dr. Allyn Needham examines post-Till cases from the northern and western districts of Texas, highlights the problems encountered using the Formula Approach, and tests whether the Contract Approach may have provided a better approach and reduced the incidence of litigation where a cramdown is proposed. Ultimately, Dr. Needham proposes that despite ...

A Case Study, Part 1 of 2 In the Till decision, the U.S. Supreme Court selected the Formula Approach to provide a straightforward, familiar, and objective method for determining the cramdown interest rate to be paid on secured claims in Chapter 13 cases, minimizing the need for potentially costly additional evidentiary proceedings. Many bankruptcy courts have found this decision instructive and directive fo ...

Restrictions on Distributions and Impact on DLOM…Who Else Will Follow? In 2009 Nevada Senate Bill 350 was passed into law. This law authorized the creation of two new business entities: the Restricted LLC and Restricted LP. The bill also allowed for the conversion of existing entities into one of the above types. In this article, Eric J. Barr provides an overview of these two entities and raises questions r ...

How to Implement Value Pricing in Your Firm, Part 3 In this third article of the three-part series, Ronald Baker discusses how to implement a value pricing model and the advantages this model presents over the hourly billing model. Again, the focus is on the value provided to the customer and communicating this to clients. Read Part 1 and Part 2. ...

In this article, Robert Cimasi and Matthew Wagner provide a roadmap of the valuation and legal issues valuation professionals confront valuing a medical practice that also provides ancillary and technical component (ASTC) services. The fact that the ASTC services are often integrated with the professional services of a practice does not restrict the ASTC service line from having value separate and aside fro ...

Revenues in veterinary practices continue to climb, but profitability has fallen. The supply-demand currently favoring sellers is about to change, and that is expected to impact sellers. These practices have options—other than selling to a consolidator—and will remain attractive to associates; however, vet practices will need to be proactive to control costs to command a better price. ...

Lessons to be learned by Valuators from Cavallaro v. Commissioner Cavallaro v. Commissioner holds some valuable lessons for valuation experts. Following a tax-free merger of two companies owned between different family members, the children of the petitioners (and owners of one of the companies, pre-merger) received 81 percent of the stock in the merged entity. Differences arose between one set of accountan ...

Issues in Hedge Fund Valuations The proliferation of hedge funds presents an opportunity for valuation analysts. In this article, the author provides an overview of the hedge fund industry, compares the manner in which hedge funds operate vis-à-vis private equity and venture capital, and outlines the opportunities and challenges for valuation analysts interested in serving this market sector. ...

Recognizing Hindsight and Projection Bias How can one expert opine that the company is insolvent and another expert—viewing the same financial statement—opine that the company is solvent? In this article, Michael Vitti answers this question and provides an overview of what is considered a preference and a fraudulent transfer. ...

In Chapter 11 Bankruptcies, Part 2 Financial experts may be called on to provide a number of services in Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases. Common among these services is the analysis of the interest rate to be paid on secured claims, the valuing of the bankrupt business or a portion of the bankrupt estate, and the creation or analysis of cash flow projections to assist in determining the feasibility of the reorg ...

In Chapter 11 Bankruptcies, Part 1 of 2 Financial experts may be called on to provide a number of services in Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases. Common among these services is the analysis of the interest rate to be paid on secured claims, the valuing of the bankrupt business or a portion of the bankrupt estate, and the creation or analysis of cash flow projections to assist in determining the feasibility of the ...

Best Practices for Estimating DLOMs In this article, Shannon Pratt suggests that practitioners are not using effectively the DLOM databases and defending the DLOM. Dr. Pratt presents a methodology that he argues is more defensible and comprehensive. ...

Fifth Circuit Reverses the U.S. Tax Court and Upholds the Fractional-Ownership Discount The Fifth Circuit reversed the U.S. Tax Court recognizing the fractional-ownership discount advanced by the Estate of Elkins and awarding the Elkins family a $14.4 million estate tax refund. Joseph Brophy explores the recent ruling. ...

Method for dissenting shareholder appraisal actions The consideration of the subject company’s industry (the subject industry) when applying the Income Approach—Discounted Cash Flow Method—is an important issue for the valuation analyst, specifically as it relates to shareholder appraisal rights actions. The Delaware Chancery Court regularly provides guidance as to the proper consideration of the subject in ...

Opinions are like viewpoints; everyone has one Opinions are often provided in connection with calculation values and a conclusion of value. SSVS No. 1 does not prohibit or explicitly endorse either. In this article, Jim Hitchner shares his views on whether the term “opinion”―offered in a litigation or non-litigation engagement—should be used as part of the engagement or offered in connection with a calculat ...

Analyze early and avoid earnings surprises The purchase price allocation (PPA) process is often treated as an afterthought in mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Thinking about PPA can help guide a deal to a more predictable conclusion. In the most rewarding deals, a prompt PPA process helps acquirers analyze, from a financial reporting point of view, the primary drivers or intangible values associated with ...

Approaches and Methods Used to Realize Income from Licensing IP Assets This article discusses valuation topics related to a subset of intangible assets which are most applicable to healthcare businesses. Business valuation professionals are often engaged to value specific intangible assets, either as part of a detailed business valuation or after a transaction has been completed. When valuing healthcare-ori ...

Know your data! Understanding the data that is applied in an analysis is important. Data that relies on standard industrial classification (SIC) codes can be misleading for industries that have changed—or did not exist—in 1987. As business models and industries evolve, it pays, as Bob Bridges explains in this article, to do a closer analysis. ...