Managing Expectations of Sellers and Buyers Using the Right Standard of Value The author presents eight standards of value that a valuation analyst may need to consider and discuss with a client. Each standard has a different set of rules and the valuations can vary greatly. Valuing a business is an art – not a science – even though careful calculations are made to arrive at an appraisal of the business. Th ...

Privately held companies can expect the level of scrutiny over equity compensation-related valuation to increase with the size of the equity compensation grant. Getting the valuation process right the first time for equity compensation grant compliance is always the least expensive route says Sujan Rajbhandary, vice president, and senior member of Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Valuation Group. In thi ...

Distinct Qualities and Considerations (Part 2 of 2) In the first part of this series, the author looked at some of the methodologies for considering closely held or private companies. In this second part, the last of the two-part series, the author reviews some of the IRS, judicial, investment banking practices. and other considerations in the valuation process. ...

There are clear signs that the “easy” portfolio valuations that have existed in 2013 and 2014 may be coming to an end in 2015.  Travis W. Harms who leads Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Valuation Group, discusses the expansion in multiples and their role in the favorable equity market returns over the past two years.  He also discusses the impact of high-yield credit spreads, the energy sector, and loa ...

The Myth of Efficient Market Cramdown Rate In December 2014, the American Bankruptcy Institute issued its Final Report and Recommendations of the Commission to Study the Reform of Chapter 11. The Commission was comprised of 22 professionals. The group included attorneys, academics, financial advisers, and a former bankruptcy judge. After over two years of work, the Commission made more than 200 recommendati ...

A Primer on the Approaches and Issues Involved in Valuing Trademarks Valuation analysts are often called on to perform valuation, damages, and transfer price analyses of trademark-related intangible property for various purposes. This discussion describes the valuation of trademarks within the context of both financial accounting and income tax accounting (in particular, tax-related intercompany transfer pr ...

A Chapter 11 reorganization is a chaotic and challenging time for a distressed company says Samantha L. Albert, a senior financial analyst with Mercer Capital. There are many valuation-related considerations that management teams and financial advisers need to have knowledge of. This article discusses five key concepts to focus on when proceeding with a Chapter 11 reorganization. This article is republished ...

Business owners contemplating retirement should obtain a business valuation to determine the value of the business and whether the other resources will provide financial security. The conversation and successful engagement also requires that the valuation analyst understand the owner’s motivating factors, or the qualitative information. Obtaining the right price is important, but holding out for a larger va ...

Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) valuation is simple at its core, yet often intimidates many says Aswath Damodaran, Professor of Finance at the Stern School of Business at New York University.  You need one only theory to value companies that is based on the equation that the value of an asset is the value of the expected cash flows over its lifetime, adjusted for risk and the time value of money. To learn how to ...

and the Process for the Valuation of a Closely Held Business (Part 1 of 2) Assessing shareholder value for either publicly held or privately held companies are two sides of the same coin. The U.S. capital markets have undergone significant changes in the past several years. This development in turn has had an impact on how these two types of companies are valued. Valuing public companies can be rather strai ...

Particular challenges can arise in goodwill impairment valuation and accounting when a company acquires a business located in another country.   When goodwill accounting standards are strictly applied, under U.S. GAAP or IFRS, the differences between write-offs taken in one country versus another should be minimal. This article delves into some of the notable differences in goodwill impairment conclusions w ...

The proper usage of company management-prepared projections when applying the Income Approach—Discounted Cash Flow Method—is an ongoing issue for any valuation analyst, especially as it relates to shareholder appraisal rights actions. The Delaware Chancery Court regularly provides guidance as to the proper usage of management projections when applying the Discounted Cash Flow Method within a dissenting shar ...

Thoughts from Experienced Litigation and Business Valuation Professionals Entering the Industry In this article, seasoned BV and litigation support professionals John DelGrego and Heidi Walker share why litigation can be invaluable to a BV professional. The co-authors also expound on the professional perils and high expectations placed by the Tax Court on expert witnesses. Expert witnesses must be objective ...

In this article, Peter Rahe describes how he presents the subject of market multiples to attorneys. He also raises important questions about business valuation multiples. ...

A Drop-Dead Plan for the Unprepared In this article, Edward Mendlowitz shares his views regarding the importance of having a buy-sell agreement. He proposes a “drop-dead plan” or method that, while imperfect, addresses how owners can arrive at an initial value that does not necessarily require a Conclusion of Value, especially if the owners are not related. Significantly, Mendlowitz stresses the importance ...

Evolving Accounting Standards for CPAs Wiley author Joanne Flood reviews three significant Accounting Standards Updates (ASU).  First, she reviews ASU 2014–08, issued in April 2014. This ASU focuses on Reporting [for] Discontinued Operations.  This ASU changes the criteria for determining which disposals can be presented as discontinued operations.  In the remaining portion of the article, she summarizes ch ...

Business valuation (BV) liability claims are not as frequent compared to other litigation risks faced by practitioners. On the other hand, there are BV-related liability claims that exist, especially in cases where a valuation report was used to guide financial decisions by businesses, lending services, regulatory agencies, and others, according to Frank Vinluan, in the January 21 issue of FVS News.   ...

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Reverses U.S. Tax Court On December 5, 2014, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals “reversed and remanded for recalculation of value” a Tax Court Memo decision in Estate of Natale B. Giustina, Deceased, v. Commissioner (No. 12-71747). The case involves the valuation of a 41.128 percent partnership interest in Giustina Land and Timber Company Limited Partnership and raises importa ...

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 ...