• QuickRead Featured - Valuation/Appraisal

    Exploring the Pluris® Restricted Stock Database and DLOM Calculator

    A White Paper Detailing Use of the Pluris Database to Develop a DLOM (Part III of III) The Pluris DLOM methodology involves calculating two values: Restricted Stock Equivalent Discount (RSED) and Private Equity Discount Increment (PEDI). Does RSED represent an illiquid position that does not directly relate to the lack of marketability of a private held business? How reliable is the RSED DLOM? As for PEDI, how reliable is the methodology? In this article, Marc Vianello answers these questions and provides more insight on the methodology employed. Read Part I here. Read Part II here.

  • QuickRead Featured - Valuation/Appraisal

    Exploring the Pluris® Restricted Stock Database and DLOM Calculator

    A White Paper Detailing Use of the Pluris Database to Develop a DLOM (Part II of III) In this second part, of a three-part series, Marc Vianello examines whether discounts reported in PLURIS DLOM Database are consistent with past changes in SEC Rule 144 required holding periods; How the PLURIS Restricted Stock Discounts Correlate with other reported Metrics; How to use PLURIS Database for Benchmarking; and the two challenges practitioners attempting to benchmark will encounter using the PLURIS Database. Read Part I here.

  • QuickRead Featured - QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Analyzing Complex Appraisals for Business Professionals by Shannon P. Pratt and John Lifflander

    Appraisals from Real Estate, Machinery and Equipment to Business Valuation: Book Review by Michael D. Pakter The purpose of this book review is to introduce the reader to Shannon P. Pratt’s newest book, co-authored with John Lifflander. For those improbable few business valuation professionals who do not know who Dr. Pratt is, he is the Chairman and CEO of Shannon Pratt Business Valuation, Inc. and Publisher Emeritus for Business Valuation Resources LLC.

  • QuickRead Featured - QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Inherited Property

    The Tax Rules Were Never Friendlier, But Changes May be on the Way The biggest loophole in the tax code may soon be coming to an end—at least according to the messages sent by the Obama administration and its recent budget proposals. The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA) set a whole new tone for most estate plans when it took the dreaded estate tax off the table. However, it is no secret that the IRS has been making a concerted effort to recapture some of the revenues lost from property transfers by way of gift or upon death.…

  • QuickRead Featured - Valuation/Appraisal

    Exploring the Pluris® Restricted Stock Database and DLOM Calculator

    A White Paper Detailing Use of the Pluris Database to Develop a DLOM (Part I of III) Business valuation practitioners continue to debate the merits of different databases to develop a discount for lack of marketability (DLOM).  In this first- of a three-part series, Marc Vianello discusses what the Pluris DLOM database is, explores how accurately Pluris transactions are reported, and discusses how the Pluris DLOM Database has been presented to the business valuation community.

  • QuickRead Featured - QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Yes, Yet Another Article on the “Settlement” But With a Twist

    Analysis of Unaudited Financial Statements—Who and How? There has been much discussion within the ESOP community about the “settlement” and its reverberations. As readers are likely aware, the settlement in question refers to the 2014 settlement agreement between GreatBanc Trust Company and the United States Department of Labor (DOL). The terms of the settlement include, among other things, an agreement concerning fiduciary engagements and process requirements for employer stock transactions. The settlement provides pause for thought for all trustees and their advisors, as the agreement can be viewed as a “playbook” that, if followed, could serve as evidence that the…

  • QuickRead Featured - QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    30 Ways to Structure a Transfer of a Business to a Successor

    Ways 1 through 15 (Part I of II) This is the first of a two-part article, where Edward Mendlowitz shares fifteen of the thirty ways to structure a transfer of a business to a successor. Mendlowitz stresses that a succession plan is important and too often overlooked by business owner(s) involved in day-to-day operations. Capturing the value and having a strategy in place provides ongoing cash flow, a degree of financial security to the owner(s) and their family, and certainty to a host of people that have a business relationship with the subject business. Capturing that value should be a…

  • Litigation Consulting - QuickRead Featured - Valuation/Appraisal

    Impact of Inadequate Discovery

    in a Divorce Proceeding Not all is fair in love and war when it comes to the fight for business records within a matrimonial action. When one spouse is denied adequate discovery, his or her case can quickly begin to unravel. Usually, some records are available either because the spouse had some previous access or there was a partial document production. Business appraisers should consider all appropriate means to obtain needed discovery. Failing to obtain sufficient, reliable discovery can ultimately result in the production of a report that is incorrect and/or rejected by the courts.

  • QuickRead Featured - Valuation/Appraisal

    Top Highlights

    NACVA’s Silver Anniversary Conference NACVA and the CTI’s 2016 Annual Consultants’ Conference held this past June in San Diego, CA was a spectacular assembly of presenters, attendees, exhibitors, candidates, and staff. This one pulled out all the stops, featuring prestigious keynote speakers, engaging training sessions, an assortment of networking opportunities, and many more events to enjoy. It proved to be a truly remarkable Silver Anniversary celebration.

  • QuickRead Featured - QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Discounts for Lack of Marketability

    Consideration for Closely Held Securities—DLOM Theoretical Models (Part II of II) This article summarizes the factors (and the empirical evidence) that the analyst may consider in the measurement of a discount for lack of marketability (DLOM) valuation adjustment associated with non-controlling securities of a closely held company. This security-level DLOM is different from the entity-level DLOM that is applied at the closely held company level. This second part of the article focuses on theoretical DLOM measurement models: the option pricing and DCF models.

  • QuickRead Featured - QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Discounts for Lack of Marketability

    Consideration for Closely Held Securities, Part I of II Valuation analysts may be asked to value closely held company securities for various reasons. These reasons include transaction pricing, financial accounting, taxation planning and compliance, and litigation (related to both breach of contract and tort claims). Depending on: 1) the business valuation approaches and methods applied; and 2) the benchmark empirical data used, these analyses may initially conclude the security value on a marketable basis. This initial conclusion may result if the analyst relied on capital market data to extract pricing multiples, present value discount rates, or direct capitalization rates. In…

  • QuickRead Featured - QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    The Cost to Obtain Liquidity

    Studies in the Closely Held Company Valuation (Part II of II) In the first part of this two-part discussion, the author identified six transaction risk factors attempting to sell a controlling (including 100 percent) interest in a closely held company. Those included: 1) an uncertain time horizon to complete the offering or sale; 2) “Make ready” accounting, legal, and other costs to prepare for and execute the offering or sale; 3) risk as to the eventual sale price; 4) uncertainty as to the form (e.g., stock or cash) of transaction sale proceeds; 5) inability to hypothecate the subject equity interest;…

  • QuickRead Featured - QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Measuring the DLOM for a Closely Held Company Controlling Interest

    Six Transaction Risks Owners Face Selling a Company that May Explain DLOM (Part I of II) In this first of a two-part article, Robert Reilly reviews the various models analysts use to estimate the DLOM and factors analysts consider in the DLOM selection. Valuation analysts often value closely held companies for transaction, taxation, financing, accounting, litigation, and other purposes. Depending on: 1) the business valuation approaches and methods applied, and 2) the benchmark valuation data used, the analyst may initially conclude the value of the closely held company on a marketable (as if traded on a stock exchange) basis. In…

  • Case Law - QuickRead Featured - Valuation/Appraisal

    Estate of Newberger v. Commissioner

    What About Subsequent Events—Lessons from the Valuation of Artwork? In the December 2015 Tax Court Memo Estate of Newberger v. Commissioner, the Tax Court considered post-date-of-death sales prices in the valuation of three separate pieces of artwork owned by the decedent. Considered in one instance was the sale of the actual piece of art itself, and in two other instances, the sale of other pieces of art considered comparable to the art owned by the decedent. Also at issue was how the Great Recession impacts value in the context of reliance on actual or comparable sales transactions. Although this case…

  • QuickRead Featured - QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Using PPA Data as Comparables in Upcoming Valuations

    The Case of Trademarks and Brands Since the adoption of fair value accounting governed by SFAS 141 (in 2001) and IFRS 3 (in 2004), hundreds of thousands of different intangible assets have been valued, audited, and reported in financial statements of public companies all over the world. After fifteen years of fair value accounting, the debate about the accuracy of such values and their relevance for readers is no less controversial than at its beginning. This is a pity because, in its essence, fair value data is an excellent resource for corporate finance professionals to understand more about the value…

  • QuickRead Featured - QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Auto Dealership Business Valuations

    Nuances Valuing and Normalizing an Auto Dealership There are many reasons an auto dealership may require a business valuation; buy-sell agreements, shareholder disputes, employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), and estate planning and gifting strategies. In many instances, there will be an opposing party that questions the validity of the final value, whether it be a dissenting stockholder or the Internal Revenue Service. It is imperative the dealer be aware of the basic characteristics of a valuation so the dealer is able to make sure the valuation analyst is using sound judgments and that, if challenged, the value will be defensible.

  • QuickRead Featured - Valuation/Appraisal

    Book Review—A Consensus View Q&A Guide to Financial Valuation

    Hitchner, Pratt, and Fishman Answer the Call In the past month, business valuation professionals have read reviews from a number of practitioners serving as reviewers for the Q&A Guide. All of them are positive. In this book review, we go into a little more detail and discuss what these established and accomplished business valuation professionals and leaders answer in the Q&A Guide. So, what does this book cover? What is not covered? These questions are answered in this review.