Ron Stacey considers Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) and growth using EBITDA as a proxy for cash flow. ROIC, Stacey writes, is a critical value driver that’s probably the single most important factor for a given cost of capital. But calculation is never simple: “People always want a formula, but it doesn’t work that way,” Warren Buffet once noted. “You have to estimate total cash generated from now to eternity, and discount it back to today.” Here’s a case study. Find out how ROIC works—and what drives it.
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In Palmerino v. Palmerino, the Massachusetts Court of Appealsconsidered whether a trial court erred in valuing the husband’s grocery store. The trial court’s approach had not included discounts—and went further to state that the income approach is preferable for valuation. Find out what the court decides! In Giaimo v. Vitale, the Supreme Court of New York considers the dissolution of a company called EGA Associates. The case involved the sale of 19 residential buildings in Manhattan, accusations of fraud during discovery hearings on fair value, and the applicability of proposed discounts for marketability and built-in capital gains.
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The Big Picture: Medicaid Impact, Patient Demand, Physician Pay, and More. Physicians Practice, a leading practice management resource, has examined the implications of the historic Supreme Court healthcare decision. Eschewing opinion about John Roberts or the impact on insurance company stock prices, the coverage helps physicians understand what it means for them. Offering commentary as well as analyzing the impact on practicing physicians, highlights from its analysis include:
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When Do Too Many Active Shareholders Hurt Instead of Help? At Forbes, Lawrence Siff relates his conversations with CEOs of two family businesses, discusses the challenge of bringing in new leadership, and offers tips on how and when to go about it:
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J.P Morgan Chase, Morgan Stanley Make New Hires. Other Banks May Follow in Move to Increase Accounting Credibility At the Wall Street Journal’s Overheard On the Street blog David Reilly reports that JP Morgan Chase and Morgan Stanley have made new accounting hires. Other banks may soon follow suit:
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Mandate Survives as a Tax. Limits on How Widely Feds Can Control States Medicare. No Other Limits. Brent Kendall, Louise Radnofsky, and Jess Bravin of the Wall Street Journal report the news:
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Bankers Say M&A ‘Good for Good Companies’ Which Can Often be Sold for 9-10x Earnings Luisa Beltran at PE Hub wonders: “Is there an M&A slowdown?”
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At issue in Gross v. Commissioner is whether the petitioner made an indirect gift of public company stock to her daughters, thus negating any discounts for lack of control or marketability. Judge Halpern at the Tax Court ruled that the step transaction was not applicable and that a 35% discount was justified. Find out why.
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The Financial Professional’s Guide to Healthcare Reform; Accountants’ Handbook, 12th Edition New titles from Wiley this summer include Scott Miller on Buyouts, Dietrich and Anderson’s thorough Financial Professional’s Guide to Healthcare Reform, Roman Weil et al. on Litigation Services and the Financial Expert, and Graham and Carmichael’s Accountants’ Handbook, 12th Edition.
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Why The Black-Scholes Model Overvalues Conversion Options. The Black-Scholes method was the predominant model for many years, and was even endorsed by accounting rules prior to the introduction of FAS 157, even though it was never intended to be used for valuing complex securities or illiquid assets. Some have substituted lattice models or Monte Carlo simulation, making modifications or adjustment to attempt to compensate for illiquidity.
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How to graphically illustrate ratio analysis as a way to enhance and simplify summary findings. A key to providing clients with effective valuation reports—and persuading jurors as an expert witness—is the ability to provide quantitative analysis in a compelling visual fashion. Here, Greg Gadawski and Darrell Dorrell provide an example of how to graphically illustrate ratio analysis as a way to enhance and simplify summary findings.
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An Introduction for Wealth Managers and Business Owners to the Concept of Managing Pre-Liquid Wealth What is the solution to financing the expenditures necessary to manage the wealth that is tied up in closely held businesses? The solution is so obvious that we overlook it, thinking that such activities either are too expensive, too time-consuming, or worse, not a high priority. For owners of closely held businesses, the solution lies in the decision to treat their ownership interests as an investment. This book introduces the concept of the One Percent Solution – a new and powerful way to manage all…
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Uncertainty Surrounding the Court’s Pending Decision Causes Transaction Delay Private Equity International’s Graham Winfrey reports that whatever way the Supreme Court rules on healthcare may end up driving more industry activity.
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Are Deficiencies More Common? Or is it Simply that PCAOB Now Successfully Targets Audit Areas Prone to Problems? Emily Chasan at the Wall Street Jurnal’s CFO Report delivers the news that The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board has been catching an increased number of audit errors around fair value measurement this year, says PCAOB member Lewis Ferguson. He notes that audit regulators around the world have been finding issues with fair value measurement as well as auditor independence and going concern opinions.
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The New York Times’ Dealbook reports that after putting banks on watch four months ago, Moody’s Investors Service on Thursday cut the credit ratings of 15 large financial firms, in a move that could do lasting damage to their bottom lines and weigh on the markets.
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Emily Chasan at the Wall Street Journal’s CFO Journal reports that the chairman of the International Accounting Standards Board said Wednesday that he expects the board, which sets accounting rules for over 100 countries, will focus on clarifying some of its most confusing accounting standards once it completes its key convergence projects with U.S. accounting rule makers.
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How to Arrive at an Appropriate Fair Market Price for a Medical Practice When valuing a medical practice, how do you determine fair market value in light of recent Stark II regulations? Some of it depends on the definition of the term “commercially reasonable.” And a lot also depends on accurate assessment of future revenues, as well as expense assumptions. Here’s a guide to what to keep an eye on as you navigate this territory.
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Caveats that Careful Valuators and Consultants to Keep in Mind When Using the Market Approach to Valuation Authoritative sources such as the IRS, SEC, FASB, and professional appraisal associations consistently advocate market prices to be the best indications of value. But is that always true? Gregory R. Marsh argues that in some financial markets—at various times—there’s plenty of evidence that both buyers and sellers are either illogical or relying on uninformed guesses. Moreover, even if one grants that a market price is highly probable? That price can become irrelevant if a highly-leveraged company cannot secure additional or replacement financing before…
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Biotechnology Valuation: An Introductory Guide Biotechnology is producing quantum advances in medicine, but the specter of unforeseen consequences from treatments has brought with it a parallel growth in litigation. Valuing biotechnology assets isn’t easy: generally accepted methods of discounted cash flows (DCF) and market comparison are sometimes difficult to apply in an industry rife with low probabilities of success, variable marketability, and patent lives shortened by the drug development and regulatory process. Karl D. Keegan’s Biotechnology Valuation: An Introductory Guide helps consultants navigate this growing field. Lari Masten reviews.
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Most consultants, business owners, and attorneys understand that a good expert witness needs to meet core criteria of giving an independent opinion, being able to support that opinion under a vigorous cross examination, and communicate with and persuade a jury. But what else is important? Joe Epps explains.