From $600 to Over $1 Billion The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other data protection regulations apply to the smallest sole practitioner firm among us to the largest and each must take steps to implement a cybersecurity plan, to follow it, and to respond when an incident occurs. The failure to provide protection can result in fines. In this article, the author describes why Amazon and Google were fined under the EU’s GDPR. For the past five years, organizations have been dodging and weaving the myriad data protection regulations spawned from the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).…
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In Related-Party Cost Sharing Arrangements (Part II of II) This two-part paper demonstrates how the discount rate associated with the investment in intangibles developed under a cost sharing arrangement can be calculated using an analytical framework that explicitly considers variability of outcomes in profitability of the intangibles to be developed. Such framework is the probability-weighted scenario analysis. The method of calculating discount rates using the scenario analysis can be applied to compute the PCT payment under both the “income method” and the “residual profit split method” described in the U.S. transfer pricing regulations. The same method also allows to calculate…
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In Related-Party Cost Sharing Arrangements (Part I of II) This two-part paper demonstrates how the discount rate associated with the investment in intangibles developed under a cost sharing arrangement can be calculated using an analytical framework that explicitly considers variability of outcomes in profitability of the intangibles to be developed. Such framework is the probability-weighted scenario analysis. The method of calculating discount rates using the scenario analysis can be applied to compute the PCT payment under both the “income method” and the “residual profit split method” described in the U.S. transfer pricing regulations. The same method also allows to calculate…
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The congratulatory texts and tweets started the last week of November. Microsoft had overtaken Apple to become the world’s most valuable company, a stunning climax in a year that also saw it pass Amazon and Google’s Alphabet Inc. Longtime employees, who’d grown accustomed to thinking of Microsoft as far removed from its glory years, when it was run by Bill Gates and feared as the “Evil Empire,” were flooded with messages from friends and family. To read the full article in Bloomberg Businessweek, click: The Most Valuable Company (for Now) is Having a Nadellaissance.
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The internet has revolutionized the workplace over the past three decades. Artificial Intelligence is now poised to do the same, and businesses that do not capitalize on the technology risk being left behind. Global tech giants like Amazon have been leading the charge—with algorithms powering personalized shopping recommendations and personal stylists—but businesses of all sizes are now embracing the technology for recruiting and managing their staff. To read the full article in CNN Business, click: Want to Work for L’Oreal? Get Ready to Chat with an AI Bot.
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As Apple and Amazon compete for a greater share of consumer dollars and attention, they also have a particularly intimate business relationship: Apple is spending more than $30 million a month on Amazon’s cloud, according to people familiar with the arrangement. To read the full article in CNBC, click: Apple Spends More Than $30 Million on Amazon’s Cloud Every Month, Making it One of the Biggest AWS Customers.
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Days after Apple announced a major expansion to its operations in the U.S.—including a new $1 billion campus in Austin—fellow tech giant Google has announced that it too will invest $1 billion as it sets up a new campus at Hudson Square in New York. To read the full article in Tech Crunch, click: Google is Spending $1 Billion to Build a Massive New Campus in New York.
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Technology is rapidly changing the way advisors meet clients, so much so that the relationship may look completely unrecognizable in just a few years. And that transformation opens up several key opportunities for innovators. To read the full article in FinancialPlanning, click: An Amazon for Financial Services? The Race is On.
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Amazon is finally revealing its designs to enter the financial industry. Should advisors worry? There’s no immediate threat. But there is one detail that advisors should pick up on. To read the full article in FinancialPlanning, click: What Amazon’s Flirtation with Checking Means for Wealth Management.
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When and how do externally-driven events affect company value? What certain events constitute meaningful data points from a valuation perspective? And are they benchmarks or outliers? Lucas Parris, senior member of Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Valuation Group, explains. To read the full article in Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Blog, click: Amazon, Whole Foods, and Value Implications. This article is republished from Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Blog. It is reprinted with permission. To subscribe to the blog, visit: http://mercercapital.com/category/financialreportingblog/.
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Charles Ellis writes that market professionals cannot beat the market consistently. Therefore, investors are better off investing through low-cost index funds and focusing on asset allocation to achieve their long-term investment objectives. Jeff Davis, managing director of Mercer Capital’s Financial Institutions Group discusses Ellis’ thoughts. To read the full article in Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Blog, click: Charles Ellis on Indexing. This article is republished from Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Blog. It is reprinted with permission. To subscribe to the blog, visit: http://mercercapital.com/category/financialreportingblog/.
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Stock-based compensation is used by companies of all shapes and sizes. Travis W. Harms, leader of Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Valuation Group, explains from a valuation standpoint, the importance of measuring its fair value. To read more about the results of this report in the Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Blog, click: Equity-Based Compensation: Are Non-GAAP Earnings Misleading?. This article is republished from Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Blog. It is reprinted with permission. To subscribe to the blog, visit: http://mercercapital.com/category/financialreportingblog/.
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Will Microsoft, IBM, and Amazon continue to competitively price match, even if it’s not necessarily in the downward direction? Barb Darrow, a senior writer at Fortune, discusses cloud pricing and how the changes may affect your company. To find out more on the Fortune article, click: Surprise! The cost of cloud is about to rise.
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Because of increased IRS audit procedures, multi-national corporations face great risk when it comes to transfer pricing from both a compliance and tax planning perspective. The familiar multi-nationals like Amazon or Microsoft have made headlines regarding transfer pricing disputes and adjustments that run into the billions. In an excellent article by the Journal of Accountancy, small, closely-held companies are not immune to such risks, especially when they venture into overseas expansion. Here, you’ll find a great overview of transfer pricing issues from a financial reporting and tax perspective. [button link=”http://www.journalofaccountancy.com/issues/2013/oct/20137721″ color=”silver”] View Full Article[/button]
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Specific Needs of the Remote Office Environment In this fourth installment of her five-part series, Simone Hoover details the essential software, platform, and communication devices when transitioning to a remote office environment to maximize workflow and peace of mind.