A Comprehensive Framework for Risk Assessment and Methodical Adjustments The escalation of global trade tensions and tariff implementations in 2025 has altered the business valuation landscape and created additional challenges for valuation professionals and stakeholders. Using a multi-factor risk assessment model combined with adjusted valuation methodologies, the author shows how tariff exposure significantly impacts enterprise values across industries. Introduction The global trade environment has undergone dramatic transformation since 2025. The implementation of sweeping tariff policies that has altered cost structures, competitive dynamics, and risk profiles across industries. The weighted average U.S. tariff rate has surged from 2.2% to over 17%…
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For International Arbitration Proceedings This article highlights key valuation issues that are debated during arbitrations, which we have faced on numerous occasions. Some of the most important ones that come up during the quantification of economic damages in international arbitration are biases in financial projections, questions about discount rate, and some secondary concerns. Introduction Economic damages are seen as the Holy Grail of any international arbitration. The amount of compensation for financial losses is the ultimate goal of the claimant, who seeks to be compensated for the damage suffered, but that amount is also the main concern for the respondent,…
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Empirical Evidence Supporting IPCPL Theory (Part III) In this third article, the authors present the empirical evidence supporting use of the IPCPL theory. In the second article in this series, it was shown that the general empirical implications of implied private company pricing line (IPCPL) theory are that buyers of privately owned businesses pay higher transaction costs in exchange for higher returns on their investments. The IPCPL theory treats transaction costs (TC) as a proportion or percentage of transaction price (P) stated as a decreasing convex function of P. (The higher the price, the lower the percentage transactions costs are…
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Use in Private-Business Valuation (Part II) This article in this continuing series explains the Implied Private Company Pricing Line (IPCPL), theory, evidence, and application of the IPCPL. How to Understand IPCPL Theory In the first article in this series (published in two parts 02/01/24 and 02/08/24), it was shown that the Implied Private Company Pricing Line (IPCPL) theory explains and predicts the relationship between a capital asset seller’s opportunity cost of capital (OCC) and a buyer’s OCC. That difference is attributable to transaction costs, which is assumed to be a function of the fair market value (FMV) of the capital…
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But Not the Cost of Debt? Determining the cost of equity can be quite interesting whereas determining the cost of debt is often boring. We may add items to the cost of equity—such as a size or company specific risk premium—that arguably are not included in the CAPM methodology used to determine the cost equity. But then we do not add these items to the cost of debt. Do only equity investors care about size and company specific risk premiums? Does not including these items in the cost of debt suggest they should not be included in the cost of…
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(Part II of IV) This is the second of a four-part article that sets forth best practices for estimating the company-specific risk premium. The first part of this series summarized where and how the CSRP applies in the various generally accepted cost of capital measurement models. This second part summarizes (1) the concepts of systematic risk and unsystematic risk and (2) the considerations of unsystematic risk in the analyst’s CSRP estimate. [su_pullquote align=”right”]Resources: Best Practices for Estimating the Company-Specific Risk Premium (Part I of IV) [/su_pullquote] Introduction This discussion is the second of a four-part series that summarizes best practices…
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Recognize and Avoid Substantial Valuation Differentials One of the critical inputs in the capital asset pricing model (CAPM) is beta. In practice, there are two typical ways beta is estimated. Making an incorrect assumption could lead to substantial valuation differentials of over 10% in many cases and can lead to valuation differentials of over 50% in some instances. In addition, our analysis indicates that we would not be able to tell the direction and magnitude of the valuation differential in advance unless the correct calculation is performed. One of the critical inputs in the capital asset pricing model (CAPM) is…
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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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The Cost of Equity Capital (Part II of II) This is the second of a two-part series article focused on issues that arise estimating the cost of equity capital. In most forensic-related valuation analyses, one procedure that affects most valuations is the measurement of the present value discount rate. This discount rate analysis may affect the forensic-related valuation of private companies, business ownership interests, securities, and intangible assets. This discussion summarizes three models that analysts typically apply to estimate the cost of equity capital component of the present value discount rate: (1) the capital asset pricing model, (2) the modified…
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The Cost of Equity Capital (Part I of II) This is the first of a two-part series article focused on issues that arise estimating the cost of equity capital. In most forensic-related valuation analyses, one procedure that affects most valuations is the measurement of the present value discount rate. This discount rate analysis may affect the forensic-related valuation of private companies, business ownership interests, securities, and intangible assets. This discussion summarizes three models that analysts typically apply to estimate the cost of equity capital component of the present value discount rate: (1) the capital asset pricing model, (2) the modified…
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Considerations in Applying a Size Premium (Part III of III) In this third and final article, as displayed in Exhibits 1 through 4 in Part 1 of this three-part article, the size effect has been observed even when looking at recent periods starting in 1981 and 1990. If one holds that you should not apply the SP in the MCAPM and that beta should be the only measure of risk, one is supporting using the pure or textbook CAPM to estimate expected returns. But that cannot be correct as the literature clearly demonstrates. Though the pure CAPM is a good…
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When Estimating the Cost of Capital (Part I of III) In this paper, published in three parts with NACVA’s QuickRead, Roger Grabowski reviews the size effect, potential reasons why one observes the size effect, and correct common misconceptions and address criticisms of the Size Premia (SP). Throughout this paper, the author shows that using a pure market factor as the sole risk factor in estimating the expected return provide an incomplete estimate. For the last four decades, research has shown that adjustments to the CAPM are required. Here, Roger Grabowski addresses some of the criticism to the theoretical basis of…
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Measuring the Relative Performance of Small Stock vs. Large Stock and the Cost of Equity Roger Ibbotson and James Harrington discuss two different ways of measuring the relative performance of small stocks versus large stocks in this article: (i) the “small stock premium” and (ii) the “beta-adjusted size premium”. Ibbotson and Harrington demonstrate why using a non-beta-adjusted size premium within the context of the capital asset pricing model (CAPM) to estimate cost of equity capital will likely “double count” beta risk, and therefore overstate risk and understate value. The authors also demonstrate that a non-beta-adjusted size premium used in conjunction…
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Unsystematic Risk Premia in Privately Held Companies How does a valuation professional quantify and defend the unsystematic risk premia (URP)? Is the latter a factor that helps explain why CAPM is less frequently used valuing a privately held company? As for Total Beta, is that any better than the use of Beta? In this article, the author suggests if one accepts that imperfect diversification (ID) explains the risk premia, he suspects that the risk level is a function of the buyer pool or market participant pool and that characteristic will validate whether the base URP should be adjusted up or…
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A Critique of the Ibbotson Methodology In this paper, the author argues that the Size Premium in Excess of CAPM (and other similar size premium measures) should not be used by valuation practitioners because: a) it is inconsistent with the empirical evidence; b) it is constructed using a method that is inconsistent with how practitioners estimate their CAPM cost of equity; and c) it does not properly calculate the “premium” for use in a Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) analysis. Through an illustration, the author also demonstrates the challenges one faces when correcting for the latter two issues.
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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.
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The Definition of Risk is Standard Deviation of Returns; Here’s What it Means, and What it Has to Do with “Total Beta” Is the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) superior as a valuation modeling tool to Total Beta? Peter J. Butler and Gary Schurman think not. Here’s why:
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Valuators Must be More Than “Lucky Punks” How can appraisers best figure the cost of equity capital? Rand M. Curtiss argues that using standard tools including Ibbottson, Duff & Phelps, CAPM, or the Butler-Pinkerton model aren’t enough. What to use instead? Curtiss suggests starting with a look at the rate of return on mezzanine money and the rate of return on later-stage VC investments. Find out why.