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,…
-
-
A Question of Facts and Varying Rates “How could an expert apply such a high or low discount rate to a stream of future lost profits and the court find it acceptable?” This article highlights my research looking into discount rates for lost profits and why there are so many variations of a theme when it comes to making such a calculation. When attending professional conferences, I enjoy talking with other experts involved in the litigation support field. During almost every discussion regarding commercial damages (lost profits or business destruction), there is a comment about the discount rate applied for…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
Observations and Delaware Fair Value (Part II of II) This is the second of a two-part article, read Part I here, that focuses on empirical evidence supporting the size premium adjustment, observations regarding the CRSP size premium 10th decile category, liquidity issues that may account for the size premium, and certain Delaware Chancery Court decisions involving a size premium discussion. In this second part, the author focuses on the latter two points. These are discussed since in the past few years there have been numerous fair value business valuation related disputes decided by the Delaware Court of Chancery that involved…
-
Observations and Delaware Fair Value (Part I of II) This is a two-part article that focuses on empirical evidence supporting the size premium adjustment, observations regarding the CRSP size premium 10th decile category, liquidity issues that may account for the size premium, and certain Delaware Chancery Court decisions involving a size premium discussion. These are discussed since in the past few years there have been numerous fair value business valuation related disputes decided by the Delaware Court of Chancery that involved certain cost of equity capital postulates. Valuation analysts should be aware of potential issues related to incorporating a size…
-
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.
-
The inauguration of a new POTUS is now behind us. Time, then, to add to the cacophony of pop-prognostications. This blog post will make broad observations regarding potential changes to select corporate tax and other pro-growth economic policies in hopes of teasing out inferences for inputs to a basic valuation framework. To read the full article in Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Blog, click: Corporate Taxes, Other Pro-Growth Policies, and Business Value—A Brave New World? 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/.
-
Summary and Solutions Morningstar announced in September 2013 it will discontinue publishing the SBBI Valuation Yearbook, but that it will continue to publish the Ibbotson SBBI Classic Yearbook. James Harrington, who was previously director of business valuation research in Morningstar’s Financial Communications Business, provides a summary of which data is being discontinued and continued, along with a discussion of alternative data sources in light of the recent announcement.