SEC Official Suggests IPO Paperwork Could Include Arbitration Clauses Michael Piwowar, a Republican member of the Securities and Exchange Commission, has suggested that companies be allowed to include mandatory arbitration clauses in paperwork for initial public offerings. To read the full article in Reuters, click: U.S. SEC’s Piwowar Urges Companies to Pursue Mandatory Arbitration Clauses.
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In valuing a FinTech company, attention need be given to external factors such as unique industry dynamics and the regulatory environment as well as internal company factors such as risk exposure and shareholder preferences. Hosted by Jay D. Wilson Jr., CFA, ASA, CBA, this webinar identifies the key value drivers for an early-stage FinTech company for investors, entrepreneurs, and potential partners. To read the full article in Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Blog, click: Webinar: How to Value an Early-Stage FinTech Company. This article is republished from Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Blog. It is reprinted with permission. To subscribe to the…
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What to do when an IPO requires too much legal work and is subject to regulation and finding a venture capital partner takes too long and is full of unknowns? Mint your own money, of course. In this case, however, companies are minting digital coins rather than churning out physical objects. To read the full article in Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Blog, click: Is an Initial Coin Offering a New Way to Raise Money? 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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In earlier blog posts we discussed the potentially pernicious effect of a decline in the value of pre-public companies on equity compensation granted to employees. Sujan Rajbhandary, senior member of Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Valuation Group, explains that unlike preferred investors, employees also depend on their employers for current income. To read the full article in Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Blog, click: Consequences of Complex Capital Structures—A Coda or a Bridge? 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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The stock market rallied in the first five months of the year, with the Dow Jones and S&P 500 reaching record highs and continuing to climb. Megan Richards, financial analyst with Mercer Capital, explains though, that IPOs remain scarce compared to prior years. To read the full article in Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Blog, click: IPO Supply and Demand. 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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After a steady build-up since the end of the credit crisis, 2016 is going to be marked as the year when the venture capital industry lost momentum, although not for a lack of investors. Money has continued to pour in as riskier VC investments are still expected to outperform listed alternatives. Madeleine Harrigan, senior financial analyst with Mercer Capital, explains what is happening. To read the full article in Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Blog, click: Non-Traditional Venture Investors are Changing the Rules of the Game. This article is republished from Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Blog. It is reprinted with permission. …
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Why Valuation isn’t the Only Thing that Matters During an Exit A big mistake that some startup businesses make is doing whatever it takes to maximize their valuation when they exit, writes Michael Morgan, CFO of Tegile Systems. A single-minded focus on valuation can backfire if the market enters a downturn, he writes. To read the full article in CFO, click: Avoid These Mistakes When Planning an Exit.
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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;…
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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…
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In Part 1, Travis W. Harms, Mercer Capital Financial Reporting Valuation Group lead, walked through the mechanics of the option pricing model (OPM) with a view to making the model more intuitive to non-specialist report users. In this post, he addresses the model from a more qualitative perspective, evaluating the model’s use and potential misuse in practical application. To read the full article in Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Blog, click: A Layperson’s Guide to the OPM: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About the OPM, But Were Afraid to Ask (Part 2). This article is republished from Mercer Capital’s Financial…
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2015 was a strong year for FinTech. But, there are complexities in valuing venture-backed technology companies and the ability for market/investor sentiment to shift quickly. So, as Jay D. Wilson, Jr., vice president and senior member of Mercer Capital’s Depository Institutions practice, explains, it is important to have a valuation professional that can assess the value of the company as well as the market trends prevalent in the industry. To read the full article in Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Blog, click: Preferences and FinTech Valuations. This article is republished from Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Blog. It is reprinted with permission. …
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There seems to be an imbalance between the public and private markets. Holding private capital markets more desirable than public markets expresses and illiquidity preference. Madeleine L. Harrigan, financial analyst with Mercer Capital, notes this is at odds with basic investment logic and the requirements of portfolio management and why it cannot continue. To read more about the results of this report in the Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Blog, click: Are IPOs the New Down Round? 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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Unicorn valuations are not directly comparable to public company valuations. Travis Harms, leader of Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Valuation Group, looks at how the numbers could potentially be misleading. To read more about the results of this report in the Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Blog, click: Unicorn Valuations: What’s Obvious Isn’t Real, and What’s Real Isn’t Obvious. 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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Distinct Qualities and Considerations (Part 2 of 2) In the first part of this series, the author looked at some of the methodologies for considering closely held or private companies. In this second part, the last of the two-part series, the author reviews some of the IRS, judicial, investment banking practices. and other considerations in the valuation process.
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The days of applying Mandelbaum and referencing a few IPO and restricted stock studies are over. This article addresses what is often omitted from most asset holding entity valuation reports. By failing to include issues like the ones outlined, the resulting adjustments are less empirical and more a “guesstimate”. Valuation practitioners and their advisory clients have a duty to the users of our reports to accurately address equity level risks.
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Historical perspective and current recommendations The Internal Revenue Service published Discount for Lack of Marketability: Job Aid for IRS Professionals (Job Aid) in August of 2013. Now, two new books provide advice on how to prepare a DLOM and which methods valuators should consider and why. These will help any business valuation practice, whether working on a DLOM for the IRS or any other purpose.
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Innovation Decreased by 40% at Technology Companies After They Went Public, Finds Stanford Graduate School of Business Study Leslie Kwoh at the Wall Street Journal reports that while many tech entrepreneurs dream of taking their companies public, they may want to think twice. While public offerings raise cash, new research suggests that IPOs can also result in stunted innovation at technology firms. Here’s more:
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Six Initial Public Offerings Seek to Raise $1.1 Billion The IPO market is set for its biggest week since Facebook Inc.’s FB +4.98% troubled offering in May, with Manchester United Ltd. and the operator of Outback Steakhouse among those scheduled to hit the tape, reports the Wall Street Journal. More:
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73% of Tech IPOs Aren’t Profitable When They Go Public, But Smaller Companies (e.g., Zillow, Bazaarvoice, Jive Software) Fare Better Post IPO Bigger isn’t always better, at least when it comes to initial public offerings, GeekWire reports. A new report out from Tableau Software’s Daniel Hom, editor of the IPO Dashboards blog, finds that smaller tech companies, described as having fewer than $100 million in revenue, performed far better on Wall Street following their initial public offerings:
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Wild Market Quiets the Buzz for I.P.O.’s Evelyn M. Russli and Michael J. De La Merced at New York Times’ Dealbook: As stocks swing violently, a chill is beginning to settle on the initial public offering market. A small number of companies have already retreated on their offering plans. WageWorks, an employee benefits provider, pushed its offering, originally scheduled for Friday, to next week and dropped its target price range by as much as 43 percent. Two real estate investment trusts, Orchid Island Capital and Eola Property Trust, have withdrawn their filings. And Old Mutual, a big South African insurance…