The 2018 edition of the Business Reference Guide (BRG) is now available. It contains the latest industry-related information including “rules of thumb,” pricing tips, benchmarking information with comparison data, industry resources, and general industry data on over 700 types of businesses. There’s also an online version with a fully searchable database, and it includes the print version of the guide.

Use in court? The use of the BRG has withstood a court challenge. A few years ago, in a California divorce case, a joint expert valued the husband’s physical therapy practice using a multiplier derived from the BRG. On appeal, the husband challenged the trial court’s reliance on the BRG for various reasons, all of which were rejected. The case is In re Marriage of Bauer, 2011 WL 4337093 (Cal. App.) (Sept. 16, 2011). Business Valuation Update subscribers can read a digest of the case in the December 2011 issue; the court’s unpublished opinion as well as the digest can be found on BVLaw.