The second edition of a survey by Rusk O'Brien Gido + Partners is gathering transactional data on the fair market value of businesses in the architecture, engineering, and environmental consulting industries. The questionnaire analyzes the valuations of stock from actual transactions, including those between employee-owners and in ESOPs and mergers/acquisitions. The compiled data will include financial performance benchmarking data, valuation multiples for internal (minority interest) stock transactions, ESOP transactions, and merger/acquisition transactions. M&A data will include pricing data as well as data on transaction structures.

While the survey is designed to gather information on firms in the industry, valuation analysts and other advisers with industry clients can certainly participate with or on behalf of their clients. Survey participants will receive a discount on the completed study. For more information and to take the survey, click here.

Current study available: The first edition of the survey collected data from over 200 distinct stock transactions, which, along with supplemental data from publicly available sources, is now available in the A/E Business Valuation and M&A Transaction Study.

"As a third-party source of data, [the study] helped confirm that the proposed terms of our company's sale were reasonable,” says Michael S. Rolband, vice president of operations, Wetland Studies and Solutions Inc. (a Davey Company). “Having a data-driven independent assessment of the M&A marketplace was worth more than any financial analysis tool."