One of the lessons learned from the COVID-19 crisis is that a coherent narrative is more important than ever in business valuation, says Dr. Aswath Damodaran, of New York University Stern School of Business, who gave the keynote address at the CBV Congress 2021. A valuation needs a marriage of narrative and numbers, Damodaran says. In a good valuation, the numbers are “bound together” by a coherent narrative, and storytelling is kept grounded with numbers. Too much emphasis on numbers can make valuations mere “plug-and-point exercises” that may be perceived to be sales pitches or a confirmation of preconceived values. Read more >>

In BVR’s recent webinar, Power Panel: Live Expert Answers for Today’s Tough BV Questions, experts Jay E. Fishman, Michelle Gallagher, Ken Pia, and Jeffrey Tarbell covered various hot topics that affect the business valuation profession. These questions ranged from the basics, such as “What will 2021 look like?” to “What are your thoughts on the current state of the ESOP litigation environment particularly with the new administration coming in?” Here, we summarize five of the questions and answers. For more information, be sure to check out the complete recording and transcript of the session. Read more >>

The final chapter on the impact of the pandemic on the full-service restaurant sector has yet to be written. In the meantime, thinking continues to evolve on conducting valuations in the current environment. In a new special report, What It’s Worth: Valuing Full-Service Restaurants, BVR covers the fundamentals and unique considerations for restaurant valuation—as well as how to assess the long-term outlook for consumer preferences and financial performance. Based on conversations, webinars, and conference sessions with many valuation experts, here are six pandemic-related issues you should consider. Read more >>

How do you resolve a divorce case during COVID-19, when many businesses in all kinds of industries are coping with significant losses and continuing uncertainty over future performance? This was the topic of an excellent panel discussion that was part of the recent virtual AAML/BVR divorce conference. Read more >>

The first major multiday, multitrack conference of the year, the NACVA and the CTI’s 2020 Business Valuation and Financial Litigation Super Conference, was held online over five full days in June. Business Valuation Update attended, and we found excellent speakers and interesting sessions, and the technical details all went smoothly. COVID-19 was a hot topic of discussion in a number of the sessions, so, here we present 10 takeaways on dealing with the pandemic’s impact on business valuation. Read more >>

Vertical IQ is the leading provider of industry intelligence for those advising small- and medium-sized businesses, and their research team is working to provide updates on how COVID-19 affects industries, sectors, and economies. As the situation surrounding coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to develop, industries are experiencing the impacts in various ways. Read more >>

COVID-19-related business interruption cases are winding their way through the court system, and one state court, in a matter of first impression, recently issued a decision against the business owner. Read more >>

Filing a business interruption claim has become one of the go-to moves for businesses as they try to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. A discussion of two cases that were adjudicated just before the COVID-19 crisis came into relief explains the trajectory many claims, including claims arising out of the COVID-19 crisis, may take and points to opportunities for damages experts. Read more >>

As COVID-19 continues to shift everyday life and the global economy, accounting professionals are looking for information to help guide their clients through these trying times. These organizations will lean on their in-house experience and should pay close attention to the lessons learned during the 2008 market crisis. Force Majeure is a clause included within an agreement that is commonly referred to as the “Act of God” clause. Read more >>

Just as the novel coronavirus causing COVID-19 brought businesses and economic activity to a sudden halt, an ABA panel discussed the grave effects on businesses and the legal doctrines available to business owners to mitigate the economic injury stemming from business interruption and unforeseeable circumstances. Read more >>

As the world continues to feel the crippling effects of coronavirus, we can’t help but observe the ingenuity and compassion that citizens are showing for their communities. Musicians are hosting live concerts on social media, online subscriptions are discounted left and right, and events all over the world are transforming to webcast versions for all to utilize. We are entering an era of adaptation in a way the world has never seen—and BVR is here for it. Here are some ways BVR is supporting the valuation community during this unpredictable, uncertain time. Read more >>

The unpredictable coronavirus is disrupting work plans of valuation and accounting firms and impacting the global market. Conferences are being postponed and offering webcast versions, firms are limiting travel, supervisors are encouraging virtual meetings, and new ways to help prevent the spread of the disease are introduced every day. Here are some recent developments, issues, and advice that everyone should consider, including factors to favor when performing a valuation in this turbulent, uncertain time. Read more >>