Court Calls Stock Price ‘Most Straightforward’ Indicator of Fair Value
In statutory appraisal proceeding, Court of Chancery says unaffected market price provides “direct evidence of the collective view of market participants” as to target’s fair value whereas deal price minus synergies is a less reliable “indirect measure."
Trial Court’s Stock Valuation Contravenes Agreement’s Buyout Provisions
In shareholder dispute over minority owner’s stock buyout, appeals court finds trial court’s sole reliance on five-year-old valuation and its rejection of appraiser’s recent valuation violates parties’ shareholder agreement and requires revaluation.
R. Kashmiry & Assocs. v. Ellis
In shareholder dispute over minority owner’s stock buyout, appeals court finds trial court’s sole reliance on five-year-old valuation and its rejection of appraiser’s recent valuation violates parties’ shareholder agreement and requires revaluation.
Delaware Supreme Court balks at Court of Chancery’s Dell decision
Twice, in 2017, the Delaware Supreme Court struck down statutory appraisal rulings by the Delaware Court of Chancery that dismissed the importance of the market price.
Olli Salumeria Americana, LLC v. Vosmik
In buyout dispute, court rejects plaintiff’s request to set aside third-party appraisal performed pursuant to valuation agreement; court notes its limited role and high “palpable error” standard; alleged mistakes were not apparent on face of appraisal and there was no misconduct by appraiser.
Claims Against Third-Party Appraisal Crumple Under ‘Palpable Error’ Standard
In buyout dispute, court rejects plaintiff’s request to set aside third-party appraisal performed pursuant to valuation agreement; court notes its limited role and high “palpable error” standard; alleged mistakes were not apparent on face of appraisal and there was no misconduct by appraiser.
Wright v. Phillips
In fair value determination analogous to statutory appraisal valuation, Chancery says companies’ S corp status “has discrete value applicable here,” as captured in expert’s use of 14.5% tax rate (as opposed to 31%); court approves marketability discount.
S Corp Status Adds ‘Discrete’ Value to Business, Chancery Says
In fair value determination analogous to statutory appraisal valuation, Chancery says companies’ S corp status “has discrete value applicable here,” as captured in expert’s use of 14.5% tax rate (as opposed to 31%); court approves marketability discount.
Dell, Inc. v. Magnetar Global Event Driven Master Fund Ltd. (II)
High Court rejects Chancery’s decision to disregard deal price entirely in favor of court’s DCF analysis; record belies Chancery’s finding that deal price undervalued company stock, High Court says, urging adoption of deal price as fair value on remand.
Delaware Supreme Court Rebukes Chancery for Disregarding Deal Price
High Court rejects Chancery’s decision to disregard deal price entirely in favor of court’s DCF analysis; record belies Chancery’s finding that deal price undervalued company stock, High Court says, urging adoption of deal price as fair value on remand.
Matter of Levine v Seven Pines Assoc. Ltd. Partnership
In partnership dispute, New York appellate court, citing precedent, approves of use of marketability discount in fixing the fair value of the limited partner’s interest in real estate holding company; however, court rejects use of a minority discount.
New York Court Validates DLOM in Real Estate Holding Company Valuation
In partnership dispute, New York appellate court, citing precedent, approves of use of marketability discount in fixing the fair value of the limited partner’s interest in real estate holding company; however, court rejects use of a minority discount.
From the Chair
The Tax Cuts And Jobs Act became effective on January 1, 2018 and will likely impact the value of various entities and intangible assets. This may necessitate changes in our practice application to value these entities and assets.
High Court Finds Chancery’s Weighting of Values Unexplained and Inexplicable
State Supreme Court declines to create presumption for appraisal actions that deal price is best indicator of value when merger was arm’s-length transaction, but court finds Chancery’s valuation approach lacked support in record and requires revaluation.
DCF Projections Failed to Reflect Target’s Operative Reality, Chancery Says
In joint fiduciary-appraisal action centering on Sprint’s acquisition of minority interest in related entity, Chancery says merger was entirely fair and adopts respondent expert’s DCF analysis; huge value gap is 90% due to experts’ choice of projections.
Management forecasts receive close scrutiny from courts
In assessing the soundness of valuations, courts in a variety of cases have been paying close attention to the management projections appraisers have used or decided not to use in performing their value analyses. If courts are scrutinizing projections for reliability and plausibility, experts hoping to prevail in the litigation context must do so as well.
‘Fanciful’ Projections Make DCF an Unreliable Tool in Appraisal Proceeding
In statutory appraisal, Chancery decides to “defer” to deal price, citing a robust sales process and well-functioning market; petitioners’ DCF analysis was not a useful valuation tool where it was based on, “at best, fanciful” management projections.
Chancery’s DCF Upends Appraisal Arbitrage Strategy
In statutory appraisal, Chancery relies solely on DCF analysis, noting the instant case involving a bank holding company raises a unique situation in terms of management projections and whether and how to account for creation of excess regulatory capital.
Chancery’s fusion valuation triggers remand and some words of wisdom by Del. Supreme Court
The Delaware Supreme Court recently overturned a 2016 ruling by the Delaware Court of Chancery that arrived at fair value by weighting the results of three valuation techniques equally. The high court's Chief Justice Strine, who once headed the Chancery, found this approach was problematic and used the decision to provide valuation advice to his successor, Chancellor Bouchard, who had overseen the appraisal proceeding.
SEC’s Daubert Challenge to Securities Valuation Testimony Fizzles
In an SEC case requiring valuation of restricted securities, court admits most of the testimony of parties’ experts; experts need not be specialists in given field and need not demonstrate familiarity with USPAP or SSVS to qualify under Daubert, court fin ...
DFC Global Corp. v. Muirfield Value Partners, L.P. (II)
State Supreme Court declines to create presumption for appraisal actions that deal price is best indicator of value when merger was arm’s-length transaction, but court finds Chancery’s valuation approach lacked support in record and requires revaluation.
High Court Finds Chancery’s Weighting of Values Unexplained and Inexplicable
State Supreme Court declines to create presumption for appraisal actions that deal price is best indicator of value when merger was arm’s-length transaction, but court finds Chancery’s valuation approach lacked support in record and requires revaluation.
ACP Master, Ltd. v. Sprint Corp.
In joint fiduciary-appraisal action centering on Sprint’s acquisition of minority interest in related entity, Chancery says merger was entirely fair and adopts respondent expert’s DCF analysis; huge value gap is 90% due to experts’ choice of projections.
DCF Projections Failed to Reflect Target’s Operative Reality, Chancery Says
In joint fiduciary-appraisal action centering on Sprint’s acquisition of minority interest in related entity, Chancery says merger was entirely fair and adopts respondent expert’s DCF analysis; huge value gap is 90% due to experts’ choice of projections.
Valuation benchmarks for ambulatory surgery centers revealed in updated survey
HealthCare Appraisers Inc. has just released valuation multiples of single-specialty and multispecialty ASCs based on data representing over 700 entities.