BV News and Trends March 2024
A monthly roundup of key developments of interest to business valuation experts.
Demenno v. Demenno
The Alaska Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the trial court in determining the value of active appreciation and affirmed that the property in question remained the husband’s separate property and did not transmute to the marital estate.
Supreme Court (Alaska) Affirms Trial Court Calculation of Active Appreciation
The Alaska Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the trial court in determining the value of active appreciation and affirmed that the property in question remained the husband’s separate property and did not transmute to the marital estate.
Court KO’s market comp analysis due to industry choice
What business is your subject company in?
Reasonable comp at center of dental practice dispute
In a Massachusetts divorce case, the wife argued that the normalization adjustments to her salary from her dental practice were based on unreliable data.
Court OKs including PPP loan in cash flows for CCF
In a Vermont divorce case, the valuation expert for the husband valued his business by excluding proceeds from a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan as a one-time windfall for purposes of a capitalized cash flow (CCF) analysis.
Kwak v. Bozarth
The Appeals Court of Massachusetts affirmed the trial court determination of the value of the wife’s dental practice. A large amount and growth of the revenues was from prosthodontics. The wife provided her own value without expert testimony, and the trial court found the methodology not appropriate. The husband’s expert determined the value based on a capitalization of earnings method, with adjustments for compensation to the owner and a 21% discount for goodwill. The appeals court affirmed the decision of the trial court, primarily accepting the valuation of the husband’s expert.
Massachusetts Trial Court Rejects Wife’s Nonexpert Value of Her Dental Practice—Appeals Court Affirms
The Appeals Court of Massachusetts affirmed the trial court determination of the value of the wife’s dental practice. A large amount and growth of the revenues was from prosthodontics. The wife provided her own value without expert testimony, and the trial court found the methodology not appropriate. The husband’s expert determined the value based on a capitalization of earnings method, with adjustments for compensation to the owner and a 21% discount for goodwill. The appeals court affirmed the decision of the trial court, primarily accepting the valuation of the husband’s expert.
Griggs v. Griggs
The husband appealed this Vermont divorce case to the State Supreme Court inter alia to challenge the inclusion of PPP loan proceeds by the wife’s expert in determining the cash flows of the husband’s electrician services business for purposes of determining a value of the business using the capitalization of earnings method. The Supreme Court affirmed the lower trial court on this issue and allowed the PPP proceeds to be included in the cash flows.
Vermont Supreme Court Allows Inclusion of PPP Proceeds in Cap Earnings Cash Flow for Determination of Value
The husband appealed this Vermont divorce case to the State Supreme Court inter alia to challenge the inclusion of PPP loan proceeds by the wife’s expert in determining the cash flows of the husband’s electrician services business for purposes of determining a value of the business using the capitalization of earnings method. The Supreme Court affirmed the lower trial court on this issue and allowed the PPP proceeds to be included in the cash flows.
Appeals court vacates going-concern valuation for firm being wound down
In an Arizona divorce case, the couple owned a business that was being phased out.
In Re Riddle
The appeal in this case dealt with, among other issues, the trial court’s decision to adopt the husband’s expert’s value that was based on a capitalization of earnings based on expected future income. The appellate court noted that the evidence from the trial showed that the business received no revenue after the wife sold her interest to a third party, and there was no evidence that similar earnings would occur in the future. The trial court’s determination of value was vacated and remanded.
Trial Court’s Decision of Value of Business Based on a Going Concern Is Reversed and Remanded
The appeal in this case dealt with, among other issues, the trial court’s decision to adopt the husband’s expert’s value that was based on a capitalization of earnings based on expected future income. The appellate court noted that the evidence from the trial showed that the business received no revenue after the wife sold her interest to a third party, and there was no evidence that similar earnings would occur in the future. The trial court’s determination of value was vacated and remanded.
Court Denies Motion to Exclude Rebuttal Testimony of Damages
This case concerned the purchase of a historic steam plant in downtown St. Louis. The claims included breach of contract, fraudulent conveyance, and tortious interference, among others. This particular case dealt with a motion in limine to exclude rebuttal testimony from the expert for the counterclaim defendants regarding damages put forth by the counterclaim plaintiffs. The court denied the motion.
SL EC, LLC v. Ashley Energy, LLC
This case concerned the purchase of a historic steam plant in downtown St. Louis. The claims included breach of contract, fraudulent conveyance, and tortious interference, among others. This particular case dealt with a motion in limine to exclude rebuttal testimony from the expert for the counterclaim defendants regarding damages put forth by the counterclaim plaintiffs. The court denied the motion.
Valuing Small and Micro Businesses Using the Income Method
Focus in on valuing micro and small businesses using the income methods of business valuation. Learn to distinguish differing risk factors between large companies and micro and very small companies. Join Gregory Caruso for a deep dive into problematic areas of actual small-business valuation cases to review theory and tie it into the actual application of methods using best practices and professional judgment. Audience questions and succinct opinions welcomed in this hands-on event.
Restaurant Valuation: Serving Your Clients During the Covid-19 Crisis
Few industries have been as harshly impacted by COVID-19 as the restaurant industry. Join Lynton Kotzin for an overview of the state of the restaurant industry and what the future looks like for different restaurant types. Learn the reasonableness test, value drivers, and proper application of the approaches during these volatile times. Be ready to advise and value your restaurant clients.
In re Happy Child World, Inc.
In an entire-fairness-cum-statutory-appraisal case involving nonoperating day care center whose facility was leased on merger date, court approves use of capitalization of earnings and NAV models and averaging results to determine fair value; business model was uncertain on merger date, court notes.
Uncertain Business Model on Merger Date Justifies Use of Income and NAV Models, Court Says
In an entire-fairness-cum-statutory-appraisal case involving nonoperating day care center whose facility was leased on merger date, court approves use of capitalization of earnings and NAV models and averaging results to determine fair value; business model was uncertain on merger date, court notes.
‘Overstated’ projections sink plaintiff’s fair value determination
Earlier this year, a New York trial court presiding over a buyout dispute featuring an online wholesaler of faucets, sinks, and fixtures rebuffed the departing shareholder’s valuation.
Biton v. Kreinis
In dispute over fair value of plaintiff’s shares, court agrees with parties’ experts on use of capitalization of earnings method to value company; court rejects defense expert’s use of QuickBooks data and post-valuation-date revenue as representative annual revenue; applies key-person discount.
In Fair Value Determination, Court Says SSVS Discourages Use of Post-Valuation-Date Data
In dispute over fair value of plaintiff’s shares, court agrees with parties’ experts on use of capitalization of earnings method to value company; court rejects defense expert’s use of QuickBooks data and post-valuation-date revenue as representative annual revenue; applies key-person discount.
Washington appeals court issues key ruling on entity goodwill
In a “complicated” (court’s word) dissolution case, the Washington Court of Appeals recently made an important ruling on whether a professional limited liability company (PLLC) can have goodwill separate from the goodwill of the professionals.
McLelland v. Paxton
In dissolution dispute, appeals court affirms trial court’s finding, based on plaintiff expert testimony, that dissolved professional LLC had entity goodwill at trial based, in large part, on ownership of three leases and operation of offices that doctors could use upon termination of partnership.
Washington State Appeals Court Adopts Rule on Entity Goodwill in Professional LLC
In dissolution dispute, appeals court affirms trial court’s finding, based on plaintiff expert testimony, that dissolved professional LLC had entity goodwill at trial based, in large part, on ownership of three leases and operation of offices that doctors could use upon termination of partnership.