Important bankruptcy ruling on how to value oil and gas assets
Valuing oil and gas assets requires special expertise, as is evident from a recent bankruptcy ruling that includes a thorough examination of the parties’ valuation evidence.
BVU News and Trends June 2018
A monthly roundup of key developments of interest to business valuation experts.
CFOs surveyed on ERP
In a new paper, John R. Graham and Campbell R. Harvey of Duke University analyze the history of the equity risk premium from surveys of U.S. chief financial officers (CFOs) conducted every quarter from June 2000 to December 2017.
Court Credits Debtor’s Asset Valuations but Rejects Chapter 11 Plan
Court finds debtor is hopelessly insolvent; court values two types of oil and gas assets under NAV and precedent transaction analyses, respectively, finding, in terms of NAV analysis, debtor’s expert is more credible on issues of pricing, forecasting, risking, and predicting costs.
In re Breitburn Energy Partners LP
Court finds debtor is hopelessly insolvent; court values two types of oil and gas assets under NAV and precedent transaction analyses, respectively, finding, in terms of NAV analysis, debtor’s expert is more credible on issues of pricing, forecasting, risking, and predicting costs.
In re EM Lodgings, LLC
In granting creditor’s stay relief motion, court averages competing expert valuations and finds debtor has no equity in contested hotel; court says value gap is result of experts’ legitimate disagreements over hotel’s future performance as reflected in inputs for DCF-based analyses.
Court Accords Equal Weight to Competing DCF-Based Hotel Valuations
In granting creditor’s stay relief motion, court averages competing expert valuations and finds debtor has no equity in contested hotel; court says value gap is result of experts’ legitimate disagreements over hotel’s future performance as reflected in inputs for DCF-based analyses.
City of Hialeah Emples. Ret. Sys. v. FEI Co.
Court rejects dissenting shareholder’s proxy challenge, finding board member statements about management projections are protected under applicable act’s safe harbor provision; also, court says financial advisor’s fairness opinion did not double count for risk in underlying DCF analysis.
Financial Advisor’s Fairness Opinion Not Materially Misleading
Court rejects dissenting shareholder’s proxy challenge, finding board member statements about management projections are protected under applicable act’s safe harbor provision; also, court says financial advisor’s fairness opinion did not double count for risk in underlying DCF analysis.
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.
Radiologix, Inc. v. Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, LLC
Court admits expert calculation that determines one set of damages for two related plaintiff entities and that relies on data from nonparty parent entity; court finds calculation need not precisely track corporate structure to meet Daubert requirements.
Under Daubert, Damages Calculation Need Not Replicate Corporate Structure
Court admits expert calculation that determines one set of damages for two related plaintiff entities and that relies on data from nonparty parent entity; court finds calculation need not precisely track corporate structure to meet Daubert requirements.
Tax Court Introduces Formula to Value Donated Remainder Interest
Tax Court rules for IRS in disallowing deduction for charitable contribution involving remainder interest in leased property; requisite appraisal summary omits vital information, and court’s valuation formula shows donor made gross valuation misstatement.
In Big Buyout Ruling, Minnesota Court Rejects DLOM in Calculating Fair Value
In a forced buyout, court says experts were too partisan to their clients, compromising value analysis; court performs its own valuation using DCF to determine fair value of grocery business and rejects DLOM because no unfair transfer of wealth occurs.
Work File Checklist for Discount Rates Under New Fair Value Regulations
Under the new requirements for fair value for financial reporting, valuation experts will be expected to have a certain amount of documentation in their work files. For holders of the new CEIV credential, a work file will be reviewed within the first year ...
CUT Method Prevails in Amazon’s Transfer Pricing War With IRS
In transfer pricing case, Tax Court says Amazon more accurately determined buy-in and cost-sharing payments by using CUT method to value separately three types of intangible assets; IRS’s DCF analysis results in improper enterprise valuation, court says ...
Tax Court Introduces Formula to Value Donated Remainder Interest
Tax Court rules for IRS in disallowing deduction for charitable contribution involving remainder interest in leased property; requisite appraisal summary omits vital information, and court’s valuation formula shows donor made gross valuation misstatement.
RERI Holdings I, LLC v. Commissioner (RERI I)
Tax Court rules for IRS in disallowing deduction for charitable contribution involving remainder interest in leased property; requisite appraisal summary omits vital information, and court’s valuation formula shows donor made gross valuation misstatement.
Trustee Liable for Inadequate ESOP Valuation Vetting
Court finds ESOP trustee liable for allowing overpayment for company shares; trustee rushed transaction and failed to scrutinize financial advisor’s valuation ignoring red flags related to projections, use of control premium, beta, rounding up of values.
Expert’s Best-Effort Medical Practice Valuation Holds Up on Appeal
Appeals court upholds medical practice valuation despite gaps in expert analysis, including failure to analyze goodwill and exclude premarriage value portion of practice; expert’s job was “complicated” due to owner-spouse’s noncompliance with discovery.
ESOP Trustee Evaded Fiduciary Duties by Delegating Valuation
Court finds ESOP trustee liable for causing plan to overpay; trustee “delegated” valuation to ESOP valuator without inquiring into valuation components, including projections, and without exploring “glaring” gaps (industry analysis) in valuation report.
In Big Buyout Ruling, Minnesota Court Rejects DLOM in Calculating Fair Value
In a forced buyout, court says experts were too partisan to their clients, compromising value analysis; court performs its own valuation using DCF to determine fair value of grocery business and rejects DLOM because no unfair transfer of wealth occurs.
Lund v. Lund (I)
In a forced buyout, court says experts were too partisan to their clients, compromising value analysis; court performs its own valuation using DCF to determine fair value of grocery business and rejects DLOM because no unfair transfer of wealth occurs.
Chancery Says Solid Sales Process Lends Credibility to Deal Price
In appraisal action, Chancery says final merger consideration best represents fair value, noting sales process led to “meaningful price discovery”; court says with DCF too much depends on assumptions; small changes may have outsize impact on value range.