Mississippi High Court Clarifies Best Practice for Lost Profits Calculation
In usurped-corporate-opportunity case, high court upholds trial court’s lost profits calculation based on actual numbers of company benefitting from wrongdoing, although best way is to project future profits or consider past profits of damaged business.
Loss of Value Damages Do Not Require Showing of Complete Destruction
In tortious interference with business relations case, 8th Circuit says district court did not err when it allowed plaintiff’s expert to testify to total loss of value where company was not completely destroyed but harmed; damages award was not excessive.
Loss of Value Damages Do Not Require Showing of Complete Destruction
In tortious interference with business relations case, 8th Circuit says district court did not err when it allowed plaintiff’s expert to testify to total loss of value where company was not completely destroyed but harmed; damages award was not excessive.
Hornberger v. Dave Gutelius Excavating, Inc.
Valuation of shares of terminated stockholder based on shareholder agreement that requires calculation of adjusted net book value and specified adjustments may include discounts, where discounts are consistent with industry practice, appellate court says.
Industry Practice Supports Discounts in Stock Redemption Valuation
Valuation of shares of terminated stockholder based on shareholder agreement that requires calculation of adjusted net book value and specified adjustments may include discounts, where discounts are consistent with industry practice, appellate court says.
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.
Finch v. Campbell
In partnership dispute, appeals court affirms trial court’s “equitable discretion” not to allow plaintiff to offer valuation of his law firm interest that contradicts valuation plaintiff offered for same asset in his divorce trial, benefitting each time.
Court Finds Plaintiff’s Contradictory Valuation of Law Firm Interest ‘Inequitable’
In partnership dispute, appeals court affirms trial court’s “equitable discretion” not to allow plaintiff to offer valuation of his law firm interest that contradicts valuation plaintiff offered for same asset in his divorce trial, benefitting each time.
Don’t assume causation, AICPA panel warns damages experts
Causation presents one of the most vexing problems for damages experts. But ignoring causation and simply working off the assumption that it exists may end up being the biggest problem for an expert.
Defense Event Study Rebuts Plaintiff’s Price Impact Claim
Court denies class certification in securities fraud case, finding defense financial expert is able to rebut presumption of reliance by way of event study that shows defendant’s alleged misrepresentation had no significant impact on company’s stock price.
In re Finisar Corp. Secs. Litig.
Court denies class certification in securities fraud case, finding defense financial expert is able to rebut presumption of reliance by way of event study that shows defendant’s alleged misrepresentation had no significant impact on company’s stock price.
Trial court’s IPO valuation in fair value proceeding holds up on appeal
A recent case shows just how difficult it is to value a startup. Here, there was an extra challenge because the subject was a pharmaceutical venture that required years of funding for the development of two drugs working toward FDA approval. The trial court needed to determine the fair value of the plaintiff’s interest prior to the company’s ultimate success.
Baker v. Seaworld Entm’t, Inc.
Court grants class certification in securities fraud case; defense expert’s event study to show absence-of-price-impact fails to rebut presumption of reliance; plaintiff meets predominance requirement and its expert offers valid classwide damages model.
Court Balks at Event Study’s Singular Focus on Misrepresentation
Court grants class certification in securities fraud case; defense expert’s event study to show absence-of-price-impact fails to rebut presumption of reliance; plaintiff meets predominance requirement and its expert offers valid classwide damages model.
Tax Effects Are Relevant to Equitable Distribution Analysis
Reviewing court says in valuing owner spouse’s auto transport business and performing equitable distribution analysis, trial court erred when it refused to consider tax effects of potential sale of business before assigning asset to owner; case remanded.
Math and Logic Problems Mar Court’s Valuation and Division of Assets
Appeals court finds incongruities in trial court’s unreported cash income and profit rate inputs make court’s valuation of timber business meaningless; further, trial court failed to explain reason for equalization payment and arrived at incorrect amount.
Appeals Court Upholds Insolvency Rulings in Transfer Liability Case
Appeals court upholds Tax Court’s transfer liability rulings; there was constructive fraud in that dividend payments to appellant were not compensation for services rendered but were part of a series of transfers leading to company’s insolvency.
Combined Expert Testimony May Provide Valid Damages Framework
In Daubert case, court finds government’s combined expert testimony concerning financial impact of negative publicity on sponsor (USPS) of Lance Armstrong and his cycling team provides “sufficiently non-speculative framework for determining damages.”
United States ex rel. Landis v. Tailwind Sports Corp.
In Daubert case, court finds government’s combined expert testimony concerning financial impact of negative publicity on sponsor (USPS) of Lance Armstrong and his cycling team provides “sufficiently non-speculative framework for determining damages.”
Springer v. Library Store
Court upholds lower court ruling that there was no mismanagement of corporate assets; plaintiff failed to show excessive officer compensation and was properly precluded from using testifying expert to introduce another appraiser’s report on excessive rent.
Court Clarifies Application of Rule 703 to Expert Testimony
Court upholds lower court ruling that there was no mismanagement of corporate assets; plaintiff failed to show excessive officer compensation and was properly precluded from using testifying expert to introduce another appraiser’s report on excessive rent.
Blind Reliance on Client Data and Wide-Ranging Values Gut New Venture Valuation
In a securities fraud action, appeals court upholds class certification; trial court did not err when it found direct evidence of price impact by way of event study was not necessary to show market efficiency where there was strong indirect evidence.
Lightbox Ventures, LLC v. 3 RD Home Ltd.
Court excludes lost profits calculation and valuations of new venture; experts’ unquestioning adoption of plaintiff’s data and assumptions, the large range of valuations proffered, and disclaimers accompanying valuations undermine opinions’ meaningfulness.
In unusual business tort case, court exhibits flexibility in terms of calculating damages
The 8th Circuit recently upheld a sizable damages award in an unusual business tort case litigated under Nebraska law. One noteworthy aspect in terms of determining economic damages was that the court allowed expert testimony regarding the loss of value to the plaintiff even though the plaintiff did not fail completely upon the wrongdoing.