Chancery relies on income approach to determine fair value in problematic bank merger
In a statutory appraisal action, the Delaware Court of Chancery recently found the deal price did not reflect fair value because the sales process was suboptimal. Certain other methods the parties' experts used also were inadequate to the task, the court said.
New Jersey Court Finds Defendant’s Actions Justify DLOM in Forced Buyout
In New Jersey fair value determination, following precedent, court finds defendant’s conduct justifies use of a marketability discount because he was oppressing shareholder who created “extraordinary circumstances” necessitating forced buyout; court rejec ...
Judicial Appraisal Lacks Valuation Evidence and Gets Dinged on Appeal
Appeals court scraps judicial appraisal, finding it was not based on competent evidence; in valuing dissenting shareholder’s interest in auto dealership, trial court ignored expert opinions but failed to detail methodology supporting its valuation.
Parker v. Parker
In New Jersey fair value determination, following precedent, court finds defendant’s conduct justifies use of a marketability discount because he was oppressing shareholder who created “extraordinary circumstances” necessitating forced buyout; court rejec ...
Lally Orange Buick Pontiac GMC, Inc. v. Sandhu
Appeals court scraps judicial appraisal, finding it was not based on competent evidence; in valuing dissenting shareholder’s interest in auto dealership, trial court ignored expert opinions but failed to detail methodology supporting its valuation.
Stock-for-Stock Mergers: An Empirical Study of Fairness Determinations in Fairness Opinions
This study asks which valuation approaches and analyses are currently being used as the foundation for fairness opinions in stock-for-stock mergers involving U.S. companies. An examination of the SEC's EDGAR database for the years 2009 through 2014 identified 146 proxy statements for stock-for-stock mergers containing 290 fairness opinions and descriptions of the approaches, methods, and analyses employed. We found that most opinions employed more than one approach, and that opinion providers (primarily investment bankers) determined ...
Washington Court Explains Principle Guiding Double-Dip Analysis
Appeals court says there was no double dipping where the business, valued under an income approach, was a going concern, not a fixed asset, and would continue to generate income for owner spouse with which to pay maintenance award to nonowner spouse.
In re Marriage of Cheng
Appeals court says there was no double dipping where the business, valued under an income approach, was a going concern, not a fixed asset, and would continue to generate income for owner spouse with which to pay maintenance award to nonowner spouse.
Cavallaro v. Commissioner (Cavallaro II)
Court of Appeals finds Tax Court held mistaken view of burden of proof and erred in declining to evaluate taxpayers’ multiple challenges to IRS’s expert valuation; on remand, Tax Court may consider new valuation evidence, appeals court says.
Court of Appeals Sides With Taxpayers on Right to Vet IRS Expert Valuation
Court of Appeals finds Tax Court held mistaken view of burden of proof and erred in declining to evaluate taxpayers’ multiple challenges to IRS’s expert valuation; on remand, Tax Court may consider new valuation evidence, appeals court says.
Tax Court Valuation of Public Utility Gets Mixed Marks From State High Court
State Supreme Court says, in valuing public utility, Tax Court had discretion to adopt Commissioner expert’s position on company-specific risk premium and build-up method but failed to explain choice of specific beta factors; Supreme Court remands.
Minn. Energy Res. Corp. v. Commissioner of Revenue
State Supreme Court says, in valuing public utility, Tax Court had discretion to adopt Commissioner expert’s position on company-specific risk premium and build-up method but failed to explain choice of specific beta factors; Supreme Court remands.
Court Disapproves of Nonexpert Valuation of Key Marital Asset
Appeals court rejects trial court’s valuation of husband’s fitness training company noting trial court lacked necessary financial evidence as well as testimony from experts; appeals court remands requesting “adequate valuation,” excluding goodwill.
Valuation of key marital asset demands expert opinion
In a Mississippi divorce, the husband's sole-owned fitness training company was the key asset. An accurate valuation was central to achieving an equitable distribution of property, but the parties did not hire experts or even submit much financial information to the trial court.
EBITDA Single-Period Income Capitalization for Business Valuation
This article begins with a discussion of EBITDA, or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. The focus on the EBITDA of private companies is almost ubiquitous among business appraisers, business owners, and other market participants. The article then addresses the relationship between depreciation (and amortization) and EBIT, or earnings before interest and taxes, as one measure of relative capital intensity. This relationship, which is termed the EBITDA Depreciation Factor, is then used to convert ...
Tax Court revaluation means big-time savings for taxpayer
In an estate tax dispute that has lasted for over five years, the Tax Court recently revalued the decedent’s minority interest in an Oregon family business by order of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The recalculation proved a boon to the taxpayer.
In Buyout, Income-Based Expert Appraisal Beats Other Value Indicators
In partnership dispute, appeals court affirms redemption award based on multiple-of-earnings valuation, finding valuation was reliable and admissible under state equivalent of Daubert and trial court had discretion to disregard other indicators of value.
Lacoste v. Lacoste
Appeals court rejects trial court’s valuation of husband’s fitness training company noting trial court lacked necessary financial evidence as well as testimony from experts; appeals court remands requesting “adequate valuation,” excluding goodwill.
Court Disapproves of Nonexpert Valuation of Key Marital Asset
Appeals court rejects trial court’s valuation of husband’s fitness training company noting trial court lacked necessary financial evidence as well as testimony from experts; appeals court remands requesting “adequate valuation,” excluding goodwill.
Dodgy Real Estate Valuation Compromises Dependent Business Valuation
Trial court did not err when it enforced shareholder agreement lacking purchase price and based buyout price on defense expert testimony; opposing expert committed “severe flaws in his methodology and the valuations based upon them,” appeals court says.
Court Snubs Lost Earnings Analysis Based on ‘Incomplete Use’ of Data
Court rejects expert’s loss of business opportunity and lost earnings calculations, finding capitalization of earnings method is inappropriate for valuing company with unstable earnings and lost salary projections are based on “incomplete use” of data.
Highest Court Rebukes Trial Court Over Flat-Out Bar of DCF Approach
State high court says trial court’s categorical rejection of DCF method to value a special purpose plant for tax assessment purposes is improper where parties’ “experienced and knowledgeable” experts relied on it; court remands for new trial on valuation.
Demand for Executive Compensation Data Lacks ‘Proper Purpose’
Appeals court finds no error in trial court’s rejection of plaintiff’s demand for inspection of corporate records on executive compensation, where expert testimony showed information was not necessary to value plaintiff’s minority interest in company.
Jafar v. Mohammed
In partnership dispute, appeals court affirms redemption award based on multiple-of-earnings valuation, finding valuation was reliable and admissible under state equivalent of Daubert and trial court had discretion to disregard other indicators of value.
Comparable Transaction Exposes Error in Court’s Enterprise Goodwill Ruling
Appeals court strikes divorce ruling adopting income-based valuation of enterprise value of owner’s financial services business, valuation conflicts with data from similar transaction that occurred close to valuation date and involved owner-spouse.