Corwin v. KKR Fin. Holdings LLC
Regarding breach of fiduciary duty claims, Delaware Supreme Court says business judgment rule (lower standard of review) applies where disinterested stockholder majority approves merger with third party and vote was uncoerced and fully informed.
Chancery Decries Accounting Firm’s Compromised Valuation
Chancery says major accounting firm’s merger-related appraisal represents “new low”; to achieve client’s goal of zero corporate tax liability, firm abandoned sound prior approaches and simply copied another accounting firm’s report and called it its own.
In re Dole Food Co. (Dole III)
In joint fairness/statutory appraisal action, Chancery finds defendants’ fraud defeated financial advisor’s ability to produce reliable DCF, notwithstanding advisor’s “heroic” efforts to create “the most credible and reliable projections in the case.”
Fox v. CDx Holdings
Chancery says major accounting firm’s merger-related appraisal represents “new low”; to achieve client’s goal of zero corporate tax liability, firm abandoned sound prior approaches and simply copied another accounting firm’s report and called it its own.
LongPath Capital, LLC v. Ramtron International Corp.
In appraisal arbitrage case, Chancery finds merger price adjusted for synergies is best indicator of fair value of company; dissenter’s DCF value rests on unsound management projections and its comparable transactions analysis uses too few data points.
Chancery Assigns Secondary Role to Post-Merger DCF
In an appraisal action, Chancery says merger price stemming from robust sales process is best indicator of value; court’s own DCF valuation “is close to the market,” but problematic projections make it more suitable as a check on the sales-derived price.
Delaware Chancery Orders Disclosure of Nonexpert Internal Valuations
In discovery dispute over prelitigation valuation-related information, Chancery orders dissenting shareholders to disclose internal assessments of stock value finding information likely is admissible reflecting “real-world” opinion of “astute” investors.
Zelouf Court Reasserts Its Objection to DLOM
New York court rejects majority owners’ post-trial objection to prior ruling against DLOM based on unlikelihood of sale of the business; court is guided by fairness, noting “a DLOM here would be the economic equivalent of imposing a minority discount.”
In re Ancestry
In an appraisal action, Chancery says merger price stemming from robust sales process is best indicator of value; court’s own DCF valuation “is close to the market,” but problematic projections make it more suitable as a check on the sales-derived price.
Gift Tax Case Pivots on Key Assumption Informing Valuations
Taxpayer parents incurred gift tax liability when, based on improper valuations, they agreed to merge their S corp. with their sons’ S corp. and accepted an unduly low interest in the new company while sons received an unduly high interest, Tax Court says ...
Zelouf International Corp. v. Zelouf (II)
New York court rejects majority owners’ post-trial objection to prior ruling against DLOM based on unlikelihood of sale of the business; court is guided by fairness, noting “a DLOM here would be the economic equivalent of imposing a minority discount.”
In re Dole Food Co. (Dole I)
In discovery dispute over prelitigation valuation-related information, Chancery orders dissenting shareholders to disclose internal assessments of stock value finding information likely is admissible reflecting “real-world” opinion of “astute” investors.
Cavallaro v. Commissioner
Taxpayer parents incurred gift tax liability when, based on improper valuations, they agreed to merge their S corp. with their sons’ S corp. and accepted an unduly low interest in the new company while sons received an unduly high interest, Tax Court says ...
DE Chancery Plumbs Merger Price for ‘Speculative Value Elements’
In statutory appraisal action, Chancery scrutinizes merger price for downward or upward adjustment based on improper inclusion of synergistic value or exclusion of value stemming from business opportunities arising prior to consummation of merger.
Valuations Underpin DE Chancery’s Ruling in Going-Private Merger
DE Supreme Court affirms use of business judgment review where controlling stockholder buyout includes two procedural protections for minority and finds valuations from independent financial advisor confirmed merger was favorable to minority stockholders.
Valuations Underpin DE Chancery’s Ruling in Going-Private Merger
DE Chancery adopts business judgment review standard where controlling stockholder buyout includes two procedural protections for minority and finds valuations from independent financial advisor demonstrate merger was favorable to minority stockholders.