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.
Congel v Malfitano (I)
New York appellate court says trial court erred when it declined to apply minority discount in determining “value” of minority shareholder’s interest in partnership where shareholder wrongfully dissolved partnership and buyout was not a fair value proceed ...
Grant v. Grant
Appeals court says use of DLOM in valuing interest for divorce depends on interest’s characteristics not owner’s intent to sell the interest, but appeals court affirms trial court’s decision to apply “slight” or no DLOM based on intent to sell analysis.
Court refuses to take stand on minority discount in buyback of shares
The parties retained a sole appraiser, whom they both knew from past appraisals he had done of the company. Prior to formally engaging the appraiser, in a court hearing, both sides broached the issue of whether it was appropriate to apply a minority discount in valuing the plaintiff's shares. The court declined to weigh in on the subject, but told the parties the minority discount issue should form “part of the discussion” they needed to have over the valuation methodology.
Chancery declines to meddle in parties' valuation agreement
In terms of valuation methodology, the agreement provided that “there shall be no minority or non-marketability discount applied.” Also, “fair market value” meant an arm’s length sale to an unrelated third party. And, for purposes of calculating the “total equity value,” the value of the assets would be subject to an EBITDA collar to ensure that the value of the assets was at least 6.5 x but no more than 7.5 x the company’s “EBITDA less Maintenance Capex” for year-end 2013. The resulting number was to be reduced by the company’s obligations and liabilities. Most important, the parties agreed to be bound by the appraiser's calculation of the price of the put units. There was no provision for judicial or any other form of review of the appraiser's valuation.
Pearson v. Westervelt Co.
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.
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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.”
Valuation Combines Elements of Rival Experts’ Cash Flow Analyses
Appeals court defers to trial court’s method of applying one expert’s cap rate to other expert’s cash flow analysis when valuing spouse’s interest in closely held company and says “purposeful” application of minority discount has support among valuators.
Court Hitches DLOM Application to Probability of Sale
In fair value appraisal proceeding, New York court finds DLOM inappropriate given low probability of sale of family business and finds assumption of hypothetical impediments to sale irrelevant; New York law does not mandate DLOM in every circumstance.
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.”
Zelouf International Corp. v. Zelouf (I)
In fair value appraisal proceeding, New York court finds DLOM inappropriate given low probability of sale of family business and finds assumption of hypothetical impediments to sale irrelevant; New York law does not mandate DLOM in every circumstance.
In Buyout, Court Extols Expert’s Valuation and Legal Acumen
Appeals court affirms trial court’s valuation of oppressed shareholder’s minority interest in family business based on credentialed appraiser’s “clear, thorough, professional, and reliable” opinion and knowledge of New York valuation-related law.
In Buyout, Court Extols Expert’s Valuation and Legal Acumen
Appeals court affirms trial court’s valuation of oppressed shareholder’s minority interest in family business based on credentialed appraiser’s “clear, thorough, professional, and reliable” opinion and knowledge of New York valuation-related law.
Browne v. Browne, Jr.
Appeals court defers to trial court’s method of applying one expert’s cap rate to other expert’s cash flow analysis when valuing spouse’s interest in closely held company and says “purposeful” application of minority discount has support among valuators.
Court Finds ‘Market Value Concept’ Requires Flexibility
Court says under Daubert a business valuator is qualified to value an investment company dealing in real estate since the company is not a piece of real estate but a business with diverse assets and finds real estate valuation is by nature “imprecise.”
Matter of Adelstein v. Finest Food Distributing Co. (II)
Appeals court affirms trial court’s valuation of oppressed shareholder’s minority interest in family business based on credentialed appraiser’s “clear, thorough, professional, and reliable” opinion and knowledge of New York valuation-related law.
Marcus v. Quattrocchi
Court says under Daubert a business valuator is qualified to value an investment company dealing in real estate since the company is not a piece of real estate but a business with diverse assets and finds real estate valuation is by nature “imprecise.”
Tax Court Foils ‘End Run’ Around Expert Rules
Tax Court rejects taxpayer’s attempt to place in evidence a new appraisal regarding the decedent’s interest in an LLC whose principal asset was real estate by way of stipulation, finding he failed to qualify the appraiser as an expert and did not present ...
No Taboo Against Marketability Discount in Shareholder Suit
In dissenting shareholder action, appellate court finds trial court had discretion to dismiss valuations from parties’ experts as “prejudiced” and draw on a third-party investor proposal for a “more realistic value” of the subject company; it also affirms ...
Estate of Tanenblatt v. Commissioner
Tax Court rejects taxpayer’s attempt to place in evidence a new appraisal regarding the decedent’s interest in an LLC whose principal asset was real estate by way of stipulation, finding he failed to qualify the appraiser as an expert and did not present ...