Fredericks Peebles & Morgan LLP v. Assam
In buyout dispute over law firm interest, court credits firm’s expert, noting his extensive relevant experience, his taking care to value interest under fair market value standard, as required by the partnership agreement, and his detailed risk analysis to support a deep discount.
Louisiana Appeals Court Affirms Use of Discounts in LLC Valuations
Appeals court supports trial court’s decision to value departing member’s minority interest on fair market value basis pursuant to state statute rather than method specified in some existing corporate documents; appeals court affirms lower court’s discretion to apply post-Cannon discounts.
Wall v. Bryan
Appeals court supports trial court’s decision to value departing member’s minority interest on fair market value basis pursuant to state statute rather than method specified in some existing corporate documents; appeals court affirms lower court’s discretion to apply post-Cannon discounts.
Damages Claim Fails to Provide Yardsticks Capturing Defunct Startup’s Value
Appeals court upholds zero damages finding in dispute involving short-lived software startup, where plaintiff’s expert had no experience valuing software companies, misapprehended basic facts, and developed multimillion-dollar valuations for a company with no product, no revenue, and no investors.
Zaffarkhan v. Domesek
Appeals court upholds zero damages finding in dispute involving short-lived software startup, where plaintiff’s expert had no experience valuing software companies, misapprehended basic facts, and developed multimillion-dollar valuations for a company with no product, no revenue, and no investors.
BVLaw Recent Case Additions
Case law matters. Check out these three divorce decisions, recently added to BVLaw, which arose in different states and which all dealt with the question of whether it was appropriate to discount the owner-spouse’s interest in a closely held business.
Wiegers v. Richards-Wiegers
Alaska high court finds trial court was not required to value husband’s shares in closely held company under the liquidation approach the company historically had used in buy-out situations; trial court’s “true asset” approach was based on credible expert testimony.
Trial Court’s ‘True Asset’ Valuation Aligns With Expert’s Testimony
Alaska high court finds trial court was not required to value husband’s shares in closely held company under the liquidation approach the company historically had used in buy-out situations; trial court’s “true asset” approach was based on credible expert testimony.
Ohio Appeals Court Approves Use of Fair Value Standard in Valuing Farm Entities
Appeals court upholds valuation of minority interest in farm entities based on fair value standard of value; court notes prevailing expert specifically referenced buy-sell agreements that did not contemplate use of discounts in valuing exiting member’s partial interest.
Tate v. Tate
Appeals court upholds valuation of minority interest in farm entities based on fair value standard of value; court notes prevailing expert specifically referenced buy-sell agreements that did not contemplate use of discounts in valuing exiting member’s partial interest.
In re Tesla Motors Stockholder Litig.
Court of Chancery says Tesla dissenting shareholders allege sufficient facts to show company CEO, Elon Musk, was a controlling shareholder, despite holding a minority interest; court allows breach of fiduciary claims concerning acquisition of related company to proceed.
Court Allows Tesla Dissenting Shareholder Suit to Go Forward
Court of Chancery says Tesla dissenting shareholders allege sufficient facts to show company CEO, Elon Musk, was a controlling shareholder, despite holding a minority interest; court allows breach of fiduciary claims concerning acquisition of related company to proceed.
Courts Find Minority Discount Unwarranted Under Facts of Case
In valuing owner-spouse’s minority interest in LLC, trial court “would have been well within its discretion to apply a minority discount,” appeals court says, but it was not error for trial court to reject a discount based on certain questionable actions related to the owner’s interest.
Cobane v. Cobane
In valuing owner-spouse’s minority interest in LLC, trial court “would have been well within its discretion to apply a minority discount,” appeals court says, but it was not error for trial court to reject a discount based on certain questionable actions related to the owner’s interest.
Trial Court’s Stock Valuation Contravenes Agreement’s Buyout Provisions
In shareholder dispute over minority owner’s stock buyout, appeals court finds trial court’s sole reliance on five-year-old valuation and its rejection of appraiser’s recent valuation violates parties’ shareholder agreement and requires revaluation.
R. Kashmiry & Assocs. v. Ellis
In shareholder dispute over minority owner’s stock buyout, appeals court finds trial court’s sole reliance on five-year-old valuation and its rejection of appraiser’s recent valuation violates parties’ shareholder agreement and requires revaluation.
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.
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.
DCF Projections Failed to Reflect Target’s Operative Reality, Chancery Says
In joint fiduciary-appraisal action centering on Sprint’s acquisition of minority interest in related entity, Chancery says merger was entirely fair and adopts respondent expert’s DCF analysis; huge value gap is 90% due to experts’ choice of projections.
Vedros v. Vedros
Court says discounting for lack of marketability of minority interest in home healthcare agency, operating as an S corporation, is appropriate where LLC agreement included transfer restrictions and partners were not planning to buy out owner spouse.
Facts Support Discounts in Valuation of Small Healthcare Agency
Court says discounting for lack of marketability of minority interest in home healthcare agency, operating as an S corporation, is appropriate where LLC agreement included transfer restrictions and partners were not planning to buy out owner spouse.
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.
Kassab v Kasab
In determining the fair value of petitioner’s interest in two family businesses that hold real estate, New York court (Second Department) adopts expert’s decision not to apply marketability discount, noting valuation “already relies upon market exposure.”
Court Adopts DLOM-Free Valuation of Realty Holding Company
In determining the fair value of petitioner’s interest in two family businesses that hold real estate, New York court (Second Department) adopts expert’s decision not to apply marketability discount, noting valuation “already relies upon market exposure.”