BVLaw case update: buyout disputes
Even when the members of a business entity plan ahead for a potential buyout, a lot can still go wrong, often because the language in a controlling shareholder agreement leaves too much room for interpretation or a necessary corporate document is missing.
BVU News and Trends June 2018
A monthly roundup of key developments of interest to business valuation experts.
ESOP case alive (for now), but court limits damages testimony under Daubert
In a developing ESOP case, the government recently suffered a setback when the court agreed with the trustee that portions of the damages testimony the government’s expert proposed failed to hold up under the Daubert reliability prong.
DOL sues over ESOP; trustee launches Daubert attack
In a developing ESOP case, the court recently excluded a chunk of the government expert’s damages testimony and dismissed one of the counts for lack of damages evidence.
This Short Paragraph Can Bolster the DLOM Section in Your Next Report
Are you using a simple “benchmark average approach” for your analysis of a discount for lack of marketability (DLOM)? That type of analysis may have passed muster years ago, but times have changed.
BVU News and Trends May 2018
A monthly roundup of key developments of interest to business valuation experts.
Lynd v. Marshall County Pediatrics, P.C.
In share redemption dispute pivoting on missing shareholder agreement, high court finds corporate bylaws show trial court’s use of book value to value separating member’s stock was error but plaintiff failed to show right to fair value determination as a matter of law; court remands.
In Share Redemption Case, Bylaws Militate Against Book-Value Valuation
In share redemption dispute pivoting on missing shareholder agreement, high court finds corporate bylaws show trial court’s use of book value to value separating member’s stock was error but plaintiff failed to show right to fair value determination as a matter of law; court remands.
Willamette’s spring Insights issue is available
The Spring 2018 issue of Insights from Willamette Management Associates is titled “Thought Leadership in Breach of Fiduciary Duty Tort Claims—Valuation and Damages Analyses.”
Acosta v. Vinoskey
In ESOP dispute, court partially excludes DOL expert’s damages analysis under Daubert; court finds expert’s market comparable approach to support overpayment claim is unreliable as is expert’s methodology for calculating alleged loss in stock value to existing shareholders.
Stout updates Restricted Stock Study and Calculator
The most widely used restricted stock transaction database is the Stout Restricted Stock Study™ (formerly FMV Opinions), which is updated quarterly and contains 780-plus screened transactions with up to 60 data fields.
Court of appeals KOs DOL fiduciary rule
A three-judge panel of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has struck down the Department of Labor’s (DOL) fiduciary rule, agreeing with the plaintiffs that the DOL overstepped its statutory boundaries.
Court of Chancery exalts stock price as most accurate indicator of fair value
The Delaware Court of Chancery recently had an opportunity to put into practice the directives the state’s high court had issued in DFC Global and Dell in terms of calculating fair value in a statutory appraisal proceeding.
Failure to Do Independent Price Impact Analysis Begets Class Certification
Court certifies securities fraud class action where plaintiff expert’s analysis shows market efficiency and where defense expert fails to perform independent event study to show lack of price impact and disprove effect of alleged misrepresentations.
Li v. Aeterna Zentaris, Inc.
Court certifies securities fraud class action where plaintiff expert’s analysis shows market efficiency and where defense expert fails to perform independent event study to show lack of price impact and disprove effect of alleged misrepresentations.
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.
Montana Supreme Court Remands for Failure to Assess Tax Implications
High court says trial court erred when it failed to consider tax implications where its final order appears to make sale of family ranch a necessity; evidence suggests there are no other assets with which to buy wife’s shares of ranch corporation at FMV.
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.
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.
Direct Evidence of Price Impact Not Always Necessary, 2nd Circuit Says
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.
Waggoner v. Barclays PLC
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.
ASA BVers convene in Houston for the Advanced BV Conference
The conference sessions were an excellent mix of theory and practice—ideas that you can use in your practice right away.