Something from Nothing? Valuing Synergies in Acquisitions and Litigation
Acquisitions (and the prices paid for them) are often rationalized on the basis that the combined enterprise will be more valuable than the two businesses were separately. For both the business appraiser tasked with quantifying the potential synergy value in a business combination and the management team tasked with achieving those synergies, verifying and quantifying this potential value creates a unique set of challenges. In Something From Nothing? Valuing Synergies in Acquisitions and Litigation, expert ...
The Strategic Premium: An Inside Look at M&A Prices
Synergistic/strategic value should not be combined into one level in the typical chart that shows levels of value. Some buyers pay a “strategic premium” that propels strategic value to the top of the value chart and well in excess of the expected synergistic value. The author uses real-world examples to illustrate this concept.
Court of Chancery adopts deal price, adjusting for synergies and tax savings
In a statutory appraisal action, the Delaware Court of Chancery recently adopted the deal price minus synergies as the best indicator of fair value.
In re Appraisal of Regal Entertainment Group
In a merger action involving a publicly traded company, dissenting shareholders sued for a higher value than the deal consideration. Under the applicable appraisal jurisprudence, the court calculates fair value using the deal price minus synergies and adjusting for the change in value of the target between the signing and closing of the transaction.
In Appraisal Action, Court Determines Fair Value Using Deal Price Minus Synergies and Adjusting for Increase in Value From Signing to Closing of Merger
In a merger action involving a publicly traded company, dissenting shareholders sued for a higher value than the deal consideration. Under the applicable appraisal jurisprudence, the court calculates fair value using the deal price minus synergies and adjusting for the change in value of the target between the signing and closing of the transaction.
Fir Tree Value Master Fund v. Jarden Corp., (Jarden III)
High court affirms trial court’s use of unaffected market price as fair value in statutory appraisal involving merger of publicly traded company; high court rejects petitioners’ late argument that, where sale process was flawed and company failed to prove synergies, deal price should act as floor.
No ‘Long-Recognized Principle’ Against Use of Market Price as Fair Value Indicator, High Court Says
High court affirms trial court’s use of unaffected market price as fair value in statutory appraisal involving merger of publicly traded company; high court rejects petitioners’ late argument that, where sale process was flawed and company failed to prove synergies, deal price should act as floor.
Synergy deduction purely academic in new Delaware appraisal ruling
In a statutory appraisal case that involved the sale of a publicly traded company to a privately held entity, the Delaware Court of Chancery recently decided the deal price was a reliable indicator of fair value and a downward adjustment for synergies was justified.
In re Panera Bread Company
In appraisal action involving sale of public company, court says sale process had “objective indicia of reliability,” justifying use of deal price for fair value determination; synergy deduction is appropriate to account for value from anticipated cost and tax-related savings due to merger.
Court Considers Deal Price Persuasive Indicator of Fair Value and Approves Synergy Deduction
In appraisal action involving sale of public company, court says sale process had “objective indicia of reliability,” justifying use of deal price for fair value determination; synergy deduction is appropriate to account for value from anticipated cost and tax-related savings due to merger.
BVU News and Trends November 2019
A monthly roundup of key developments of interest to business valuation experts.
Study on abandoned mergers and acquisitions identifies areas for process improvement
Business valuers must recognise the risks associated with failed business deals. In fact, a new study from McKinsey confirms that one of 10 large merger and acquisition deals fails to close, often causing significant harm to both proposed buyers and sellers.
Court Says Corrected DCF Still Supports Original Fair Value Determination
Responding to petitioners’ motion for reargument, court concedes and corrects errors in court’s original DCF analysis but finds corrected DCF model still corroborates the original fair value determination; court affirms its reliance on unaffected market price as fair value indicator.
In re Appraisal of Jarden Corp. (II)
Responding to petitioners’ motion for reargument, court concedes and corrects errors in court’s original DCF analysis but finds corrected DCF model still corroborates the original fair value determination; court affirms its reliance on unaffected market price as fair value indicator.
In re Stillwater Mining Co. 2017 0385 JTL
In statutory appraisal of public company, court relies on deal price; presigning sale process was “suboptimal,” but post-signing market check was “effective”; there was an argument for upward adjustment to deal price based on an increase in the company’s value between merger announcement and deal closing.
Despite Less-Than-Optimal Sale Process, Court Relies on Deal Price for Fair Value
In statutory appraisal of public company, court relies on deal price; presigning sale process was “suboptimal,” but post-signing market check was “effective”; there was an argument for upward adjustment to deal price based on an increase in the company’s value between merger announcement and deal closing.
In re Appraisal of Columbia Pipeline Grp., Inc.
In statutory appraisal action featuring publicly traded company, court relies on deal price for fair value; although flawed, sale process, when compared to process in three key high court decisions endorsing deal price, does not undermine validity of deal price; no adjustment for synergies.
Court Endorses Unadjusted Deal Price as Fair Value Indicator Despite Flaws in Sale Process
In statutory appraisal action featuring publicly traded company, court relies on deal price for fair value; although flawed, sale process, when compared to process in three key high court decisions endorsing deal price, does not undermine validity of deal price; no adjustment for synergies.
Court of Chancery favors unaffected market price over other fair value indicators (Part 2)
When the Delaware Court of Chancery recently decided to rely on the unaffected market price for fair value, in a major statutory appraisal case, it provided an in-depth critique of the experts’ traditional valuation analyses, which valuators want to be familiar with.
Court of Chancery favors unaffected market price over other fair value indicators (Part 1)
In a freshly minted ruling, the Delaware Court of Chancery said the unaffected market price was the most reliable indicator of fair value in a big statutory fair value case.
Court of Chancery Rules Unaffected Market Price Is Best Evidence of Fair Value
Court finds record shows unaffected market price is best evidence of fair value; court says company expert’s efficient market analysis and event study provide strong support for use of market price; court’s own DCF analysis generates value close to market price, thus corroborating market price.
In re Appraisal of Jarden Corp. (I)
Court finds record shows unaffected market price is best evidence of fair value; court says company expert’s efficient market analysis and event study provide strong support for use of market price; court’s own DCF analysis generates value close to market price, thus corroborating market price.
Verition Partners Master Fund Ltd. v. Aruba Networks, Inc. (Aruba III)
Delaware Supreme Court overturns Court of Chancery’s fair value determination based on unaffected market price and awards petitioners deal price minus synergies as determined by company; trial court’s analysis rested on “inapt” agency-costs theory and raised due process and fairness concerns.
Delaware Supreme Court Reproves Chancery’s Use of Unaffected Market Price in Aruba
Delaware Supreme Court overturns Court of Chancery’s fair value determination based on unaffected market price and awards petitioners deal price minus synergies as determined by company; trial court’s analysis rested on “inapt” agency-costs theory and raised due process and fairness concerns.
In re Appraisal Solera Holdings, Inc.
In an appraisal proceeding, the Chancery finds the deal price minus synergies provides the best evidence of fair value; court says there was an efficient market and the sales process, though not perfect, was able to deliver the value generated in an arm’s-length transaction.