BVU News and Trends May 2018
A monthly roundup of key developments of interest to business valuation experts.
D&P answers (more) questions on the Navigator
Duff & Phelps did a fine job fielding another barrage of probing questions about its new Cost of Capital Navigator during a free webinar (watch a replay here).
Free webinar on Cost of Capital Navigator Q&As
The huge audience at our webinar on the Duff & Phelps Cost of Capital Navigator had so many good questions that we ran out of time, so there will be a free webinar on March 29 with Jim Harrington of D&P.
Verition Partners Master Fund Ltd. v. Aruba Networks, Inc. (Aruba I)
In statutory appraisal proceeding, Court of Chancery says unaffected market price provides “direct evidence of the collective view of market participants” as to target’s fair value whereas deal-price-minus-synergies is a less reliable “indirect measure.”
Court Calls Stock Price ‘Most Straightforward’ Indicator of Fair Value
In statutory appraisal proceeding, Court of Chancery says unaffected market price provides “direct evidence of the collective view of market participants” as to target’s fair value whereas deal price minus synergies is a less reliable “indirect measure."
Radiologix, Inc. v. Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, LLC
Court admits expert calculation that determines one set of damages for two related plaintiff entities and that relies on data from nonparty parent entity; court finds calculation need not precisely track corporate structure to meet Daubert requirements.
Under Daubert, Damages Calculation Need Not Replicate Corporate Structure
Court admits expert calculation that determines one set of damages for two related plaintiff entities and that relies on data from nonparty parent entity; court finds calculation need not precisely track corporate structure to meet Daubert requirements.
‘Fanciful’ Projections Make DCF an Unreliable Tool in Appraisal Proceeding
In statutory appraisal, Chancery decides to “defer” to deal price, citing a robust sales process and well-functioning market; petitioners’ DCF analysis was not a useful valuation tool where it was based on, “at best, fanciful” management projections.
Misunderstanding of Facts Results in Overvaluation of Fuel Supply Rights
Debtor’s fuel supply rights had value either in form of an implied contract, customer relationship, or simply an income stream, court says; court does not assign specific value but finds appraiser overstated its value due to misunderstanding of key facts.
In re PetSmart, Inc.
In statutory appraisal, Chancery decides to “defer” to deal price, citing a robust sales process and well-functioning market; petitioners’ DCF analysis was not a useful valuation tool where it was based on, “at best, fanciful” management projections.
‘Fanciful’ Projections Make DCF an Unreliable Tool in Appraisal Proceeding
In statutory appraisal, Chancery decides to “defer” to deal price, citing a robust sales process and well-functioning market; petitioners’ DCF analysis was not a useful valuation tool where it was based on, “at best, fanciful” management projections.
Court Treats Outpatient Surgery Center as Extension of Physician’s Practice
Court says deducting personal goodwill from valuation of physician’s interest in outpatient surgical center is appropriate even if physician was not an employee of center; entity’s income and total value depended on its physician members’ patient base.
Chancery Says Solid Sales Process Lends Credibility to Deal Price
In appraisal action, Chancery says final merger consideration best represents fair value, noting sales process led to “meaningful price discovery”; court says with DCF too much depends on assumptions; small changes may have outsize impact on value range.
Misunderstanding of Facts Results in Overvaluation of Fuel Supply Rights
Debtor’s fuel supply rights had value either in form of an implied contract, customer relationship, or simply an income stream, court says; court does not assign specific value but finds appraiser overstated its value due to misunderstanding of key facts.
r2 Advisors, LLC v. Equitable Oil Purchasing Co. (In re Red Eagle Oil, Inc.)
Debtor’s fuel supply rights had value either in form of an implied contract, customer relationship, or simply an income stream, court says; court does not assign specific value but finds appraiser overstated its value due to misunderstanding of key facts.
Bulloch v. Bulloch
Court says deducting personal goodwill from valuation of physician’s interest in outpatient surgical center is appropriate even if physician was not an employee of center; entity’s income and total value depended on its physician members’ patient base.
Court Treats Outpatient Surgery Center as Extension of Physician’s Practice
Court says deducting personal goodwill from valuation of physician’s interest in outpatient surgical center is appropriate even if physician was not an employee of center; entity’s income and total value depended on its physician members’ patient base.
Merion Capital L.P. v. Lender Processing Servs.
In appraisal action, Chancery says final merger consideration best represents fair value, noting sales process led to “meaningful price discovery”; court says with DCF too much depends on assumptions; small changes may have outsize impact on value range.
Chancery Says Solid Sales Process Lends Credibility to Deal Price
In appraisal action, Chancery says final merger consideration best represents fair value, noting sales process led to “meaningful price discovery”; court says with DCF too much depends on assumptions; small changes may have outsize impact on value range.
Chancery Relies on ‘Simple and Powerful’ DCF for Fair Value
Chancery finds gap separating fair value determinations of three valuation experts in a merger involving a privately held company “alarmingly” wide; court says only the DCF, “a simple and powerful concept,” achieves a reliable indicator of fair value.
Chancery achieves fair value with three imperfect valuation techniques
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Perhaps Chancellor Bouchard thought of Aristotle when he recently ruled in a statutory appraisal action that, even though the results of three common valuation techniques were unreliable indicators of value, in combination they established fair value.
In re ISN Software Corp. Appraisal Litig.
Chancery finds gap separating fair value determinations of three valuation experts in a merger involving a privately held company “alarmingly” wide; court says only the DCF, “a simple and powerful concept,” achieves a reliable indicator of fair value.
Chancery Relies on ‘Simple and Powerful’ DCF for Fair Value
Chancery finds gap separating fair value determinations of three valuation experts in a merger involving a privately held company “alarmingly” wide; court says only the DCF, “a simple and powerful concept,” achieves a reliable indicator of fair value.
Defendant’s Obfuscatory Tactics to Preclude Expert Testimony Fail
Court rejects defendant’s relevance attack on plaintiff expert’s opinion, noting under Daubert testimony need not “fit” a particular cause of action but is relevant where it assesses damages based on harm to plaintiff caused by defendant’s misconduct.
Covol Fuels No. 4 v. Pinnacle Mining Co.
Court rejects defendant’s relevance attack on plaintiff expert’s opinion, noting under Daubert testimony need not “fit” a particular cause of action but is relevant where it assesses damages based on harm to plaintiff caused by defendant’s misconduct.