ATRI’s Report on Critical Issues in 2021

In October 2021, the American Transportation Research Institute released its 2021 survey of Critical Issues in the Trucking Industry. In this article we discuss the results of over 2,500 respondents in the trucking industry.

Charting the Course of the Build Back Better Bill

By this Thanksgiving, Congress hopes to pass two of the largest bills in American history, the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill (which was signed into law by President Biden on November 15th) along with a $1.75 trillion Build Back Better bill. While the infrastructure bill made it through Congress with minimal tax hikes, the passing of the larger reconciliation bill may still create sweeping changes to American tax policy, specific to high-net-worth individuals. This article summarizes what is in the Build Back Better bill and what it might mean for taxpayers.

Value Drivers in Flux

No one knows for sure; the future is always uncertain. For banks, two key variables have an outsized influence on earnings other than credit costs: loan demand and rates. In other industries the variables are called volume and price.

Meet the Team – Karolina Calhoun, CPA/ABV/CFF

In each “Meet the Team” segment, we highlight a different professional on our Family Law team. This segment we highlight Karolina Calhoun, CPA/ABV/CFF. Karolina is a Vice President here at Mercer and is active in family law litigation and corporate valuation.

Fairness Opinions – Evaluating a Buyer’s Shares from the Seller’s Perspective

Fairness opinions are more than a 3 or 4 page letter that opines as to the fairness from a financial point of view of a contemplated transaction. A fairness opinion should be backed by a robust analysis of all the relevant factors considered in rendering the opinion, including an evaluation of the shares to be issued to the selling company’s shareholders. In this article, we present key questions that should be asked about the buyer’s shares.

Valuations for Gift & Estate Tax Planning

In this article, we describe the processes that lead to credible and timely valuation reports. These processes contribute to smoother engagements and better outcomes for clients.

Understand the Income Approach in a Business Valuation

In this article, we’ll be presenting a broad overview of the income approach.  The final approach, the asset-based approach, will discussed in a future article.  While each approach should be considered, the approach(es) ultimately relied upon will depend on the unique facts and circumstances of each situation. 

Cash-Out Transactions and SEC Amended Rule 15c2-11

It may seem an odd time for some publicly traded companies to consider cash-out merger transactions because broad equity market indices are at or near record levels. Nonetheless, the changing market structure means some boards may want to consider it.

Meet the Team – Scott A. Womack, ASA, MAFF

In each “Meet the Team” segment, we highlight a different professional on our Family Law team. This segment we highlight Scott Womack, ASA, MAFF. Scott is a Senior Vice President here at Mercer and is active in family law litigation and corporate valuation. Scott also leads our Auto Dealership Industry team.

Understanding Transaction Advisory Fees

As with anything in this world, favorable transaction processes and outcomes require an investment. Fee structures for transaction advisory services can vary widely based on the type and/or size of the business, the specific transaction situation, and the varying roles and responsibilities of the advisor in the transaction process.

Benefits of Hiring an Advisor When Selling Your Business

While many business owners have a general sense of what their business may be worth and a threshold selling price in mind, going at it alone in a transaction process involves more than a notion on pricing – it involves procedural awareness, attention to detail, as well as a good measure of patience despite the desire for an immediate outcome.

How Long Will It Take to Sell My Business?

Ownership transitions, whether internal among family and other shareholders or external with third parties, require effective planning and a team of qualified advisors to achieve the desired outcome. In this article, we examine some “typical” timelines involved in various types of transactions.

The Potential Buyers of Your Business

In this article, we discuss some exit options and summarize some of the specifics of certain types of buyers and what that could mean for transaction structure and economic outcomes.

Labor Shortage in Trucking Industry Leading to a Rise in Consumer Pricing

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States in 2020, the demand for truck drivers increased sharply as many consumers turned towards online shopping. Even though trucking services were in high demand, the trucking industry struggled to grow its workforce during this time period. This coupled with other factors has had a serious impact on the economy.

Estate of Michael J. Jackson v. Commissioner – Key Takeaways

It is imperative for estate planners to engage valuation analysts that perform the proper procedures and follow best practices when performing valuations for gift and estate planning purposes. It is necessary to have a well-supported valuation because these reports are scrutinized by the IRS and may end up going to court. The recent decision by the U.S. Tax Court in Estate of Michael J. Jackson v. Commissioner provides several lessons and reminders for valuation analysts, and those that engage valuation analysts, to keep in mind when performing valuations for gift and estate planning purposes.

Fairness Opinions  

Our experience is that some if not most members of a board weighing an acquisition proposal do not have the background to thoroughly evaluate the buyer’s shares. Even when financial advisors are involved there still may not be a thorough vetting of the buyer’s shares because there is too much focus on “price” instead of, or in addition to, “value.”

A fairness opinion is more than a three or four page letter that opines as to the fairness from a financial point of a contemplated transaction; it should be backed by a robust analysis of all of the relevant factors considered in rendering the opinion, including an evaluation of the shares to be issued to the selling company’s shareholders. The intent is not to express an opinion about where the shares may trade in the future, but rather to evaluate the investment merits of the shares before and after a transaction is consummated. This article lists key questions that should be asked as part of every financial analysis.

Not All MOEs Are Created Equal

In the December 2020 BankWatch, we provided our M&A outlook for 2021 and touched on themes that we believed would drive deal activity for the year.  Our view was that the need to reduce costs in the face of revenue … Continued