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

Understand the Discount Rate Used in a Business Valuation

The discount rate is the key factor in business valuation that converts future dollars into present value as of the valuation date. In this article, we examine the various components of a discount rate.  Then, we relate the discount rate to rates of return of other investments that should provide a commonsense road map for what is reasonable and what is not.

Mortgage Banking Lagniappe

2020 was a tough year for most of us. Schools and churches closed, sports were cancelled, and many lost their jobs. There were a select few, however, that thrived during 2020. Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk saw a meteoric rise in their personal net worth over the past 12 months. Mortgage bankers are another group showered with unexpected riches last year (and apparently this year).

Mortgage Banking Lagniappe (Part II)

The January Bank Watch provided an overview of the mortgage industry and its importance in boosting bank earnings in the current low-rate environment. As we discussed, mortgage volume is inversely correlated to interest rates and more volatile than net interest income. In this article, we discuss key considerations in valuing a mortgage company/subsidiary, including how the public markets price them.

Personal Goodwill: An Illustrative Example of an Auto Dealership

Personal goodwill was an issue in several of our recent litigated divorce engagements. It is more prevalent in certain industries than others and varies from matter to matter. However, although there are several accepted methodologies to determine personal goodwill, there is not a textbook that discusses where it exists and where it doesn’t. Before any attempts to measure and quantify it, an important question to ask is “Does it exist?” Often with ambiguous concepts like personal goodwill, the adage “you know it when you see it” is most appropriate. In this article, we examine personal and enterprise goodwill using a specific fact pattern unique to the auto dealership industry. Beyond this illustrative example, the analyses can be applied in other industries, but must be considered carefully for the unique facts and circumstances of each matter.