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Quality of Financial Information – is it Important?

When we develop an opinion of value for a particular operating business, we look at the quality of the financial information as either an additional risk factor or value driver. In business valuation and especially from an investor’s viewpoint, quality of the financial information or truthfulness of the data plays an important role. Everyone has… Continue >>>

FAQ’s About Key Person Consideration

Virtually every business has centralized management and/or relies on the talents of a few individuals. This risk of centralized management is taken into account for business valuation purposes in the company’s future earnings or rate of return (i.e., discount rate). In some cases, however, one person is the linchpin, and if he or she leaves… Continue >>>

Very Basics of Business Valuation

Very Basics of Business Valuation

The term “value” means different things to different individuals. I’m not sure who made that statement many years ago, but it still holds true today. The perceived value depends on the interpretations, circumstances and role of the shareholder(s). Without carefully defining the term “value”, a conclusion reached in a valuation report will have no meaning.… Continue >>>

Tax Reform & Reasonable Compensation

The Tax Cut and Jobs Act (TCJA) contains a provision for reasonable compensation as defined in IRS Code Section 162. Reasonable compensation has always been an important issue in business valuation, but the TCJA has put a much brighter spotlight on the matter, which will be closer scrutinized starting in 2018. There is a new… Continue >>>

Price versus Value

In finance, we use words like price and value, as if they were interchangeable. I have been guilty of this myself at times. It is worth noting, price and value not only come from different processes, but are determined by different variables and yield different numbers at the same point in time. The essence of… Continue >>>

IRS Estate Audits

The Federal estate tax is a tax on the transfer property at death. It is applied to estates for which at-death gross assets, the “gross estate”, exceeds the filing threshold. Included in the gross estate are real estate, cash, stocks, bonds, businesses, and decedent-owned life insurance policies. Deductions are allowed for administrative expenses, indebtedness, taxes,… Continue >>>

Looking Beyond Cash Flow to Build Company Value

A value-minded owner should search for ways to lower the company’s perceived risks to potential buyers or investors by: Creating a formal business plan. Forecasts and projections facilitate due diligence and demonstrate management depth. But buyers might critique a seller’s business plan and modify them with their own assumptions. Budgeted and actual results should be… Continue >>>

Separating Personal Goodwill in a Corporation Sale

A sale of a corporation under an asset sale arrangement should be carefully planned to establish the personal goodwill that may exist and if it is being sold in a “separate transaction” apart from the sale of the assets of the corporation. This is particularly true where a closely-held C corporation’s transaction deal is structured… Continue >>>

Importance of Business Valuations before Retirement

Most business owners know that planning for retirement is crucial. However, according to Entrepreneur magazine, very few business owners are aware of the true value they have. Many have not taken the necessary steps to receive an accurate business valuation well before considering retiring. This makes it somewhat difficult to ensure they receive adequate value… Continue >>>

Three Aspects of a Business Valuation Professional

This is a good time to reflect on three important and misunderstood aspects of the role of the valuation professional: The valuation professional. The nature of the finding. How are the findings used. Role of the Professional: Valuation professionals may act as either an “appraiser” or “consultant” – but not both in a single engagement.… Continue >>>

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