2018

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Exit Planning: When to Engage a Business Valuation

Quantive

If you are considering selling your company step 1 should be understanding what the company is worth. Just like selling a car: before you go to the dealership you consult Kelley Blue Book, right? The same logic holds for a business: you can’t price it well if you don’t know the value.

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Merger Breakup Case: Valuation Questions

Appraisal Rights

Appraisal cases increasingly focus on how markets react to merger news and what one learns from that. Recent cases that have looked to “unaffected” merger price – that is, the price of a share of the target company before the merger announcement – in part because of the fundamental truth that mergers are market moving events. So are the breakup of mergers.

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Top 10 Cross-Border M&A Trends across the Pond

Cooley M&A

In spite of a general environment of political and economic uncertainty and a daily sprinkling of stock market volatility, trade wars, sanctions, the U.S. government shutdown disrupting the market for IPOs, Brexit uncertainty, natural disasters and various other crises, cross-border M&A activity momentum continues. New records were attained in the past twelve months, eclipsing the previous highs set pre-2008 financial crash.

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Creating Value in Your Business

RC & Co.

Last month, Rene J. Zarate discussed the starting point for a business owner who receives an unsolicited offer from a third party to buy their business. So, here you are with an unsolicited offer in hand. You have determined that you are desirous of selling, the amount you require to meet your future financial needs, and you have a good feel for the business’ value.

Finance 52
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How to Leverage Intent Data for Better Outcomes

Speaker: Susan Spencer, Principal of Spencer Communications

Intent signal data can go a long way toward shortening sales cycles and closing more deals. The challenge is deciding which is the best type of intent data to help your company meet its sales and marketing goals. In this webinar, Susan Spencer, fractional CMO and principal of Spencer Communications, will unpack the differences between contact-level and company-level intent signals.

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App Valuation: How to Build, Value and Sell an App

FE International

What Is an App? Building Around Value. The Three App Types. Universal Apps. SaaS Apps. How to Value an App. How to Sell an App. Conclusion. Software development is a unique and ever-evolving industry. In recent years, we have noticed an increase in the number of online entrepreneurs entering the app space. As the technical evolution of the industry continues to take it in a more accessible direction , and consumer demand for useful and disruptive software increases, the market is getting more lu

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Why a business owner can benefit from obtaining a Business Valuation

Sun M&A

For most business owners, their company is their most valuable single asset. So why is it that we tend to know the value of our stock portfolios, our homes and even our cars but don’t have a clear realistic understanding about the value of our business? Doesn’t it make sense to know the value of something that makes up such a large portion of a business owner’s financial portfolio?

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Thoughts on Exiting the Business (aka Work the Plan)

Quantive

Here’s a quick one: A common objection we see from owners exploring an exit is “well if my company is only worth X annual earnings, I could just keep running it.” And you know what? Yes, you could. In fact, you could keep running it until X approaches infinity. But here are the problems with […].

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Understanding Terms: Main Street vs. Middle Market

Quantive

We often throw around the terms “middle market,” “lower middle market,” and “Main Street.” These are pretty common terms in the finance, banking, and M&A world, but probably less so to most business owners and entrepreneurs. For the sake of clarity we thought we’d dive in. Defining Main Street vs. Middle Market It seems […].

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Does Hong Kong Offer Appraisal Rights?

Appraisal Rights

Not really, and definitely not in the way Delaware does, at least according to this 2013 analysis. Hong Kong lacks a general appraisal remedy; instead, at least for public companies, the takeover must be evaluated by an independent advisor and those finding made available to shareholders. Considering Canadian and Cayman Islands appraisal rules, we see great diversity across appraisal regimes worldwide, even among jurisdictions that have a common legal-ancestor (English common law).

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Growth: Turn Down for What?

Quantive

We spend a lot of time talking (and talking, and talking) about revenue trends and earnings trends and successfully selling or exiting from a small business. A lot of people are going to successfully exit their business. They’ll do it on their own terms and get a reasonable return for their efforts.

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Statement of Cash Flows vs. Cash Flow Statement

Speaker: Wayne Spivak - President and Chief Financial Officer of SBA * Consulting LTD, Industry Writer, and Public Speaker

The old adages that "cash is king" and "you can’t spend profits" still hold true today. But however well-known these sayings might be, it requires a change in mindset to properly implement a cash flow management system that predicts your business's runaway as accurately as possible. Key to this new mindset is understanding the difference between the Statement of Cash Flows, a historical look at the source and uses of cash, and the Cash Flow Statement, which uses transaction history and forward-l

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Understanding Seller’s Discretionary Earnings

Quantive

So you’ve heard someone throwing around the term “Seller’s Discretionary Earnings” and you find yourself thinking “my earnings aren’t discretionary at all.” Let’s jump in and understand this oft-misunderstood term (which also, confusingly, goes by “Seller’s Discretionary Income,” SDE, and SDI…).

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On Playing Offense

Quantive

“…Whatever Someone Is Willing to Pay” A phrase we hear pretty frequently is “a business is worth what someone is willing to pay for it.” And of course, this is a true statement. When a business sells… that’s the number. But the problem with this statement is that it’s reactionary. Reactionary is bad.

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SBA Loan Checklist

Quantive

Getting ready to request an SBA Loan for financing? Like a lot of things in life, it’s best to go into it being prepared. That means understanding the SBA Loan Process, and doing all your homework early.

Finance 52
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Understand Value Now to Avoid an Uncomfortable Retirement

Quantive

For most entrepreneurs their business is the largest asset that they own. Further most entrepreneurs have built their company with an eye towards and eventual sale and retirement. Given these facts, a successful and enjoyable retirement is largely contingent upon the successful sale of the company.

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Mastering Intent Data: Understanding its Importance & Best Practices

Speaker: Joe Apfelbaum, CEO of Ajax Union

In this webinar, Joe Apfelbaum, CEO of Ajax Union and business strategist, will take you through the ABCs of intent data. You'll learn how to effectively use it to drive business results, with practical tips on how to leverage both company and contact intent data to maximize your marketing efforts. Whether you're a seasoned marketer or just getting started, this webinar is a must-attend for anyone looking to stay ahead in the ever-evolving world of digital marketing.

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Enterprise vs. Personal Goodwill: How they differ and affect divorce valuations

Quantive

Estimating a value of intangible assets such as goodwill can be highly speculative. This is often a significant point of contention in scenarios involving two parties rallying for a fair market value of a business. We see it all the time in divorce proceedings.

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5 Steps to Selling Your Business

Quantive

Selling a business can be a stressful event. Given the size of the asset – and likely it’s importance to your retirement – you can just imagine that there are going to be some white knuckle moments. To reduce your anxiety level and increase your odds of success, here are five items to consider as […].

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MAEjor Ruling: Delaware Court of Chancery Finds Target Suffers Material Adverse Effect and Acquirer Could Back Out of Transaction

Cooley M&A

M&A practitioners have long advised boards of directors that the Delaware courts have never found that the events or circumstances in a particular transaction met the contractual standard of having a material adverse effect (or MAE) as defined in a merger or acquisition agreement. Therefore, the board should have a high degree of confidence in deal certainty.

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Appraisal Action Leads to Insurance Action

Appraisal Rights

Does D&O insurance cover appraisal? Last year we discussed this topic – and now Solera Holdings** has sued its D&O insurance providers alleging that they have refused coverage for the costs of the appraisal action as well as the interest Solera owes. Here again we see an appraisal proceeding resulting in further litigation after the fact – here an insurance action, to go with the securities fraud actions we’ve seen before and breach of fiduciary duty litigation as well. ** This firm is

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Does Ukraine Have Appraisal Rights?

Appraisal Rights

Yes, at least according to this article by Nobles Law , a Ukrainian firm. Ukrainian appraisal appears to borrow some items from Delaware law. Along with a ‘vote no’ requirement (like Delaware), and timing the appraisal notice to the shareholders meeting/vote, Ukraine offers appraisal rights in mergers and certain asset sales.

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Comcast and Fox in Bidding War for Sky PLC

Appraisal Rights

The Columbia Blue Sky Blog posted last week on the impending auction for Sky PLC, where Professors Albert Choi and Eric Talley set the stage for the “shotgun economic jousting match between Comcast and Fox.”.

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Appraisal By Contract

Appraisal Rights

While appraisal is typically a creature of statute, appraisal rights can also be a creature of contract–in particular, when an operating agreement, charter, or similar foundational document provides for them (including when a certificate of designation provides for the value of preferred stock ). Many states, including New York, allow the members of an LLC–as an example–to include appraisal rights in the operating agreement.

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Cayman Appraisal–An Update From the Islands

Appraisal Rights

Loeb Smith, a law firm with a Cayman office, provides this update on dissenters’ rights in the Cayman Islands, focusing on recent developments in interim payments. In reviewing the landscape of investor strategies regarding Cayman mergers, Loeb Smith also notes– as we have written about previously –“Information can also be disclosed during court proceedings for a judicial determination of the ‘fair value’ that could later lead to a securities class action in a US court or other jurisdiction wher

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Guidance on Appraisal Notices (Law360 [$$$])

Appraisal Rights

What do companies need to include in appraisal notices? According to a recent analysis piece in Law360 [$$$], more than they currently disclose. Analyzing a July 2018 opinion by Chancellor Bouchard – Cirillo Family Trust v. Moezinia , No. 10116-CB – the authors of this piece discuss that “merely providing notice of a merger and the existence of appraisal rights is not sufficient” in an appraisal notice.

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How much disclosure of deal dirty laundry is necessary in order to fully inform a Corwin/Volcano cleansing vote?

Cooley M&A

In Elizabeth Morrison v. Ray Berry et. al., (dated July 9, 2018), the Delaware Supreme Court reversed the Delaware Chancery Court’s dismissal of deal litigation based on obtaining a cleansing vote under Corwin/Volcano because the defendants failed to show “as required under Corwin” that the vote was fully informed. The deal litigation arose from the sale of The Fresh Market to a private equity buyer through a cash tender offer that involved The Fresh Market’s founder and his son, who owned colle

Equity 52
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Delaware Chancery Decides Solera** and Norcraft Appraisals

Appraisal Rights

The Delaware Court of Chancery just issued two new appraisal rulings: Solera (C. Bouchard) : the Court awarded merger price less synergies, which comes out to 3.4% below deal price; we have previously reported on the Solera case here ; and. Norcraft (V.C. Slights) : the Court awarded a premium of 2.5% above deal price, relying on a DCF analysis and expressly rejecting a valuation based on merger price less synergies.

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UK Government Proposes New Regime for Acquisitions That Have National Security Implications

Cooley M&A

On 24 July 2018, the UK government published details of its proposed new regime for the scrutiny of foreign investments that may have national security implications. The details are contained in the National Security and Investment White Paper and a draft Statutory Statement of Policy Intent (together, the “Proposals”). The Proposals build on the Government’s National Security and Infrastructure Investment Review Green Paper published in October 2017, which led to the introduct

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A Review of BlockChain and Appraisal (And Governance)

Appraisal Rights

The possible impact of blockchain based shareholder governance, including shareholder voting, has been a hot topic in recent years. We’ve covered a number of potential intersections between blockchain and corporate governance (including appraisal) before. Professor Christopher Brunor of the University of Georgia reviews a recent scholarly proposal for blockchain based shareholder governance in this recent piece.

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UK Government Introduces Lower National Security Merger Review Thresholds

Cooley M&A

Under new measures coming into force on 11 June, the UK government will have greater powers to intervene in mergers that potentially raise national security concerns due to the target’s involvement in military and dual-use technologies and certain categories of advanced computer technology. Such transactions will be reviewable by the government on public interest grounds if the target: (i) has UK revenues of at least £1 million; or (ii) has a UK share of supply exceeding 25%.

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Ninth Circuit Rules Tender Offer Disclosure Challenges Do Not Require Proof of Intent to Deceive

Cooley M&A

On April 20, 2018, the Ninth Circuit ruled that shareholder claims for false or misleading tender offer disclosures under Section 14(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 require a mere showing of negligence, rather than fraudulent intent (scienter). This holding departs from longstanding rulings by five other federal appeals courts (the Second, Third, Fifth, Sixth and Eleventh circuits) that have found scienter to be required for Section 14(e) claims.

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Guest Post: EU Appraisal Rights in Focus

Appraisal Rights

In contrast to the United States, where an enabling legal regime and a fortunate confluence of a variety of factors have led to a surge of appraisal petitions and appraisal arbitrage, the appraisal remedy remains a sparingly utilized weapon in the arsenal of shareholders in the EU. Minority shareholders in the EU are reticent to exercise appraisal rights.

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M&A: Key Considerations in Transactions with EU Employees

Cooley M&A

The employment law landscape across the EU Member States is often markedly different from that in the US. Here, we take a look at five important employment issues to be aware of when a transaction includes employees in the EU. 1. Employee Representative Organizations. At the outset of any transaction involving EU employees, it is important to identify whether there is any organization representing the interests of such EU employees.

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M&A Guide to CFIUS: How the Review Process Can Impact Your Transaction

Cooley M&A

Article 2 of 4. As discussed in a prior article in this series, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States is authorized to review certain cross-border mergers, acquisitions and investment transactions and to recommend that the US president take action to mitigate any perceived national security concerns with transactions it reviews. Such action may include ordering that a transaction be prohibited from closing or even unwound post-closing.

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Will Blockchain Solve Corporate Governance–Including for Appraisal?

Appraisal Rights

The Harvard Business Law Review (whose articles we’ve covered before ) has published a piece concerning Delaware allowing blockchain to be used for company stock ledgers. While we have written about blockchain repeatedly , the new HBLR article examines how blockchain-based securities could fundamentally change corporate governance. Using Dell and Dole as examples, the author discusses how blockchain can solve delayed settlement and unrecorded transfers issues – issues that can be critical when i

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The Cooley Outlook for 2018 M&A

Cooley M&A

What’s on tap for 2018 M&A? A recap of 2017 trends and the Cooley outlook on this year’s dealmaking: Buying Innovation: Retention and Non-Competes. For both old-line companies and tech giants, innovation is the name of the game. It is often difficult for large companies to foster innovation organically for various reasons, including internal organizational challenges and historical cultural expectations.