John O'Toole writes:
In In re Appraisal of DFC Global Corp., the Court of Chancery conducted an in-depth analysis of three common valuation methodologies—discounted cash flow analysis, multiples-based comparable company analysis, and deal price. After discussing how each methodology was and should be applied, Chancellor Bouchard ultimately determined that although "all three metrics suffer from various limitations" the fair value of the merger in question was best ascertained by weighting all three methods equally.
The Court's opinion serves a number of useful purposes. First, it provides a comprehensive overview of each the methodologies discussed. Second, given the context in which the Court's analysis was done, it offers guidance on how to best determine the fair value of a company following a deal consummated in a "tumultuous environment" where a company's "future profitability and...viability" are at issue.
John O'Toole is a summer associate, resident in the firm's Wilmington office.
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