Employee Stock Ownership Plan Valuations
We are experts in the valuation of employee stock ownership plans, with extensive experience in this area. Barry Goodman, the firm’s founder, is a member of the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (“ESOP”) Association’s Valuation Advisory Committee, which helps ESOP advisors and companies understand the factors involved in determining an ESOP’s share value. He has headed and/or participated in several key subcommittees whose topics include the valuation of shares in a leveraged ESOP, the valuation of convertible preferred stock owned by ESOPs and various subjects dealing with the valuation of S Corporation ESOP stock. We provide for all ESOP-related valuation needs with services including:
- An initial preliminary valuation for purposes of deciding if an ESOP is an appropriate strategy.
- Providing advice to the ESOP with regard to the value of the employer’s stock.
- Providing the ESOP with advice with regard to the structuring of the ESOP purchase or sale transaction. Often, such transactions can be quite complex, involving seller financing, stock purchase warrants, convertible securities and other such devices.
- The issuance of a valuation report. The thoroughness and quality of our reports is one of the highlights of our services.
- The issuance of a fairness opinion. If we determine that the transaction is fair to the ESOP from a financial point of view, we are ready to issue a fairness opinion to the ESOP trustee(s) indicating that the transaction is fair.
- Aiding other professionals in providing sustainability planning, including the repurchase liability. We have considerable experience in aiding the trustee(s) and other members of the ESOP team to address the ESOP’s sustainability objectives.
- Providing merger/acquisition advice. What if the employer and/or the ESOP receives an offer to purchase the stock of the employer? We have considerable experience in advising the ESOP trustee(s) on the valuation and financing issues related to these kinds of offers.
Information for Employee-Owners
As a resource for the ESOP community, we provide a calculator that educates employee-owners on the nature of their ESOP benefits while giving some real-world tips on ways to make a difference: