Bakgrund: Illikviditetsrabatten (DLOM) är en omdiskuterad rabatt som ofta leder till konflikt vid värdering. DLOM uppstår i en brist på säljbarhet och problematiken ligger i att denna rabatt inte är observerbar och kan även anses subjektiv. DLOM beror också på flertalet ofta unika faktorer vilket medför att rabatten kan skilja sig kraftigt från fall till fall. DLOM kan anta allt från negativa värden upp till 90 % vilket medför att bolagets slutgiltiga värde i stor grad beror av denna rabatt. Således blir det relevant att bestämma en korrekt nivå för denna rabatt utifrån vetenskaplig litteratur och praxis. Fallföretaget för denna studie, PwC, har efterfrågat en ny modell för att estimera DLOM. Detta på grund av ett ökat fokus från Skatteverket och Fallföretagets kunder att kontrollera om estimeringar av DLOM har utförts på ett korrekt och argumenterbart sätt. I dagsläget hävdar Fallföretaget att ämnet har givits bristande uppmärksamhet i branschen, varför en uppdatering av deras nuvarande metodik för att estimera DLOM är kritisk för sitt fortsatta arbete. Syfte: Denna studies syfte är att analysera och skapa en modell, grundad i validitet och praktisk genomförbarhet, som estimerar illikviditetsrabatten. Genomförande: På grund av att rabatten inte är observerbar uppstår ett behov av att identifiera substitut för rabatten och förstå sambandet mellan dessa och DLOM. Till hjälp har en omfattande sammanställningsstudie gjorts i ämnet tillsammans med en fallstudie av Fallföretagets nuvarande metodik. Baserat på detta och triangulering har en modell sedan utvecklats. Denna modell har sedan tillämpats på fyra värderingsfall som tillhandahållits av Fallföretaget. Utifrån detta följer sedan en analys på Fallföretagets metodik, den framtagna modellen och en jämförelse av dessa. Resultat: EMQ-modellen är en modell som bygger på tre metoder för att estimera DLOM. De tre metoderna är en empirisk metod, en matematisk metod och en kvalitativ metod. Två intervall för vad DLOM kan anta för värden utifrån bolagsspecifika data skapas utifrån den empiriska och matematiska metoden. Dessa intervall viktas sedan ihop till ett intervall med avseende på inlåsningsperioden för innehavet som ska värderas. Slutligen undersöks kvalitativa faktorer som ger ett bestämt värde inom intervallet för DLOM. De tre metoderna är valda utifrån att ta hänsyn till de faktorer som påverkar DLOM för att sedan överföra dessa till ett faktiskt värde för DLOM. Modellen är även skapad för att vara anpassningsbar till varje specifikt värderingsfall. / Background: The marketability discount (DLOM) is a controversial discount that has often led to conflict in valuation. DLOM is derived from a lack of marketability and the problem lies in the fact that DLOM is not observable and also considered subjective. Furthermore, DLOM depends on multiple often unique factors, which means that the discount can differ greatly from case to case. DLOM can assume values ranging from negative values and up to as much as 90%, which means that the company's final value to a great extent depends on this discount. Thus, it becomes relevant to determine a reasonable level of this discount based on scientific literature and practice. The case company for this study, PwC, has requested a new model to estimate DLOM. The reason behind the request is that the Swedish Tax Agency and customers of the case company have increased its effort on controlling whether estimates of DLOM have been carried out in a correct and arguably manner. Currently, the case company claims that the subject has been given a lack of attention in the industry, which is why an update of their current methodology for estimating DLOM is critical for their continued work. Aim: The aim of this report is to create and analyze a model, based on validity and practical feasibility, which estimates the marketability discount. Completion: Due to the fact that the discount is not observable creates a need for identifying proxies for the discount and an understanding of the connection between these and DLOM. An extensive literature study together with a case study on the case company has been made in order to achieve this. A model is then developed based on this and triangulation. The model is then used on four valuation cases, provided by the case company. After that follows an analysis of the methodology of the case company, the model of this study and a comparison between these two. Findings: The EMQ-model is a model that is based on three methods for estimating DLOM. The three methods are an empirical method, a mathematical method and a qualitative method. Two possible intervals for DLOM is created based on company-specific data by the empirical and mathematical method. These intervals are then weighted together into one interval with respect to the restriction period for the holding to be valued. Finally, qualitative factors that provide a definite value are investigated within the interval of DLOM. The three methods are chosen based on considering the factors affecting DLOM. The model is also created to enable adaptability to each specific valuation case.

The diploma thesis deals with the topic of discounts and premiums in the valuation theory. More specifically, it covers the area of entity-level discounts. First part of the thesis is devoted to general theoretical analysis of the topic. Next chapter is dedicated to key person discount and portfolio discount, including empirical evidence, relevant factors of influence, their quantification and several case studies. Final part of the thesis describes possibilities of utilization of these two types of discounts in Czech practice.

A private company lacks a direct observable market value and several situations may require a practitioner to compute the value of a private company. Since most of the valuation methods in use are based on data derived from the public stock markets certain adjustments may be appropriate when valuing a private company. Marketability and liquidity is said to be one of the more observable differences between a public and a private company. This implies that the shares in a private company have a lack of marketability and liquidity in comparison to the shares in a public company, which practitioners may have to adjust for. Several quantitative studies are conducted on the subject in order reassure price differences between public and private companies, namely a private company discount (PCD). Furthermore, several quantitative studies strive to establish a general and standardized cost for lack of marketability (liquidity) expressed as the illiquidity discount or the discount for lack of marketability (DLOM). These studies have different perceptions and use different hypothesis to identify illiquidity, which in turn will lead to a large span of different discounts. Essentially, earlier research examines assets marketability and liquidity with the assumption of them being equal in all other aspects. Professional practitioners constantly seek guidance in these studies to justify their estimated and applied illiquidity discount/DLOM when performing a valuation on a privately held company. Furthermore, we have also observed survey-studies adopting a more qualitative method in order to appreciate the level of discounts applied in a valuation by professional practitioners. Consequently, this sea of studies provides the practitioner with a discount that ranges from 5% to 60% to take a stand on. The impossibility to determine the most adequate theory contributes to the inconsistency of how this issue is handled in reality by market participants and courts. In our study we first provide the reader with a rigorous literature study, which describes earlier research on the subject of illiquidity discount/DLOM. We conclude that research has gone one step too far when conducting all of these quantitative studies. This is why we conduct our own empirical data through semi-structured in-depth interviews with professional valuation experts on the Swedish market. This makes our approach a retake on the issue in order to generate suggestions to further studies. What we find is that all of the independent consultants, primarily, does not apply a discount when valuing a majority interest due to the paradigm on the Swedish market. In contrast, the private equity fund manager, which only acquires majority interest, can use this type of discounts in their dependent valuation of majority interests. However, when valuing a minority interest the independent valuation consultants use quantitative empirical studies to derive a starting point of the discount. The level of the discount is then estimated upon the purpose of the valuation and firm-specific variables, which all of the participant’s states to be the most important ones when estimating a illiquidity discount/DLOM. Based on these results we argue that one should be very careful when taking guidelines from quantitative empirical studies. Our interpretation is that the level of illiquidity/DLOM applicable depends on the level of attractiveness, which in turn has a bearing on all firm-specific variables. When it comes to applying the appropriate discount all of the participants argue in favor for a discount-on-value and not as some research suggest; a risk premium added to the discount rate. We also generate adequate suggestions to further studies based on these interviews. Since courts and in particular the Swedish tax-court is inconsistent when approving or rejecting illiquidity discounts/DLOM we suggest legal actions on the issue. Furthermore we suggest a survey-like study in order to catch consensus take on how to estimate the level of discount. In fact, this can be done every year in a similar way as PwC’s market risk premium study is conducted.

Bakgrund: Betydelsen av investeringsbedömningen kan inte överbetonas till följd av dess långsiktiga fördelar för företagets giltighet och operativa funktionalitet. Beräkningsmetoder som används för investeringsbedömning bistår med nödvändig kunskap för att underlätta beslutsfattande samt för att skapa sig en tydligare bild över det föreslagna investeringsprojektet. Företag investerar för att upprätthålla sina ekonomiska mål och värderingen av olika investeringsalternativ spelar således en central roll för företagets ekonomiska fortlevnad och utveckling. Kapitalinvesteringar är ofta omfattande och förväntas generera värde på lång sikt, vilket formar företagets ekonomiska fokusområden. Detta belyser viktigheten av en kvalitativ bedömning för olika investeringsalternativ och deras respektive utvecklingsmöjligheter. Syfte: Genom att undersöka användningsområdet för kalkylräntan avser studien att öka kunskapen för sambandet mellan kalkylräntebestämningen och investeringsbedömningen. Detta som ett delsyfte till att undersöka vilka metoder som några svenska industri- och fastighetsföretag använder. Studien avser även vidare att beskriva och analysera företagens investeringskalkylering och kapitalstruktur. Metod: Studien har antagit en kvalitativ forskningsansats med semistrukturerade intervjuer med svenska industri- och fastighetsbolag. Respondenterna valdes ut genom ett målstyrt urval och vidare beskriver metoden hur insamling av det empiriska materialet har gått till. För att besvara studiens problemformulering har det empiriska materialet analyserats med den teoretiska referensramen. Slutsats: Studiens resultat visar tydliga skillnader i relation till den klassiska kapitalteorin och att långsiktiga strategiska investeringar i viss utsträckning tenderar att inkräkta på investeringar som kan generera en högre internränta och således vara mer ekonomiskt lönsam, men som är av mindre strategisk betydelse för bolaget. Detta strider mot teorins förutsättningar om att uppnå en normativt optimal kapitalstruktur. En viktig aspekt av det är att företagen försöker bibehålla en helhetlig bild av investeringarna där förutsättningar för nyutveckling ska uppmärksammas, vilket i regel inte strider mot kapitalteorins antaganden. Men i relation till det kan dock investeringskalkyler endast förse bolag med en begränsa uppfattning av investeringens ekonomiska konsekvenser. / Background: The importance of the investment appraisal cannot be overemphasized as a result of its long-term benefits to the company's validity and operational functionality. Calculation methods used for investment assessment assist with the necessary knowledge to facilitate decision-making, as well as to create a clearer picture of the proposed investment project. Companies invest to maintain their financial goals and the valuation of different investment alternatives thus plays a central role for the company's financial survival and development. Capital investments are often extensive and expected to generate value over the long term, shaping the company's financial focus areas. This highlights the importance of a qualitative assessment for different investment options and their respective development opportunities. Purpose: By examining the area of use for the discount rate, the study intends to increase knowledge of the connection between the discount rate determination and the investment assessment. This as a partial aim to investigate which methods some Swedish industrial and real estate companies use. The study also intends to describe and analyze the companies' investment calculation and capital structure Method: The study has adopted a qualitative research approach with semi-structured interviews with Swedish industrial and property companies. The respondents were selected through a targeted selection and the method further describes the collection of the empirical material. In order to answer the study's problem formulation, the empirical material has been analyzed with the theoretical frame of reference. Conclusion: The results of the study show clear differences in relation to the classic capital theory and that long-term strategic investments to a certain extent tend to encroach on investments that can generate a higher internal rate of return and thus be more financially profitable, but which are of less strategic importance for the company. This goes against the theory's prerequisites for achieving a normatively optimal capital structure. An important aspect of it is that the companies try to maintain a holistic view of the investments where the conditions for new development must be noticed, which as a rule does not contradict the assumptions of the capital theory. However, in relation to that, investment calculations can only provide companies with a limited idea of the financial consequences of the investment.

Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited / The Navy has several tools at its disposal to shape the force, including early separation incentives. This analysis looks at the issues surrounding the separation incentives including the discount rate for government use, the discount rate used by individuals to make a decision (personal discount rate), comparable civilian sector wages for separating personnel, promotion probabilities, and the costs to the government of maintaining personnel until retirement. Using the information provided from researching these topics, a model was created to identify the present value of retirement payments for officers given their current rank, age, and years of service. The model provided a maximum amount the government should be willing to offer to separate an officer early. This model was compared to a second model which determined the minimum amount an officer would be willing to accept to separate before retirement. Recommendations for future methods of shaping the force were provided to maximize savings to the Navy based on data generated from the model. / Captain, United States Marine Corps

The first chapter defines the liquidity and determines the cost forming the illiquidity discount. The second chapter assesses the various methods and studies relating to estimation of the discount for lack of marketability for minority interests within the U.S. markets. The third chapter identifies the effects of factors that influence the discount in the in the Czech Republic differently from the U.S. markets. The fourth chapter focuses on factors affecting the level of the discount within převiously observed range and determines the basic method for calculating the discount for lack of marketability for minority interest in the Czech Republic. The fifth chapter deals with the possibility of converting the discount for lack of marketability into risk premium in the CAPM model. The last chapter focuses on determination of the discount for lack of marketability for majority interests.

Mergers and acquisitions within the chemical industry is a common practice to increase market presence and customer base. Common justifications for M&A include synergy, business growth and competitive advantages, and management reasoning. Synergies are benefits a combined firm is able to receive through cost reductions, market expansion, and efficiencies in processes. As a result, firms are able to grow and position themselves competitively. To prevent an overpriced acquisition, numerous valuation techniques exist. The discount cash flow examines the value of a firm based on future cash flow. The market multiple compares target firms to similar firms in the industry. Lastly, the asset valuation determines the value of a firm based on the liquidation of the firm. To maximize the return on an acquisition, proper due diligence should be conducted based on the needs and goals of the purchaser, and the value added by the target firm. The premium paid for an acquisition should be based on the valued added through the synergies identified. Current business cycles and future outlook should also factor into the pricing of the acquisition. Having a thorough analysis of a target firm can help the acquirer to clearly understand what is being purchased and hence, determine an appropriate price for the acquisition. / text

本研究以民國91年至97年私募增資之上市(櫃)公司為研究對象，探討私募折價幅度與自我利益及公司治理之關連。 研究結果發現，私募期間過長或私募比例越高，則折價幅度越大，此外當應募人為公司內部人，且私募期間過長，其折價幅度越嚴重。顯示若私募期間過於冗長，則有心人士從中操控股價，套利的空間及能力越大，特別是公司內部人基於資訊的優勢，圖利自我的能力會較其他類型之應募人強。若再輔以大量的私募股份，即可從其他股東竊取大量的資產，對小股東傷害甚深。 有關公司治理方面，董(監)持股比例越高，則折價幅度越大；設有獨立外部董(監)事之公司，其折價幅度較小；而控制股東擔任董(監)事席次的比例與折價幅度則呈反向關係。顯示相較之下，外部獨立董(監)事是較佳的公司治理機制，能夠有效保障小股東之權益。 / This study examines the effects of self-dealing and corporate governance on price discount in private placement. Three main findings are as follows. The volume of private equity offering and the offering duration are both positively associated with price discount. When private equity is offered to insiders with long duration, it creates a compound effect, thus making price even lower. However, the existence of independent directors or supervisors is negatively associated with price discount. The evidence shows that regulations on corporate governance could lessen self-dealing and board with independent directors or supervisors provides a better corporate governance mechanism on pricing in private placement to protect shareholders’ interest.

This dissertation consists of two essays: one looks at the time-varying relationship between earnings and price momentum, and the other looks at how liquidity and transparency affect the pricing differential between Chinese A-and Hong Kong H-share. The first essay presented in Chapter I investigates the time varying relationship between earnings momentum and price momentum. Using a Markov-switching framework, allowing for variation between high volatility and low volatility states, I find that price momentum is significantly more influenced by earnings momentum in the high volatility state. Further for price momentum I find that loser firms display a higher degree of differential response to earnings momentum across the low and high volatility states than winner firms. Limited financing and investor’s sensitivity to future investment opportunities might explain these two results. A further analysis indeed indicates that loser firms tend to be more financially constrained. Additionally, I investigate the relationship between investor sentiment and the two momentums and find that sentiment only has predictive power for price momentum profits in the low volatility state. Finally, the results are robust regardless of instrument variables. The second essay presented in Chapter 2 examines the impact of liquidity and transparency on the discount attached to H-shares from 2003 to 2011. The higher the relative illiquidity of an H-share, the more the H-share is discounted relative to the underlying A-share price. In addition, more actively traded A-shares and infrequently traded H-shares are associated with a higher H-share discount. Further, increases in the number of analysts following a firm, both in the A-and H- market, are accompanied by a lower H-share discount. Also, a firm with a higher percentage of A-share holdings by mutual funds is associated with a smaller H-share discount. Overall, the results provide support for the notion that liquidity and transparency affect the relative pricing of A- and H-shares.

A la lumière du débat actuel visant la comptabilisation des engagements de retraite, la thèse examine les forces et faiblesses de la comptabilisation telle que stipulée par le normalisateur international, l’International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). Afin d’étayer nos arguments, nous étudions l’influence de certains paramètres, à savoir la rentabilité, les flux, le levier financier, le levier des engagements de retraite, ou la composition du portefeuille d’actifs du régime, parmi d’autres, sur le choix du taux d’actualisation et du taux de rendement attendu des actifs du régime dans le cadre des régimes à prestations définies. La littérature, incluant en particulier les travaux d’Amir et Benartzi (1998), Asthana (1999), Picconi (2006), ou Adams, Frank et Perry (2011), identifie ces paramètres comme influents sur le choix des taux. A l’échelle de l’entreprise, l’impact de ces taux peut être significatif sur le niveau d’endettement ou de rentabilité, et à l’échelle de l’économie, le provisionnement correct des engagements de retraite représente un défi majeur pour des secteurs, industries ou nations (OECD, 2011). Dans ce contexte, la dissertation analyse en détails les règles comptables, la recherche et les pratiques en usage en Europe, une région qui a traditionnellement attiré relativement peu d’intérêt empirique à un niveau paneuropéen notamment à cause de la grande diversité qui caractérise les pratiques comptables et les juridictions locales. Une étude basée sur les membres du Stoxx Europe Total Market Index a été réalisée afin de répondre à la problématique suivante : quels sont les facteurs influençant et expliquant le choix du taux d’actualisation et du taux de rendement attendu des actifs du régime ? / In light of the current debate about pension accounting, the dissertation examines the strengths and weaknesses of pension accounting as stipulated by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). To substantiate our arguments, we study the influence of key parameters, namely profitability, cash flow, leverage, funding status, and plan asset investment allocation, among others, on the choice of the discount rate and the expected rate of return used when accounting for defined benefit pension schemes. Prior literature, including research performed by Amir and Benartzi (1998), Asthana (1999), Picconi (2006), and Adams, Frank and Perry (2011), identifies these factors as influential in the choice of these rates. At a micro level, the impact of these rates can be tremendous on the financial status of reporting entities (e.g. inflated/deflated indebtedness or earnings) and at a macro level, the correct provisioning of pension represents a major challenge for sectors, industries or nations as a whole (OECD, 2011). In such a context, the dissertation reviews in details current regulation, research, and practices across Europe, a region which has historically attracted relatively little empirical research on a pan-European basis mainly because of the great diversity in accounting practices and local jurisdictions. A study focused on members of Stoxx Europe Total Market Index is performed to address the following research question: what are the factors impacting and explaining the choice of the discount rate and the expected rate of return ?