From the Inside Flap
American businesses spend almost $1 billion annually to determine the value of all types of assets. In the current flood of mergers and acquisitions, financial managers should always be prepared to put a value on their entire company, a division, or even a department. With reliable, insider advice, this guide helps financial managers grasp the concepts of valuation and make informed decisions.
This is not a do-it-yourself handbook on performing appraisal, since experience is, by far, the best teacher. Instead, it shows you how appraisers determine values in order to make you a well-informed buyer of appraisal services. It will teach you how to determine the quality of an appraisal report and decide whether or not to utilize it.
There are no rules that guarantee a realistic valuation and, depending on the reason for the valuation, widely divergent valuations can be given. There is always risk in an appraisal, but knowledge is the most important way you can lower that risk. This book supplies that knowledge by explaining the key valuation concepts, the strengths and weaknesses, and the risks inherent in a valuation. It includes case studies, sample reports, and real-world valuation problems.
Valuation will help you understand the important differences between cost, value, and price. It explains the critical assumptions employed in the valuation process and will help you determine whether or not to hire an appraiser and how to read an appraiser's report. It includes expert advice on negotiating valuations in adversarial relationships and achieving and determining objectivity and independence in a valuation.
This is the only book on the market dedicated to helping corporate financial professionals determine what type of appraisal is necessary and what questions to ask. It will give any manager or business owner the necessary knowledge to approach the appraisal process realistically-and with total confidence.
From the Back Cover
"No one has a clearer understanding of valuation than does Al King. He knows the nuts and bolts of this subject, as well as its intricacies, because he has practiced his profession on the factory floor, in the boardroom, and in the courtroom. The mathematics of valuation is easy to understand. Applying the underlying principles to the ever-growing myriad of business assets and issues is very difficult. Only a handful of valuation professionals have the breadth of knowledge and experience necessary to meet that challenge. The author of this book is one of them, and he conveys that experience in a readable style. He writes as he speaks- clearly and to the point. Anyone who wishes to understand the appraisal process as it pertains to business assets needs this book." --Gordon V. Smith, President, AUS Consultants
"Al King's Valuation: What Assets Are Really Worth aims to give the reader a deep understanding of what 'value' really means-and it succeeds brilliantly. King clearly explains why there is no single 'correct' value for many assets, using real-world examples to show that the intended purpose of a valuation must affect the result. Further, he offers examples of business problems (sometimes disasters!) caused by faulty understanding of value. Only someone with a truly deep understanding of the subject can explain it with such crystalline clarity." --Robert E. Esch, Retired Executive (General Management), Consultant, and President of Sarah Woods Traditions, Inc.
"What a wonderful, commonsense book for guys like me that covers the minefields of cost, price, and value. Every buyer or seller can gain many valuable insights from Al King's engaging book." --Thomas Swanston, Executive Vice President, Bassett Furniture Industries
"As usual, Al King has distilled a somewhat complicated area into commonsense business analysis that we can all relate to. His book is a very worthwhile read for professionals and business owners looking to better understand valuation in the broadest sense, as well as how it applies to their particular situation. I highly recommend taking the time to read this book." --Mark Santarsiero, President, Marshall & Stevens
"Al King has taken a complex topic and separated it into easily understandable components, which he highlights with meaningful examples. The result is a resource that attorneys, accountants, and business people in general can use frequently to explain to clients both the importance of 'valuation' and the concepts which define it." --Sari Ann Strasburg, Pepe & Hazard LLP
"Al King has put his long and vast experience in the field of valuation and accounting to use in Valuation: What Assets are Really Worth. He uses extensive examples to delineate differences between cost, price, and value. He then proposes that future debate should lead to disclosure and use of 'value' on a continuous basis. This book has been authored by a true expert in this field." --Frank C. Minter, CPA, Chair, Institute of Management Accountants
