Expert or Arbitrator? — PE Pathways Podcast
Earn-Out Arrangements – Interview with David Lagasse, Member, Mintz Levin
Earnouts are a form of contingent consideration that the buyer of a business pays to the seller in the period following the acquisition, based on the business achieving various financial metrics related to its performance...more
When selling a private company, Sellers understandably focus on providing bidders with a comprehensive data room packed with detailed documents and information about every aspect of their business. They expect bidders to pore...more
With an observable increase in the use of earnout and contingent consideration structures in M&A, it is timely to consider the related tax complexity. In brief Our recent Private M&A Report highlights a rise in the use of...more
In 2024, Delaware courts issued multiple instructive decisions on earnout provisions in life sciences M&A transactions. ...more
The High Court has ruled that earn-out calculations, emailed by the buyer to the sellers in relation to a share sale, were not validly communicated. Earnout calculations and notice provisions - Under an earnout provision...more
Periodically, particularly during economic downturns or times of market uncertainty, the private M&A market experiences a significant increase in the use of earnouts. As was the case following the Great Recession and the...more
Orrick’s Tech Exit Series suggests tips for tech companies looking toward an exit. Our market-leading London M&A and Private Equity team writes instalments in the series with contributions from specialists across our broader...more
In Shareholder Representative Services LLC v. Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the Delaware Court of Chancery addressed an earnout dispute, holding that a buyer violated its contract with the seller by failing to use...more
In recent months, the Delaware Court of Chancery has decided four significant cases regarding merger agreement earnout provisions. Most notably, in one of the largest judgments ever awarded by the Court, it found Johnson &...more
Earnout provisions are common in life sciences and healthtech mergers and acquisitions, particularly when an acquired company may add significant value after closing. This can occur if the acquired business has a product in...more
The M&A market has witnessed a major increase in the use of earnout deal terms after 2021. The number of deals with earnout provisions jumped from around 20% in 2021 to 33% in 2023....more
A pivotal decision by a New York Appellate Division court holding that earnouts based on the future revenue of a dental practice violated the NY Fee Splitting Prohibition could substantially impact the structuring of health...more
In merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions, the earn-out mechanism serves as a strategic tool for conditional payment based on the prospective performance of the acquired entity. This mechanism is particularly prevalent in...more
It’s nice to get paid. Giving up control of your business? Well… that’s a different story. On closing the sale of a business, owners realize a dramatic financial return on their investment. However, few buyers are willing to...more
Do we value our possessions more just because we own them? Sometimes. Does this association of value apply to businesses? Almost always. The Cost of Risk- Buyers and sellers of a business often find themselves with a...more
Ambiguous drafting of earnout provisions in M&A agreements is a perennial source of post-closing disputes. What may have seemed clear to parties in the heat of negotiations can often become less so as time passes,...more
The pace of earnouts accelerates in M&A transactions whenever market conditions create a value gap between seller price expectations and buyer confidence levels. Earnouts are most common when the volume of merger and...more
As buyers and sellers engage in negotiations for the sale of a business, often there may be disagreements as to the value and expected growth of that business. One party might currently value the business higher than the...more
The use of earnout provisions, which buyers and sellers often use to bridge differing views of value, is on the rise, especially in the private equity and corporate venture capital markets. This White Paper examines how...more
Previously in our series, our team evaluated a number of important points that buyers should consider when embarking on a build-to-buy transaction to protect against downside scenarios in those collaboration arrangements....more
Is there a difference in enforcement between an arbitration award and an expert determination pursuant to a contract? The answer is yes, according to a recent ruling by the 3rd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals that includes...more
Lorsque les vendeurs et les acheteurs d’une entreprise privée sont sur le point de conclure une opération, mais peinent toujours à s’entendre sur le prix d’achat de la société cible, il arrive souvent qu’ils envisagent alors...more
When sellers and buyers of a private business are close to a deal but cannot agree on the purchase price for the target company, they often turn to earnouts. Simply put, earnouts are contractual provisions stipulating that a...more
Earnout provisions can be an effective tool for addressing the potential disconnect between a seller’s expectations and a buyer’s ability to pay when negotiating a business combination transaction. Earnout provisions, or...more
An earnout provision in mergers and acquisitions contracts entitles the seller of the target company to additional compensation in the future if the target performs well after closing. Such a provision is often used when a...more