ValueTrust
Services

• Acquisitions & divestments
  • Fairness Opinions
  • Synergy and strategic value analyses

• Corporate measures
  • Mergers, DPLTA & Squeeze Out
  • Contribution in kind

• Restructuring
  • Business plan plausibility check/IBR
  • Assessment of D/E swaps
  • Fairness Opinions

• Financial and tax reporting
  • Business transfers in connection with reorganizations
  • Impairment analysis
  • Management incentive schemes

Acquisitions & divestments

We provide valuation advice to management and stakeholders in connection with acquisitions and divestments of businesses, shares, financial instruments and other assets – across the entire deal cycle. This includes deal pricing, capital allocation, strategic value assessments and synergy analyses.

We also advise senior management and boards with independent Fairness Opinions on public and private transactions to assess the appropriateness of the financial terms.

ValueTrust co-publishes the German DVFA Fairness Opinion guidelines, complies with all relevant international standards, and is an accredited valuation firm with the Swiss Takeover Board.

Corporate measures

We support our clients in conncection with domination and profit-loss transfer agreements (DPLTA), squeeze outs and mergers. In particular, we provide valuation advice for determining the required cash compensation in accordance with the standard "IDW S 1" by the Chartered Accountants and relevant German case law.

Restructuring

We support companies, creditors and insolvency administrators in restructuring situations by providing valuation advice and strategic option analyses. Our services include Fairness Opinions, independent business reviews, and financial assessments of debt-to-equity swaps.

Tax and financial reporting

We determine the fair (market) value of equity shares, assets and complex financial instruments in accordance with international and local accounting, tax and other regulatory standards.

Our services include purchase price allocations (PPA), impairment test analyses, valuations for employee and management incentive schemes, and fund valuations.

• CFO advisory
  • Implementation of CFO agenda
  • Financial strategy & KPI review
  • Strategic portfolio management
  • Rating analysis & ESG simulation
  • Reporting optimization

• Financial modeling
  • Integrated financial planning
  • Scenario/simulation analyses

• Special projects
  • Operational support for transaction preparation (M&A and IPOs)
  • Project management for projects with multiple workstreams
  • Exit readiness

CFO advisory

Finance strategy
We assess the effectiveness of a company’s financial targets in tracking progress towards key strategic objectives.

We help maximize value creation by analyzing gaps between internal and capital market perceptions of value, identifying shortfalls in investor communication, and developing a compelling equity story.

We review a company’s compliance with risk management requirements and support the development of a comprehensive approach to risk measurement and mitigation.

We break down return on invested capital, cost of capital and other performance metrics to evaluate key value drivers over time

We conduct strategic assessments of growth risks and opportunities.

Finance operations
We optimize management reporting and data analytics to enable KPI-driven performance measurement and planning.

We advise on improving efficiency, accuracy and compliance in financial planning and reporting.

We provide services for risk identification, quantification and mitigation, as well as other special purpose audits.

We support finance teams in cases of interim resource shortages, providing additional expertise and capabilities.

Financial modeling

We build multi-year financial models including integrated profit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow forecasts.

We apply scenario and simulation analyses to identify key value drivers and risks.

We provide automation support for recurring analyses, calculations and scenarios.

Special projects

We run the project management office for large-scale transformation, transaction and business development projects involving multiple workstreams across internal functions and external service providers.

We support finance teams during M&A or IPO process by developing and implementing functions and processes tailored to the post-transaction environment.

• Dispute Advisory
  • Court-appointed valuation expert opinions
  • Court-appointed valuation auditor
  • Appraisal proceedings post squeeze-out
  • Party-related valuation opinions
  • Damage analysis
  • Financial and economic advice in proceedings
  • Arbitration expert and mediation advisory
  • MAC reports

Dispute Advisory

Post-M&A Disputes
In some merger and acquisition situations, buyers and sellers may disagree on purchase price adjustments or earn-out calculations. Disputes may also arise from alleged breaches of representations and warranties, or even from accusations of fraud.

Whether at an early stage or during arbitration or court proceedings, we contribute our in-depth expertise in M&A-related disputes, combining experience in financial advisory, damage assessments, and purchase price determinations. 

Our holistic approach helps all parties — including the court — gain a clear, objective understanding of the financial implications of the claims.

International arbitration, business and commercial disputes
Disputes in national or international arbitration proceedings — or in state courts — can arise from a wide range of issues, including breaches of contract, early terminations, unfair competition, defective products, or other contractual disruptions. Each case is unique and requires a tailored approach.

We analyze the facts of the alleged misconduct, assess the hypothetical scenario without the damaging event, and quantify the resulting financial loss.

We also support our clients with complex lost profit calculations, applying internationally recognized business valuation methods.

Court-appointed auditor and court-appointed valuation expert
We may also act as court-appointed auditors to assess the adequacy of compensation in the context of domination and profit and loss transfer agreements, capital increases, and squeeze-outs under the German Stock Corporation Act (AktG), as well as for all types of mergers under the German Transformation Act (UmwG).

• Strategic Corporate Finance and M&A Advisory
  • Independent Boardroom advisory
  • Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Public Takeovers
  • Takeover & Activism Defense
  • Independent IPO Advisory & SPAC Advisory

Strategic Corporate Finance and M&A Advisory

Independent Boardroom advisory
We support management and supervisory boards with independent advice in situations where objectivity is essential. Typical assignments include material acquisitions or divestitures, takeover defense, shareholder activism, corporate reorganizations, and fairness assessments . Our role is often to provide a second opinion in sensitive board-level decisions.

Mergers & Acquisitions
We advise on M&A transactions by evaluating potential targets, conducting valuation analyses, and assessing financial and strategic alternatives. We support boards with independent judgment on timing, structure, financing, and pricing, and assist in negotiations and execution. Our services also include transaction structuring for public and private deals — such as mergers, spin-offs, sales, joint ventures, or capital markets offerings — in coordination with other advisors.

Public Takeovers
Public takeovers in Germany are complex and highly regulated transactions that have evolved significantly in recent years, in part due to increased involvement of specialized hedge funds. We support management and supervisory boards in navigating these transactions, with a focus on regulatory compliance and stakeholder communication.

Our expertise includes assessing activist strategies, analyzing back-end risks under German takeover law, and providing in-depth valuation analysis to support informed decision-making in public M&A situations.

Takeover & Activism Defense
Effective shareholder engagement starts with identifying potential vulnerabilities and communicating a clear business strategy. We support clients in preparing for and responding to activist campaigns or short-selling attacks by establishing structured readiness processes and coordinating with internal and external stakeholders.

Independent IPO Advisory & SPAC Advisory
We provide independent advice on equity and equity-linked capital markets transactions. This includes valuation, underwriter selection, fee and incentive structuring, investor targeting, listing venue and syndicate structuring, security design, offering size, and pricing — for both traditional IPOs and SPAC transactions.