409A Valuations for Private Companies
How Often Do You Need a 409A Valuation?
409A valuations remain valid for 12 months. Thus, companies should plan on yearly appraisals if they plan to continue offering stock options. However, any material event that affects the worth of a company's stock invalidates previous valuations. Material events might include:
- Securing a new round of qualified financing
- Merger and acquisition offers
- Changes to the business model or cash flow
- Signing significant, long-term contracts
- Tightened regulations
- Substantially exceeding or missing financial projections
- Considering an IPO
Safe harbor presumptions protect companies that value their stock options at or above their 409A valuation. As a result, it's more important to update valuations after material events that could negatively impact the appraisal.
409A Valuation Methods
Different valuation methods can return
dramatically different results. At B. Riley, we often combine these
methodologies and employ more sophisticated models to ensure the accuracy of
our appraisals. As a result, our reports have consistently proven
audit-defensible when scrutinized.
The Market Approach
Also known as the options pricing model (OPM)
backsolve approach, the market approach is commonly used to value early-stage
businesses and those failing to turn a profit. It relies on the most recent
round of financing and financial data from similar public companies to
calculate the FMV of common shares.
The Asset Approach
Appraisers turn to the asset approach for early-stage companies that lack financing and revenue. Without a positive cash flow, this approach equates the value of a company with the new replacement cost of its assets.
The Income Approach
Revenue-generating companies are often valued via the income approach. The method appraises the value of a company as the difference between its assets and liabilities.
Secure a 409A Valuation Report for Your Company
B. Riley's experienced accounting team will
provide your company with an exhaustive 409A valuation report that will stand
up to the scrutiny of an auditor. Reach out to us today to get started.
Key Contacts

Andy Moore
Co-Chief Executive Officer

Bryant Riley
Co-Chief Executive Officer, B. Riley Financial

Jaimie Barry
Vice President, Corporate Access

Mike McCoy
Chief Financial Officer

Kate Kelly
Chief Talent Officer

Michael Markunas
Deputy General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer

Jimmy Baker
Co-Chief Executive Officer & Head of Capital Markets

Joe Nardini
Senior Managing Director, Head of Investment Banking

Nishen Radia
Senior Managing Director, Head of M&A

Perry Mandarino
Head of Restructuring

Dawn Farrell
Chief Administrative Officer

Seth Appel
Senior Managing Director

Michael Brill
Senior Managing Director

Matt Feinberg
Senior Managing Director
Robert Arnold
Senior Managing Director

Michael Lowell
Senior Managing Director

Alex Wolodzko
Vice President

Colin Welch
Vice President

Natalie Bend
Vice President

Grayson Largman
Director

Dominic Riley
Vice President

Daniel Lewis
Director

Teri Kendall
Director

Gideon Rosenbaum
Director

Kathy Innis
Director

Alexandra Shaffer
Director

Melissa Woodson
Managing Director

Becky Popoff
Director

Igor Belov
Director
Pat Pilouk
Director

Brian Taylor
Managing Director

Thomas McGlynn
Managing Director

Patrick Hanniford
Managing Director

Keith Pompliano
Managing Director
Michael Devitt
Managing Director

Matt Spain
Senior Managing Director

Ryan Aceto
Deputy Head of Equity Capital Markets

Chris Ankley
Managing Director

Chad Ritchie
Managing Director

Michael Cavanagh
Managing Director
Scott Ammaturo
Senior Managing Director, Head of ATM Trading

John Stack
Senior Managing Director

Jonathan Mitchell
Senior Managing Director

Greg Presson
Senior Managing Director

Ernie Dahlman
Managing Director

Jeff Van Sinderen
Senior Research Analyst

Josh Nichols
Senior Research Analyst

Naved Khan
Managing Director

Mike Crawford
Head of the Discovery Group

Zach Cummins
Senior Research Analyst

Craig Ellis
Director of Research

Dave Kang
Senior Research Analyst
John Massocca
Senior Research Analyst

Yuan Zhi
Managing Director

Mayank Mamtani
Senior Managing Director, Group Head of Healthcare

Kalpit Patel
Senior Research Analyst

William Wood
Research Analyst

Randy Binner
Managing Director

Ryan Pfingst
Senior Research Analyst

Matthew Key
Research Analyst

Liam Burke
Managing Director
Griffin Boss
Research Analyst

Anna Glaessgen
Senior Research Analyst

Knut Grevle
Head of Equity Trading

Dan Ondeck
Head of East Coast Sales

Eric Rajewski
Head of Institutional Sales

Madison El-Saadi
Research Analyst

Frank Pigott
General Counsel

Nick Giles
Senior Research Analyst

Hal Goetsch
Managing Director
Investor Contact

Anderson Schock
Research Analyst
Business Development Officers

Andy Moore
Co-Chief Executive Officer

Bryant Riley
Co-Chief Executive Officer, B. Riley Financial

Jaimie Barry
Vice President, Corporate Access

Mike McCoy
Chief Financial Officer

Kate Kelly
Chief Talent Officer

Michael Markunas
Deputy General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer

Jimmy Baker
Co-Chief Executive Officer & Head of Capital Markets

Joe Nardini
Senior Managing Director, Head of Investment Banking

Nishen Radia
Senior Managing Director, Head of M&A

Perry Mandarino
Head of Restructuring

Dawn Farrell
Chief Administrative Officer

Seth Appel
Senior Managing Director

Michael Brill
Senior Managing Director

Matt Feinberg
Senior Managing Director
Robert Arnold
Senior Managing Director

Michael Lowell
Senior Managing Director

Alex Wolodzko
Vice President

Colin Welch
Vice President

Natalie Bend
Vice President

Grayson Largman
Director

Dominic Riley
Vice President

Daniel Lewis
Director

Teri Kendall
Director

Gideon Rosenbaum
Director

Kathy Innis
Director

Alexandra Shaffer
Director

Melissa Woodson
Managing Director

Becky Popoff
Director

Igor Belov
Director
Pat Pilouk
Director

Brian Taylor
Managing Director

Thomas McGlynn
Managing Director

Patrick Hanniford
Managing Director

Keith Pompliano
Managing Director
Michael Devitt
Managing Director

Matt Spain
Senior Managing Director

Ryan Aceto
Deputy Head of Equity Capital Markets

Chris Ankley
Managing Director

Chad Ritchie
Managing Director

Michael Cavanagh
Managing Director
Scott Ammaturo
Senior Managing Director, Head of ATM Trading

John Stack
Senior Managing Director

Jonathan Mitchell
Senior Managing Director

Greg Presson
Senior Managing Director

Ernie Dahlman
Managing Director

Jeff Van Sinderen
Senior Research Analyst

Josh Nichols
Senior Research Analyst

Naved Khan
Managing Director

Mike Crawford
Head of the Discovery Group

Zach Cummins
Senior Research Analyst

Craig Ellis
Director of Research

Dave Kang
Senior Research Analyst
John Massocca
Senior Research Analyst

Yuan Zhi
Managing Director

Mayank Mamtani
Senior Managing Director, Group Head of Healthcare

Kalpit Patel
Senior Research Analyst

William Wood
Research Analyst

Randy Binner
Managing Director

Ryan Pfingst
Senior Research Analyst

Matthew Key
Research Analyst

Liam Burke
Managing Director
Griffin Boss
Research Analyst

Anna Glaessgen
Senior Research Analyst

Knut Grevle
Head of Equity Trading

Dan Ondeck
Head of East Coast Sales

Eric Rajewski
Head of Institutional Sales

Madison El-Saadi
Research Analyst

Frank Pigott
General Counsel

Nick Giles
Senior Research Analyst

Hal Goetsch
Managing Director
Investor Contact

Anderson Schock
Research Analyst