Eric Ward, ASA, is a Principal of AltaView Advisors LLC and is located in the firm’s Dallas office. He has extensive experience working with a broad range of businesses ranging in size from small private companies to multi-billion dollar enterprises. He has 15 years of experience in valuation. Eric focuses on providing valuations on behalf of private clients related to estate planning, gift and estate tax, and other corporate matters, as well as advising clients in the context of IRS audits and other controversy matters.
Eric's particular practice areas include tax planning and compliance, financial reporting, corporate and succession planning, and transaction advisory. Within tax planning and compliance, he has significant experience performing valuations for trust and estate matters including valuations of closely held businesses and illiquid securities. Eric's financial reporting experience includes valuations conforming to ASC 350, ASC 360, ASC 718, ASC 805, and ASC 820. He has also performed transaction advisory services and issued fairness opinions and solvency opinions in connection with transactions and recapitalizations.
Eric is well versed in the valuation of businesses at all stages of development and of a variety of security types, including: common equity; preferred equity; convertible debt; distressed debt; fixed income; stock options; complex derivatives; restricted securities; and a variety of structured interests in private equity and hedge funds. Eric has spoken to professional organizations and companies on a diverse set of valuation topics, including pre-sale planning opportunities, valuation of personal goodwill, and discounts for lack of marketability, among other topics.
In addition, Eric has particular expertise in the following areas: privately owned companies across a wide range of industries; pass-through entities (S Corp, LLC, LP); discounts for lack of control and lack of marketability; second-level (or tiered) discounts; pre-sale and pre-IPO planning; personal goodwill valuations and allocations; and intangible assets (trademarks, customer relationships, technology, and non-compete agreements) and goodwill.
Prior to co-founding AltaView, Eric was a Director with Stout Risius Ross, LLC. He was the city leader for Dallas, responsible for the growth of the firm's private client services practice in the region. Prior to Stout, Eric was a Managing Director with FMV Opinions, Inc., where he was responsible for opening the firm's Dallas office and the development of the firm's valuation practice. Eric’s early experience included Houlihan Lokey Howard and Zukin’s financial advisory practice and the valuation and investment banking practice of Eureka Capital.