If you are a startup founder, you might have heard the term “409a valuation” thrown around. This valuation is essential for determining the fair market value of a private company’s common stock, and it is required by the IRS. In this article, we will explain what a 409a valuation is, why it is important, and how it is calculated.
What Is a 409a Valuation?
A 409a valuation is an appraisal of the fair market value of a company’s common stock. The term “409a” comes from Section 409a of the Internal Revenue Code, which outlines the tax rules for nonqualified deferred compensation plans. The IRS requires companies to perform a 409a valuation to determine the fair market value of their common stock when they issue stock options or other forms of equity compensation to their employees.
Why Is a 409a Valuation Important?
A 409a valuation is important because it ensures that a company’s equity compensation is not granted at a price that is lower than the fair market value of the company’s common stock. Additionally, if the IRS determines that a company’s equity compensation was granted at a price below the fair market value, it can impose significant penalties and interest charges. Therefore, performing a 409a valuation is crucial for compliance with IRS regulations and avoiding legal and financial risks.
The following are some examples of things that are dependent on the 409a valuation:
- Strike price of options.
- Tax liability that option owners face when they exercise.
- Corporate payroll taxes and stock-based compensation expenses.
When Do You Need to Get a 409a Valuation?
Since there are downstream impacts to your company and employees once you start to grant options, a startup should get a 409a valuation completed before they grant their first common stock options. From that point on, the company should get an updated 409a valuation completed at least every 12 months, after an equity financing round or if a material event has occurred that would impact the common stock valuation, whichever comes first.
How Is a 409a Valuation Calculated?
A 409a valuation is typically conducted by an independent valuation firm that specializes in valuing privately held companies. The valuation firm uses various methods to determine the fair market value of a company’s common stock, including:
- Income Approach: This approach estimates the value of a company based on its future cash flows. The valuation firm will use financial projections to calculate the company’s future cash flows and discount them to their present value using a discount rate.
- Market Approach: This approach looks at the prices at which similar companies have sold their stock in recent transactions. The valuation firm will analyze comparable transactions and use the data to estimate the fair market value of the company’s common stock.
- Asset Approach: This approach estimates the value of a company based on its net assets. The valuation firm will assess the company’s tangible and intangible assets and liabilities and determine the company’s net asset value.
The valuation firm will consider all of these methods and weigh them according to their relevance to the specific company being valued. Ultimately, the valuation firm will arrive at a fair market value for the company’s common stock.
How Much Does a 409a Valuation Cost?
The fee that a valuation firm will charge to complete a 409a valuation will be between $3-6K. Many national, regional and boutique service providers offer 409a valuation services, so I would find a recommendation for a firm that has experience with the stage of your company, industry and business model.
Feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] if you are looking for a recommendation.
How Long Does It Take to Complete a 409a Valuation?
As part of the 409a valuation, your company will have to provide a number of corporate documents, financial reports and Q&A that will help the valuation firm complete the 409a valuation. The trading of information and the time it takes to for the firm to finalize their analysis will result in a start to finish time frame of approximately 3-5 weeks.
My Final Thoughts
A 409a valuation is essential for any privately held company that grants equity compensation. The downstream impact of not getting one done on a timely basis can create financial liabilities for the company and its employees, so it’s important that companies work closely with their valuation firms to get these completed as needed.
Fortunately for most early-stage companies, the legwork to get a 409a valuation completed is not too challenging as long as the company maintains tidy historical financials, regularly updated financial forecasts and a clear understanding of their business and market.
If you have any specific questions about your company’s 409a valuation process or need recommendations on valuation firms, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].