Although the turmoil in the financial markets has settled down in the last year, global investors still hold many "stranded" and illiquid securities and share increasing caution about the uncertainty of future interest rates and credit markets. Investors continue to seek a better understanding of the risk of complex, hard-to-value assets they hold. For investments having limited or no active markets, such as structured credit securities or complex derivatives and performing and nonperforming loan pools, investors seek supportable current values and ultimately, the likelihood of payoff of their investment. Duff & Phelps can provide cutting-edge financial processes and sophisticated quantitative models, matched with current market intelligence to help these investors with valuations and analysis for financial reporting, litigation support, risk advisory and derivative solutions advisory needs.
Our Complex Securities group works on a variety of challenging assignments in which assist our clients in valuing derivative instruments. Our team applies sophisticated mathematical models and innovative processes to design and evaluate complex financial instruments, drawing upon the latest developments in mathematics, computer science, and finance theory. Our clients gain understanding of complex issues and an ability to make decisions based on rigorous analysis rather than best guesses, resulting in an enhanced ability to achieve their goals.
Strong fixed asset and risk management promotes improved financial supervision and regulatory compliance while protecting companies against loss – both by tracking the location, quantity and condition of their fixed assets and capturing comprehensive property data for insurance placement purposes. Duff & Phelps' professionals offer private- and public-sector clients a best-practice approach to fixed asset inventory and reconciliation, with dedicated teams serving the needs of the healthcare, higher education and IT sectors. We provide trusted advice on process flow, data management, fixed asset componentization, and depreciation accounting. Our professionals also assist with the implementation of property control procedures; fixed asset accounting compliance; and property insurance appraisals, inspections and data collection.
Duff & Phelps offers experience and reliability in the valuation of machinery and equipment for virtually every industry. Our professionals perform machinery and equipment valuations for a variety of purposes, including: tax and financial reporting compliance, insurance coverage, lease negotiation, litigation support, merger and acquisition advisory, interest expense allocations and financing. Years of experience in tangible asset appraisal give Duff & Phelps' professionals great insight into the best practices for all aspects of fixed asset record consulting, including physical inventory, reconciliation and barcode tagging, all in accordance with Sarbanes-Oxley 404 compliance requirements.
The increased focus on independence and governance, along with regulatory changes, are forcing a wide range of alternative asset investors and managers to seek objective valuation advice, including: private equity firms, hedge funds, business development companies, limited partners, corporations, and pension and endowment funds. Independent reviews of fair value policies, procedures and results provide comfort to investors, fund administrators and accounting managers, as well as auditors assessing valuation. Duff & Phelps specializes in assisting clients with the valuation of alternative investments, specifically securities and positions for which there are no "active market" quotations. We also advise on valuation policy best practices.
Duff & Phelps' Real Estate Services group provides comprehensive support in connection with acquisitions, portfolio valuations, dispositions and financings, enabling our clients to make important business decisions with confidence. Our professionals possess a unique combination of accounting, finance and real estate expertise, enabling us to provide comprehensive and accurate data review and informed opinions on both pre- and post-sale transaction decisions.
Real Estate Advisory Group (REAG), a division of Duff & Phelps, provides a range of real estate advisory services tailored to meet the requirements of specific jurisdictions and increase the value of individual assets or properties. Headquartered in Italy, with additional offices in Germany, France and the UK, REAG has a network of over 750 professionals across Europe offering valuation and investment advisory, technical services and due diligence, loan services, debt advisory and transaction consulting.
We help clients enhance fundamental company value by optimizing their transaction, investment, growth and operational strategies. Our Pre-Deal Advisory services focus on advising senior management and boards of directors of public and private companies that are looking to raise capital, prioritizing market opportunities, or considering mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures or divestitures. Our Strategic Valuation services identify, value, and guide decisions on business growth strategies, strategic alternatives, capital allocation, and operational improvements that impact the bottom line and drive shareholder value.
Fulfilling complex transfer pricing requirements can be a daunting task for any multi-national organization. As experts in transfer pricing, Duff & Phelps provides an independent and uncompromised perspective on all aspects, including: compliance, planning, controversy and implementation. Our team of internationally recognized transfer pricing advisors provides the technical expertise and industry experience necessary to ensure understandable, implementable and supportable results.
When companies require an objective and independent assessment of value, they look to Duff & Phelps. Our finance and accounting expertise, combined with our use and development of sophisticated valuation methodologies, fulfills even the most complex financial reporting and tax requirements. We constantly monitor changing regulations and consistently provide input to the Financial Accounting Standards Board and the International Accounting Standards Board as we develop implementation guidance and new financial reporting rules with valuation implications. We also perform tax valuations and related consulting in accordance with the regulations and guidance established by the Internal Revenue Service and other taxing authorities.
Duff & Phelps’ Alternative Asset Advisory segment provides supportable, transparent valuations of illiquid, difficult-to-value investments and complex securities to issuers, investors and regulators. Companies look to Duff & Phelps as both an advisor and sounding board to provide them with independent and objective advice that enables them to make the most informed decisions.
Duff & Phelps also provides merger and acquisition, financial, tax, information technology and human resource due diligence to private equity and strategic investors. Our professionals help clients navigate all aspects of the investment cycle by focusing on value drivers and deal-breakers that are critical to investment decisions.
Energized by freedom from independence restrictions, Duff & Phelps offers technical prowess and proven expertise when dealing with complex tax issues. Duff & Phelps has nurtured a team-oriented, professional environment that scales up deep-rooted tax knowledge to the highest levels, while retaining the agility to respond to a company's most specific needs.
