Earn-Out Dispute in Acquisition of Engineering and Project Management Firm

An earn-out dispute related to the acquisition of an engineering and project management company in the upstream oil & gas business was resolved in favor of the acquirer, an Analysis Group client. An accounting referee ruled in favor of the acquirer in this matter by adopting the acquirer's calculation of the earn-out amount to be received by the seller as part of the consideration for its sale of the company. A team from Analysis Group that included Managing Principal Gaurav Jetley was retained on behalf of the acquirer by Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP. Analysis Group supported Professor Thomas Lys of the Northwestern Kellogg School of Management, who opined on US GAAP treatment of certain expenses in connection with computing the earn-out amount due to the seller.