Valuation of distressed companies is more complex than valuing healthy companies due to assumptions of going concern being invalid. Traditional valuation methods like discounted cash flow analysis and relative valuation assume a going concern basis and may provide over optimistic valuations. Additional modifications are required and options include using probabilistic inputs in DCF, valuing without debt impact and adjusting, normal valuation adjusted for probability of default, and simulation techniques, though these are complex. Relative valuation of distressed companies also requires subjective analysis by considering available data on comparable distressed companies.

1. Valuation of a distressed company
In all over the world, startups are coming up in large numbers and on the other
side probability of companies going into distressed state is also increasing. Start
up gurus and companies have covered all the space in social media, news,
discussions, events and even in newspapers. Companies are exploring new
avenues to reach all corners of the potential market whereas distressed
companies are trying to either recover or change hands to mitigate the risks of
being drown. For taking exit from these companies, management need to
understand their actual worth or valuation.
Valuation of such companies is not actually straight forward and analyst needs to
do more work to value these companies as compared to other healthy
companies. Most of the traditional approaches like discounted cash flow method,
relative valuation etc. assumes going concern basis. If a company is in distressed
state and there are bleak chances of its survival in coming years , valuation using
these methods may provide over optimistic and incorrect valuations.
Further modifications in Discounted Cash Flow model (DCF ), relative valuation
method etc. are required to value these distressed companies. Following options
are available to value a distressed company:
 We can use input for the DCF by considering probability of distress for each
input and then need to find rectified cash flows as per the case. But
calculating probabilities for all the inputs is a tricky task.
 We may find valuation of the firm without impact of leveraging and then
factor costs and benefits of the debt.
 Valuation of the firm can be done normally assuming going concern basis
and then we can adjust its value by considering probability of default using
transition in bond ratings.
 Simulation techniques are most sophisticated but very complex way of
deriving value of any distressed company . Its application is quite
cumbersome as we need to consider large scenarios for inputs. This model

2. is tedious to apply and researches have shown that complex models like
Monte Carlo are prone to errors and even after all precautions, they
provide erroneous results.
In case of relative valuation, valuations can be done using either top line ( Net
Operational Revenues) or EBITDA for distressed companies. Role of analyst in this
case is quite important because he needs to drill down the multiple for the firm
using his subjective understanding of the state of the distressed company.
Analyst can use available data related to distressed companies to value the
company under consideration but this data is not readily available and even
compiling of this data for all companies is not easily viable.
Just like I mentioned in case of DCF also, we may use probabilistic approach by
valuing company normally and then adjusting it for probability of default.