Business Valuation in San Diego, CA – Nielsen Valuation California

Independent business valuations in San Diego for any situation

Nielsen Valuation California provides independent business valuation services across San Diego, CA. Our opinions are tailored, evidence-driven, unbiased, and fully aligned with IRS guidance. Reach out now for a fast, no-pressure quote.

Assessment of the business like a real-world buyer
No predetermined formulas
No standardized tables of capitalization rates
IRS Revenue Ruling 59-60 compliant
Focus on, and inclusion of precedents and case law

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Our Services in San Diego

We provide valuations for most needs—excluding startup-only assignments:

Selling your business
Acquiring a business
Mergers & acquisitions (M&A)
Raising capital / investor readiness
Partner buyouts, buy–sell agreements & shareholder disputes
Marital dissolution valuations
Estate & gift planning
Tax reporting & compliance
Restructuring or wind-down
Lending / financing support
Insurance and loss measurement
Litigation & expert testimony
ESOP valuations
Financial reporting & strategic planning
And more.

Why Choose Us for Your Valuation?

Nielsen Valuation California is your local valuation resource in San Diego. Our proximity makes it simple to meet in person or to visit your operation anywhere from Downtown to North County, Chula Vista, or Sorrento Valley.

Clients describe our opinions as balanced, defensible, and practical.

Most engagements target fair market value, but we always align our work with your purpose: transaction, dispute, tax, or planning, while avoiding speculation. That’s why our reports carry weight in negotiations and in court.

An illustration depicting how various valuation concepts influence a company’s value, arranged from the lowest to the highest.

Evidence-Driven Valuations & Full IRS Compliance

Some appraisals lean on loose assumptions or canned formulas, results you can’t rely on. We don’t do that.

Whether you’re selling, buying, or navigating a divorce or dispute, you need a conclusion you can trust.

We follow the principles of IRS Revenue Ruling 59-60, which cautions against predetermined formulas, standardized capitalization rates, and theoretical marketability discounts detached from reality.

When we deliver your San Diego valuation, it’s fully consistent with that ruling, positioning you for negotiations, filings, or litigation with confidence.

Our analyses are anchored in what the business shows today. Facts on the ground, not wishful thinking.

An illustration showcasing multiple approaches to evaluating and managing risk within the context of business valuation.

Beyond the Numbers

Automated calculators simply read the financials and spit out a number. They ignore economic reality, so the answer is usually off.

We take the extra step to normalize, looking past raw figures to understand what’s recurring, what’s one-off, and what belongs at market terms.

That includes marking assets to market and adjusting earnings for unrepresentative revenues and expenses, related-party items, and discretionary spending.

An illustration contrasting fair market value with investment value to highlight their differing perspectives in business valuation.

How We Choose Valuation Methods

We don’t force a template. We select one or more approaches based on your company’s economics, stability of earnings, and intended use.

Common approaches include:

Market approach — benchmarks what comparable businesses in San Diego and Southern California transact for
Income approach — ties value to risk-adjusted earnings or cash flow
Asset approach — measures net asset value at market, not book

Whichever methods we apply, we keep speculation out and let the evidence lead, so the conclusion stands up to scrutiny.

An illustration outlining the key valuation methods most frequently used to determine a company’s worth.

San Diego Valuations, Tailored to You

Every assignment is different. When you contact Nielsen Valuation California, you’ll receive a custom scope and quote so you pay only for what you need, and nothing you don’t.

How Much Is My San Diego Business Worth?

Thinking about selling a business in San Diego? The right price is the number an informed buyer will actually pay. Not what a rule-of-thumb calculator suggests.

Sellers often hope to be paid today for tomorrow’s potential. Buyers expect to earn that upside themselves. A well-supported, balanced valuation bridges that gap and speeds agreement.

We also see survivorship bias—especially in innovation hubs like Sorrento Valley and Torrey Pines. It’s easy to compare your company to the few breakout names; sophisticated buyers remember the many that never make it. Our process calibrates expectations to market reality.

An illustration using a World War II aircraft to visualize how survivorship bias can lead to misleading conclusions about startup valuations. — Survivorship bias is famously illustrated by a World War II case study. Analysts mapped bullet holes on aircraft that made it back to base and saw few hits around the engines, wing roots, and cockpit, so they assumed those areas didn’t need extra armor. The flaw: planes struck in those critical zones never returned and therefore weren’t in the sample. In other words, the “safe” areas only looked safe because the evidence from the losses was missing. The initial conclusion was backwards.

Need a Business Valuation in San Diego?

Questions about our San Diego business valuation services? Want a quote or a free consultation? We’re ready to help.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Fees vary with scope and complexity, the size and structure of the company, and the intended use of the report. Contact us for a tailored quote.

Most reports are completed within 5 to 15 days once we have the needed information. If you’re on a deadline, tell us—we’ll advise on expedited options.

We value closely held businesses of many sizes and industries, excluding startups dedicated solely to early-stage projections.

Yes. Our work follows IRS 59-60 and has been accepted by courts. We also provide expert testimony and litigation support when needed.

Yes. When helpful or requested, we’ll visit your facility to better understand operations and risks.

Start with a free consultation. We’ll scope the work, provide a quote, and outline the information we’ll need to proceed.

Typically, the party needing the opinion engages and pays the appraiser. In some situations, parties agree to share the cost.