In Re: Appraisal of Dell Inc., C.A. 9322-VCL (May 31, 2016)

This decision explains when a price in a management lead buy out that is close to a merger price set after a shopping of a company may still not be the “fair value” required by Delaware appraisal law. Thus, it is a good review of the more-recent decisions that have accepted a merger price as fair value when that price was the product of a competitive process. In short, the facts really matter and management lead buy outs will have a hard time doing almost any deal that will be adequate to establish an appraisal value.