The Small Firm Working on Dell’s $21.7 Billion Deal
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Discern Analytics hired to review certain Dell financials
- Work often given to big firms key to valuing take-private bid
It’s a $21.7 billion proposal to return the world’s largest privately held technology company to public markets. The deal features a who’s who of big names — Michael Dell, Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Silver Lake — alongside one that’s not so well known: Discern Analytics Inc.
Discern, a small Bay Area consultancy run by former Lehman Brothers technology analyst Harry Blount, was chosen by the special committee of Dell’s board to perform an independent analysis of Dell’s financials including certain forecasts, growth assumptions and market research, according to the technology company’s proxy statement. Fees for such work, which typically go to larger firms such as McKinsey & Co., PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP or Boston Consulting Group Inc., can run into six digits, according to people with knowledge of the practice. It’s unclear how much Discern was paid…
The Small Firm Working on Dell’s $21.7 Billion Deal
