In transfer pricing, valuation of (intangibles) assets are often based on a prior acquisitions of shares in the relevant business – CUT/CUPs.
In situations where reliable CUP for a transfer of assets cannot be identified, it may also be possible to use valuation techniques to estimate the arm’s length price for assets transferred between associated enterprises.
In particular, the application of income based valuation techniques, premised on the calculation of the discounted value of projected future income streams or cash flows derived from the exploitation of the intangible being valued, may be useful.
Depending on the facts and circumstances, valuation techniques may be used by taxpayers and tax administrations as a part of one of the five OECD transfer pricing methods described in Chapter II, or as a tool that can be usefully applied in identifying an arm’s length price.