Empowering decisions with superior analytics and unmatched service
We provide independent valuation and advice for Private Equity, Lenders, Funds, Institutions, Accounting firms, and financial and tax reporting entities across North America, Europe, and Australasia.
About
The Benton Group was founded in 2009 to provide valuation and specialty analysis services for key stakeholders across various industry and entity types. For the past decade, Benton operated as Cortland Valuation Group-Texas in partnership with its affiliate, Cortland Valuation Group-DC. In 2024, Benton returned to its original branding while maintaining its collaboration with Cortland Valuation Group-DC, ensuring seamless service across both firms.
The Benton Group supports clients across private equity, banks and specialty lender groups. We also support public and private companies with their financial reporting requirements under US GAAP, tax reporting and compliance, and internal management planning.
Over the last ten years, we have supported over 1,000 M&A transactions, facilitating more than $100 billion in deal value. Our work is integral to top U.S. banks, private equity firms, regulators, national and regional accounting firms, legal counsel, and senior executive teams across industries. We are continually inspired by the vision, intellect, and execution capabilities of the leaders we serve.
Services
With a deep understanding of market dynamics and financial complexities, we provide tailored valuation and advisory services that empower stakeholders to make informed decisions with confidence.
Trusted Expertise in Capital Markets & Transactions
With over 30 years of experience, we have built strong relationships with equity and debt capital stakeholders, supporting investments across a wide range of industries—from technology to industrials. Each year, we facilitate more than 100 M&A transactions, representing $3 to $5 billion in capital placement. Our independent, third-party valuations play a critical role for lenders, regulators, private equity firms, management teams, and auditors.
Beyond transaction support, our financial and tax reporting services provide additional value to private equity firms by assisting portfolio companies. Having often supported the initial transaction for lenders, we streamline post-closing fair value analyses—delivering significant time and cost savings for PE firms.
Services include:
- Fair Value of intellectual property and intangible assets as collateral
- Retention analysis discerning gross and net retention measures over time
- including identification of trends and underlying causes
- Harvest Analysis
- Normalized Margin Analysis
- Enterprise Valuations
- Quality of Earnings (a la carte targeting of key concern areas)
- Portfolio Valuations and mark-to-market
Select Clients Include:
Banks & Lenders:
PNC Bank • Bank Hapoalim B.M. • US Bank • MUFG • Customers Bank • Key Bank • City National Bank • Union Bank • Elm Park Capital • Stonegate Capital • Sunrise Banks • Lago Innovation Fund
Private Equity & Investment Firms:
Warren Equity Partners • Morningside Technology Ventures • Whitehawk Capital • Pathlight Capital • Blue Torch Capital • ParkerGale
With 30 years of expertise in fair value measurements, our team provides independent, third-party valuation services to support SMBs, middle-market companies, and large enterprises in meeting GAAP reporting requirements. We work closely with operators, boards, legal counsel, lenders, investors, auditors, and other key stakeholders to ensure accurate and defensible financial reporting.
Our Expertise Includes:
- ASC 820 – Fair Value Measurement
- ASC 805 – Business Combinations
- GAAP-Compliant Purchase Price Allocations (PPA)
- Private Company Election (ASU 2014-18) – Accounting for Identifiable Intangible Assets in Business Combinations
- ASC 350 – Goodwill & Other (Impairment Testing)
- ASC 360 – Property, Plant, & Equipment (Impairment Testing)
- ASC 718 – Stock Compensation
- ASC 946 – Financial Services – Investment Companies
- Enterprise Valuations
Our depth of experience across a broad spectrum of accounting standards ensures that our clients receive accurate, well-documented valuations that align with both regulatory requirements and real-world market conditions.
Fair Market Value Services
At The Benton Group, we provide comprehensive fair market value services for estate and gift tax planning, shareholder buy/sell agreements, partnership holdings, privately held business interests, and discount analyses for partnerships and other entities. Our approach is built on rigorous analysis, reliable methodologies, and essential market, industry, and economic data—ensuring well-documented, defensible results.
Key Areas of Expertise:
- Revenue Ruling 59-60
- IRC 409A Compliance
- IRC 280G and Non-Competition Agreements (FMV and Allocations)
- Personal Goodwill vs. Enterprise Goodwill
- Partnership and Shareholder Buy/Sell Valuations
- Options, Warrants, and Convertible Debt
- Net Operating Losses
- Discounts for Lack of Control and Marketability
What sets us apart is our deep understanding of both appraisal theory and real market dynamics. Many appraisers rely strictly on theoretical models, but theory alone doesn’t always align with actual market behavior. With our extensive transactional and accounting experience, we bridge that gap—providing fair market valuations that are both technically sound and reflective of real-world conditions.
Leadership
With 30 years of global experience in valuation and financial consulting, John Jackman leads The Benton Group as CEO and Managing Director. He oversees the firm’s strategic vision, chairs its Valuation Standards Committee, and provides direct guidance to clients and engagement leaders.
John specializes in valuation for financial reporting, tax compliance, M&A, and litigation support, working with private equity firms, lenders, auditors, and corporations across industries such as technology, life sciences, aerospace, and consumer products. His expertise spans a wide range of assets, including intellectual property, intangible assets, equity, and debt interests.
A recognized thought leader in valuation, John co-authored Early Stage Valuation: A Fair Value Perspective (Wiley Finance, 2020), offering a comprehensive review of methodologies for valuing Early Stage Enterprises (ESEs). He also develops and delivers in-house valuation training programs for select clients and is a frequent speaker at industry events. As an active member of the Appraisal Issues Task Force, he contributes to shaping valuation best practices and regulatory standards.
John holds a B.S. in Business Administration from California State University, San Marcos, and a Master’s in International Management (Finance) from the Thunderbird School of Global Management. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
Darin Neumyer, a Senior Director at The Benton Group, brings 25 years of experience managing over 2,000 financial services engagements. His expertise includes valuations of businesses, stock, debt, options, warrants, and intangible assets, as well as cost of capital analyses, management incentive planning, and liquidation of intangible assets.
Darin’s work supports audit reviews, financial reporting (ASC 820, ASC 805, ASC 350, ASC 718/IRC 409A), tax compliance, mergers and acquisitions, dispute resolution, litigation, ESOP transactions, and fairness and solvency opinions. He has advised clients across diverse industries, including aerospace, biotech, consumer products, SaaS, and telecommunications.
Before Benton, Darin held leadership roles at KPMG, Cherry Bekaert, Great American Group, and Houlihan Valuation Advisors, specializing in transactions, asset liquidation, and financial and tax reporting. He is an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) with the American Society of Appraisers and holds degrees from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and California State University, Northridge.