How can I determine the fair market value of my options package?
June 6, 2002
Subject: options question
From: John
I like your website, but it didn’t answer my question. I am trying to determine the fair market value of my employer-provided options package, which is with a public company. I have looked online for calculators, but none really fits my needs. I need to determine this quickly for negotiation purposes–any suggestions?
John
Answer
Date: 8 May 2002
Hello John,
I am not an expert in this area. Two pricing models for options are Black-Scholes and binomial option pricing. Try doing some research on those, including at your public library. Note the values determined using those models will be higher than the actual value, because your options aren’t freely transferable.
If your options are substantial enough, you might look into hiring a business appraiser or a counselor that specializes in these arrangements.
Good luck!
Mike Gray