fairness opinion

Fairness opinion

An investment banker's professional opinion as to the price an acquiring firm is offering in a takeover or merger.

fairness opinion

An independent opinion characterizing the fair value of a firm's stock. A fairness opinion is frequently obtained by a majority owner of a company that is attempting to buy out the interests of minority shareholders. For example, Royal Dutch Petroleum, the 70% owner of Shell Oil, sought a fairness opinion from Morgan Stanley in an attempt to set a price on the shares it wished to purchase from Shell's minority stockholders. See also squeeze-out.