An Employee Stock Ownership Plan and Trust (ESOP and ESOT) is a program whereby employees are able to participate in the ownership of their employer.  It is an important and versatile shareholder planning and financing vehicle which in certain situations can provide liquidity for shareholders or lower cost expansion capital.  It is a form of employee deferred compensation which qualifies for favorable tax treatment under current law.  An ESOT is a trust established to hold the cash and stock contributions made by the employer.

PA Capital Advisors offers the following services to ESOP clients:

Ø   Advising shareholders on liquidity
    alternatives, including
    leveraged ESOP transactions.
 
Ø   Assisting in the feasibility assessment by
    performing a preliminary valuation analysis.

Ø   Preparing initial and annual valuations.

Ø   Acting as the trustees’ financial advisor and
    providing fairness opinions in key
    transactions.

Ø   Providing on-going financial advisory
    services to the ESOT trustees.