Case Question

After having a very successful performance and getting second place on the first Littlefield simulation game we knew what we needed to do to win the second simulation game. We were very eager to outperform our competition and we almost did so, but ended up in second place again with a cash balance of $2,660,393.

1.3. In order to estimate the peso discount rate, assume that the International Fisher Effect (IFE) holds. Groupe Ariel's Euro hurdle rate for a project of this type was 8%. Assume that inflation rates are expected to be 7% in Mexico and 3% in France.

You are in a patient’s room performing a treatment. The patient, who has a type of cancer that is always fatal, has just been told of his condition. While you are there, a man visiting a patient in the next bed begins to describe the horror of his wife’s last days before she died of cancer. The patient becomes increasingly tense and finally begins to sob. Answer the following questions:

This memo is intend to present appropriate treatment of the ARO estimation problem experienced by the Lack of Information (LOI) based on the findings from interviews with all 50 of the warehouse managers and on-site visits at each of the 50 locations of its warehouses countrywide. The onsite observations search for any evidence of damages in both the on-site property like the roof, walls, floors and general conditions. The interview with the managers obtains information about the characteristics of the warehouses that are not readily observable. The information obtained is very important in the preparation of the fiscal

Set in May 2005, this case invites the student to assess Berkshire Hathaway’s bid, through MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company, its wholly owned subsidiary, for the regulated energy-utility PacifiCorp. The task for the student is to perform a simple valuation of PacifiCorp and to consider the reasonableness of Berkshire’s offer. Student analysis readily extends into the investment philosophy and the remarkable record of Berkshire’s chair and CEO, Warren E. Buffett.

Build the management-research question hierarchy, through the investigative questions stage. Then compare your list with the measurement questions asked.

1. Assess Interco’s financial performance. Why is the company a target of a hostile takeover attempt?

a. What risk-free rate and risk premium did you use to calculate the cost of equity?

Using the scenarios in case Exhibit 9, what role does leverage play in affecting the return on equity (ROE) for CPK? What about the cost of capital? In assessing the effect of leverage on the cost of capital, you may assume that a firm’s CAPM beta can be modeled in the following manner: BL = BU[1 + (1 − T)D/E], where BU is the firm’s beta without leverage, T is the corporate income tax rate, D is the market value of debt, and E is the market value of equity.

In the past, the booming economy had allowed for year to year increase in their sales because people had larger discretionary incomes. But due to the recession, smaller independent retailers had to markdown their items in order to stay in business because designer outlet stores are getting more traffic; so will Harry Rosen follow in suit? Or in order to maintain the integrity of the quality products they offer, will they continue their higher pricing and settle for a lower market share?

William Wrigley Jr. Company is exploring whether it is optimal to recapitalise with taking on $3 billion of debt. Three options are revised; borrow and repurchase shares, dividend payouts or continue to function with full equity. Debt will provide a tax shield of $1.2 billion given the tax rate is 40%, this should increase the market share price to $61.53 per share. The viable method for the company is to utilize this debt to repurchase shares. The will not only increase Wrigley’s market value, via the debt shield, but also signal to market that management believes Wrigley’s is undervalued, something the dividend payment won’t achieve.

Tanya is a 21-year-old African American female who was referred by Southern Psychiatric Unit after she called 911 as a result of beings annoyed with her family and co-workers. She complained that her employer puts her in places to do paperwork and not giving her 70 hours a week. They were cutting her hours from 10 to 6 a day. She reported that she was feeling suicidal when she called 911. Prior to calling 911, Tanya reported that her baby father Derrick is in her brain singing and rapping all of the time. She reported that Derrick works at Taco Bell. She reports that she had to have sex with Derrick in order to quiet down his voice; however, if she has sex with others, the voices would get louder.

Before recapitalisation Wrigley’s WACC was equal to it’s cost of equity (ke), which was calculated at 10.95%. After capitalisation it was found that Wrigley’s WACC decreased to 10.29%. This follows the general pattern of increasing debt resulting in a lower WACC.

Cross-functional teams are vital in many businesses, because it increases productivity, enhances communication between departments, and leads to overall success in a company. Boldflash is a company that has fallen behind on this front, and is thus struggling to keep up with its competitors. Roger Cahill, the new vice president of the Mobile Division, is faced with the challenge of finding a way to restructure the departments in his division in order to increase productivity and improve the product development process.

2. Compare this research design with a survey research design. What advantages, if any, did this research design have over a survey?