Marriott Corporation: the Cost of Capital (Abridged)

What risk-free rate and risk premium did you use in calculating the cost of equity for each division? Why did you choose these numbers?

Manage rather than own hotel assets In 1987, Marriott developed more than $1 billion worth of hotel properties, making it one of the 10 largest commercial real estate developers in the United States. With a fully integrated development process, Marriott identified markets, created development plans, designed projects, and evaluated potential profitability. After development, the company sold the hotel assets to limited partners while retaining operating control as the general partner under a long-term management contract. Management fees typically equaled 3% of revenues plus 20% of the profits before

Mortensen’s cost of capital estimates are used for a variety of purposes at both the divisional and corporate levels. Examples include internal analyses such as financial accounting, performance assessment and capital budgeting, while others are used for strategic planning purposes such as merger and acquisition, as well as stock repurchase decisions (Luehrman and Heilprin, 2009, pg.1). When used at the divisional rather than corporate level, special consideration should be given to the fact that Midland’s divisions are not publicly traded entities, and therefore do not have individual Beta

How does Marriott use its estimate of its cost of capital? Does this make sense?

We use Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) approach to calculate the cost of equity. The formula of CAPM is re = rf + β × (E[RMkt] – rf).

Currently, Starbucks is considering making an investment in a new manufacturing plant in Augusta, GA. The capital budgeting project requires an initial investment outlay of $ 40 million and is expected to general annual cash flows of 5.200.000, 6.500.000, 8.200.000, 8.700.000, 9.000.000, 9.550.000, and 11.500.000 for years 1 to 7, respectively. Starbucks estimates that the project has a below-average risk and sets the discount rate at 8.06 % -- based on the company’s Weighted Average Cost Of Capital (WACC). The discount rate is effectively the desired return on an investment an

The purpose of this memo is to provide Target Corp. senior management with an evaluation of the company’s weighted average cost of capital (WACC). Since the 2010 financial information is not yet to be finalized, the analysis will use the most currently published financial data to evaluate each component of the WACC, including the company financial structure, cost of debt, and cost of equity.

Marriott is renowned for its elegant and comfortable hotels and resorts. The company caters to a targeted customer base, ranging from the frequent corporate business traveler to the family enjoying their occasional weekend get-away. Marriott has continued its rise in the lodging, contract services, and restaurant industries. The company continuously strives to meet the needs and wants of its customers while strategically maneuvering the rigors of today’s competitive and ever-evolving market of glamorous destinations and convenient services. In order to remain relevant in a highly-competitive environment, Marriott must strike that successful balance of minimizing costs, and gaining and effectively

The idea of repurchasing shares was no stranger to Bill Marriott by January 1980. Almost five million shares of common stock had been repurchased on the open market by Marriott Corporation during 1979 at a total cost of $74 million and an average price of $15.16 in the belief that they were undervalued—a belief that still was not fully reflected in the market price. At $19 5/8, the stock was selling at only six times cash flow per share; and its price/earnings ratio of nine was a far cry from historical multiples as high as fifty times as recently as 1973. Its low price seemed to offer once again an obvious opportunity to benefit shareholders. However,

Hurdle rates, the weighted cost of capital that projected cash flows must exceed for initiatives to be considered, vary within Marriott Corporations due to their unique industry risk levels and capital structures. They use this number to determine which projects to accept, to adjust the rate at which the firm grows and as a measure for compensation within each business area, and as incentive compensation.

2. How does Marriott use its estimate of its cost of capital? Does this make sense?

Since its foundation in 1927 Marriott Corporation grew into one of the leading lodging and food services in the US. With three major business lines: lodging, contract services and related business, Marriott has the intention to remain a premier growth company. To achieve this goal the corporation’s strategy is to develop aggressively appropriate opportunities within their business lines. Marriott would like to be the preferred employer, the preferred provider and the most profitable company in each of the operating areas. The financial strategy includes four key elements:

• What is the cost of capital for Marriott’s as a whole at the prevailing capital structure vs. at the target capital structure.

The following case analysis portraits the use of capital asset pricing model to compute the weighted average cost of capital for Marriott and each of its divisions. The flow of events below is following a string of different evaluations, each of which is assessed separately.

We valued the company using four different methods; Net Present Value, Internal Rate of Return, Modified Internal Rate of Return and Profitability Index. We began with the Net Present Value, or NPV, calculation. NPV values an investment’s profitability based on the projected future cash inflows and outflows of the investment, discounted back to present value using the WACC. The calculations for NPV are presented in Appendix 2. We started by separating cash inflows and outflows by each year. We used Bob Prescott’s estimates for the revenue per year and related operating costs of cost of goods sold as