Appropriate for entrepreneurship and strategy courses. The focus in the case is on how two entrepreneurs created a differentiating business model that was dependent on quality service and excellent execution. From a growth perspective, the case discusses two very different approaches to geographical expansion so as not to dilute the customer experience or the brand. Now the business faces the difficult question of how to scale the business faster.
The protagonist in this case is an analyst attempting to value Netflix, Inc., and check whether her recent buy recommendation at a price of $20.00 per share was still valid. Recent bad news had caused the price to drop and she needed to do her best to figure out what was the future for Netflix, and was it undervalued at $17 per share? Intended for MBA students, this case contains her discounted cash flow valuation and a set of assumptions (revenues per customer, retention rates, etc.) students can use to perform a valuation of the existing Netflix customer base as another approach toward judging the $17 stock price. There are two student spreadsheets available for this case (UV4342 and UV4343).
Intended for MBAs, this case concerns the valuation of Netflix, Inc., which was the largest U.S. online movie rental subscription service in early 2009. After reviewing Netflix's historical financial and customer relationship performance, this case presents three approaches for valuing the firm in early 2009. The first is a company-level discounted cash flow analysis based on pro forma projections of revenues, earnings, and cash flow. The second approach attempts to judge whether the prevailing market value of Netflix was reasonable by comparing selected company ratios with those of comparable companies. The final approach is based on the assumption that Netflix's enterprise value (EV) was the sum of its current and future subscribers' values (discounted present values, to be exact). There is also a spreadsheet available for students (UV5597).
This note presents a series of questions that leads students through the essential logic linking capital structure and firm value. It begins with a nontax benchmark, then proceeds through valuations with tax deductibility based on (1) a discount rate with tax effects built in (discount free cash flow at the WACC), (2) the valuation of specific claims (value equity cash flows and debt cash flows separately), and (3) the valuation of types of cash flow (value assets and interest tax shields separately). The note concludes by linking these concepts to stock price effects around recapitalizations. Financial risk (leverage effects on CAPM betas) is also introduced and illustrated.
This case examines the April 2009 decision of Rosetta Stone management to price the initial public offering of Rosetta Stone stock during one of the most difficult periods in capital-raising history. The case outlines Rosetta Stone's unique language learning strategy and the associated strong financial performance. Students are invited to value the stock and take a position on whether the current $15 to $17 per share filing range is appropriate. The case is designed to showcase corporate valuation using discounted cash flow and peer-company market multiples. The epilogue details the 40% first-day rise in Rosetta Stone stock from the $18 offer price. With such a backdrop, students are exposed to one of the well-known finance anomalies-the IPO underpricing phenomenon-and are invited to critically discuss various proposed explanations.
Housing investment, a highly cyclical subcomponent of GDP, is a significant source of its fluctuations. Recent events in the housing market have been central to the meltdown of financial markets and the deep recession that began in late 2007. This note provides some background on the so-called housing bubble and, in doing so, highlights some of the primary sources of volatility in housing investment and real estate markets.
Could be used in entrepreneurship business strategy courses. This is a social entrepreneurship case that demonstrates the application of business best practices to a large rural community health organization. The case raises issues regarding growth/expansion and the examines the conflict between the mission and strategic focus. It asks the question: What are the business model limits to "doing good?"
The protagonist in this case is an analyst attempting to value Netflix, Inc., and check whether her recent buy recommendation at a price of $20.00 per share was still valid. Recent bad news had caused the price to drop and she needed to do her best to figure out what was the future for Netflix, and was it undervalued at $17 per share? Intended for MBA students, this case contains her discounted cash flow valuation and a set of assumptions (revenues per customer, retention rates, etc.) students can use to perform a valuation of the existing Netflix customer base as another approach toward judging the $17 stock price. There are two student spreadsheets available for this case (UV4342 and UV4343).
This case examines the April 2009 decision of Rosetta Stone management to price the initial public offering of Rosetta Stone stock during one of the most difficult periods in capital-raising history. The case outlines Rosetta Stone's unique language learning strategy and the associated strong financial performance. Students are invited to value the stock and take a position on whether the current $15 to $17 per share filing range is appropriate. The case is designed to showcase corporate valuation using discounted cash flow and peer-company market multiples. The epilogue details the 40% first-day rise in Rosetta Stone stock from the $18 offer price. With such a backdrop, students are exposed to one of the well-known finance anomalies-the IPO underpricing phenomenon-and are invited to critically discuss various proposed explanations.
A new production supervisor at an automobile engine plant has encountered his first challenging task. The production supervisor must find a way to diffuse the tension between his team leader and other machine operators on the line. The team leader, the hardest worker among the group, was repeatedly criticized for over-exerting himself in many areas of the line. The workers feared that their jobs would be in jeopardy if workaholics like the team leader started undertaking multiple tasks. In addition, the workers began to feel that they were receiving unequal treatment from the production supervisor as the team leader was given special permission to break team norms. As the morale of the group continued to deteriorate, the production supervisor wanted to confront the team leader about this unique quandary. The production supervisor needed to figure out a solution to best please the team leader and the entire group.
TISM Solutions Inc. is a dot-com company that connects buyers and sellers of expert advice through the Web site Timeismoney.com. The founders of the company spent many hours turning their concept into a business plan and, with the support and funding of Vision Venture Capital (VVC), have drafted their vision statement, technology infrastructure and business model - focusing on the business-to-consumer model. However, investors wanted more stable and attainable goals when considering a dot-com startup to invest in. VVC has clearly outlined their expectations of the company and with less than 24 hours before the next meeting with VVC, the founders had to rethink their business plan that would encourage VVC to continue the funding for their dot-com startup.
As his major-league pitching career was starting to wind down in 2006, baseball all-star Curt Schilling decided to become an entrepreneur. Looking to focus his tenacity and his passion for online role-playing games on a new challenge, he founded an online gaming venture, which later became known as 38 Studios. During the venture's first two years, he built a team of 70 people, including an executive team of business and industry veterans, and learned key lessons about the challenges faced by industry-changing entrepreneurs. Wanting to self-fund the venture initially, and later finding it hard to raise outside money, he put a substantial percentage of his net worth on the line to build 38 Studios. Now he is facing a critical acquisition decision that could either double his problems or help solve them.
How should the co-founders of an organization that provides patient sign-in and billing services scale their company after five years of successfully targeting small private physician practices? Phreesia had deployed a direct mail and sales force strategy that resulted in more than 10 million patient check-ins across 2,400 practices by its fifth year, but co-founder and CEO Chaim Indig knew that the company's venture funding was drying up and its Board was expecting new growth initiatives. Should Phreesia stick to its core competencies in the small practice or market, or should the company expand its services to urgent care centers, payers, and hospitals? Will its ad-based revenue model continue to thrive, or should the company proactively decrease its revenue concentration by shifting resources toward monthly subscription fees and claims processing? Perhaps Phreesia should simply lean into its original strategy and avoid the pitfalls of scaling a venture after a successful startup phase.
An entrepreneur must decide whether to proceed with the business plan for his startup business. This mini case exercise presents all startup costs to open a fruit juice outlet in a mall in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates.
Appropriate for marketing and operations management courses. The director of CS at a customer-focused catalog electronics company has asked a Six Sigma Black Belt for assistance in evaluating several ideas to effectively obtain and analyze feedback from users of its CS department. A Design For Six Sigma project was run six years previously and discovering why the company used the Six Sigma project, as opposed to one of the many new customer-satisfaction-survey tools available from third-party vendors is a goal. Students are asked to discuss the Design For Six Sigma methodology as it applies to the project.
This case is comprised of three concise vignettes describing three different online commerce sites: eBay, StubHub, and Swaptree. All three have become viable companies very quickly. From their experiences, lessons can be learned about making a market. This case can be used for students to compare and contrast the three different systems as well as analyze who the beneficiaries are of the new markets these companies have created. This case is included in Module 1 of the course Business Thought & Action.
This case has been developed to highlight the challenge facing many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) all over the world. Many SMEs have successfully overcome the initial survival challenge. They have a stable base of loyal customers, are able to command attractive prices, and have built up a reputation for good quality. Yet they are unable to grow beyond a certain point. Why? What must they do to overcome the growth challenge? Swagruha Foods is a good example of an SME that has enjoyed considerable success, thanks to the dedication and commitment of the Chagarlamudi family, as well as to the changing socio-economic situation in India. Yet, there are several indications that it is unable to fully exploit its growth opportunities. The case discussion will help students/participants appreciate the key growth constraints in SMEs and how to overcome them. This case can be taught in an entrepreneurship course, to highlight the growth challenges faced by entrepreneurs who have successfully overcome the threat of survival. It can also be taught in courses focused on SME development.
The case opens with Dave Hersh, CEO of Jive Software, calling an all-hands meeting. After a record revenue year in 2007, Jive grew its sales force too quickly and missed its third quarter plan for 2008. Hersh was forced to conduct a massive lay-off, during which 20 percent of the workforce was let go. The company is facing increasing competitive pressure and a difficult economic environment, as well as a venture partner that is growing frustrated.