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As the maturity date for General Motors' Class E contingent notes approaches, the GM treasury staff must estimate the potential impact of the liability on corporate cash flows. The student is asked to value the contingent notes and express the value in terms of the cash flows GM might have to pay. The primary objective of the case is for students to draw the parallel between the determinants of value for exchange-traded options and for such nontraded options as the contingent notes. A student worksheet file is available for use with this case.

In January 1990, the chief executive of this small yarn-production company must resolve a surprising cash shortage. The tasks for the student are to evaluate the causes of this shortage (using a complete base case forecast given in the case) and then to assess the usefulness of various possible remedies suggested by company managers. In essence, the company is unable to liquidate a seasonal working-capital loan for the requisite 30 days each year. This situation arises from two classic causes: secular growth of the company, and declining profitability. Possible remedies include reducing finished-goods inventory through more efficient transportation and warehousing, reducing credit terms to customers, just-in-time (JIT) raw-materials supply, and switching from seasonal to level production. This case provides a thorough exercise of working-capital analysis and concepts.

Financial risk is, in good measure, related to the uncertainty of profit coverage of interest payments and principal repayments. This note examines the effects of cyclical changes in volume on financial safety and on stockholder income and illustrates the factors that have more profound effects on income/risk considerations in a financial decision. The note is divided into three parts. The first section considers the impacts of leverage (both operating and financial), sales volatility, and growth on profits after taxes (a step away from shareholder income). The next part traces the relationship of these variables to burden coverage. These terms will be defined as appropriate. A final section illustrates financial risk from the equity shareholder's point of view.

An introduction to estimating the cost of capital, this case provides sufficient data for using a variety of methods for estimating the cost of equity, including the capital-asset-pricing model, and allows students to use their cost of capital in analyzing several investment projects. See also the B case (UVA-F-0684).

This case describes management's sequential reevaluation of Marriott's debt capacity and the decision about how to invest this unused debt. Videotape #5556, "Strategic Leadership," is designed for use with this case (see Videotape Bibliography).

Management is faced with the evaluation and pricing of Seven-Up. The case describes Philip Morris since its acquisition of Miller Beer and Seven-Up as an acquisition candidate. (The B case is UVA-F-0479, and the C case is UVA-F-0480.)

This case is set in the midst of the attempted takeover of Walt Disney Productions by the raider Saul Steinberg in June 1984. Disney's chief executive officer ponders whether to fight the takeover or to pay "greenmail." One significant influence on the decision is the "true" value of the firm. The case offers, either directly or through analysis of it, several estimates of value. The valuation question invites a review of Disney's past performance and current competitive position. Other significant influences on the decision are the ethics and economics of paying greenmail. The rich range of issues raised in the case (strategy, valuation, performance measurement, and ethics) makes it an effective first case, review case, or final exam in a corporate-finance course. A student worksheet file is available for use with this case

Supplement for case UV2065

This case deals with the origins of exchange rate risk and offers an introduction to hedging techniques. The case emphasizes the relationship between interest rates and exchange rates. Students are introduced to management of exchange risk in a competitive bidding situation. (The B case is UVA-F-0746.)

Supplement for case UV2138

In the mid-1980s, Emerson Electric looked at possible two-year debt issues in three countries: the United States, Switzerland, and New Zealand. The $65 million to be raised is earmarked for general corporate expenses. Emerson has subsidiaries in 27 countries, including the three candidate countries. In this case, students act as Emerson's CFO and must evaluate the U.S., Swiss, and New Zealand economies to determine in which currency to secure the needed debt issues.

This negotiation case is meant to be used in conjunction with "Eli Lilly and Company" (F-0794); half the class works from one case and half from the other. Lilly is considering acquiring Hybritech, but the genetic-engineering company's future cash flows are difficult to predict and value. Both companies want to effect the merger, but the cases, which provide essentially the same information in all other respects, provide widely divergent projected cash flows. (The B case is F-0793.)

Supplement for case UV6136

A positive net present value (NPV) is a direct estimate of value creation for shareholders and is an operational way of carrying through on the strategy of trying to maximize shareholder wealth. To calculate NPV, however we need to estimate the cash costs and benefits of any decision at hand. In this note we discuss the evaluation of investment proposals.

This case provides data on coupon bonds. Students are asked to estimate the value of portions of the bond (stripping coupons and principal) and must deal with the fact that the term structure of interest rates is not flat. There is also a description of the general nature of stripping bonds.

This note links pro forma forecasting of financial statements with project valuation of cash flows. Students are shown the link among income statements, balance sheets, and cash flows. The exercise affords practice in forecasting and project analysis, including effects of inflation, changes in working-capital requirements, and calculation of a discount rate.

The financial analyst for this manufacturer of factory-automation equipment must recommend equipment lease terms to be proposed to a customer. Students must discount the lease payments and compare the net asset value and internal rate of return (IRR) of leasing with the borrow-and-buy alternative and with the lease terms of competitors.

In late 1990, this company faced a large external financing requirement and needed to reassess its traditional approaches to financing. The tasks for the student are to recommend financing tactics to be employed for the next two years and to make a general assessment of the firm's historical financing policy. Student and instructor Lotus worksheet files are available on computer diskettes for use with this case and teaching note.

Using Chrysler's U.S. government warrants and loan guarantee, students learn to establish the determinants of an option's value, assess the correspondence of an option to loan guarantees and other financial phenomena, and apply the Black-Scholes option-pricing model.

This note provides an interactive illustration of the Modigliani-Miller theory of the effect of debt tax shields on the value of the levered firm. Students must calculate (1) the effect of hypothetical changes in capital structure on firm value, and (2) the effect of a major recapitalization on the share price of Koppers Company using a set of incomplete worksheets. After completing the worksheets, students compare results among the problems.