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Set in late 2016, this case recounts the remarkable performance record of Blue Chip Growth Fund (BCGF), a mutual fund managed by Larry Puglia at T. Rowe Price, Inc. The case describes the investment style of Puglia, whose record with BCGF had on average outperformed the S&P 500 since the inception of the fund in 1993. The tasks for the student are to assess the performance of the fund, consider the sources of its success, and decide on the sustainability of Puglia's performance. Consistent with the introductory nature of the case, the analysis requires no numerical calculations. The instructor should not be deceived, however: the absorption of capital-market background and the implications of financial concepts in the case will fully occupy the novice. This case updates and replaces "Bill Miller and Value Trust" (UVA-F-1481) and "Peter Lynch and the Fidelity Magellan Fund" (UVA-F-0777). The case is intended for use in the opening stages of a finance course. It provides a nontechnical introduction to the U.S. equity markets and lays the foundation for some basic concepts in finance.

Spreadsheet supplement for case UV7263.

In late 2013, an analyst at WNG Capital LLC, Wenbo Su, must recommend whether the terms of a sale-and-leaseback deal are value adding for WNG. WNG was an operating lessor of used commercial aircraft manufactured by Airbus Group and Boeing Corporation. The lessee in the deal was a small private airline based in the United Kingdom. The essence of the transaction was to transform the airline from being the owner of certain aircraft in its fleet to being the lessee of the aircraft for the ensuing 12 months. The airline would have full use of the aircraft, but would not own the aircraft or have use of the aircraft after the end of the lease. The cash flows to all parties were complicated, and Su planned to conduct a thorough analysis of the proposed lease terms before making a recommendation to WNG's CEO, Michael Gangemi. The student's challenge is to assume Su's role and develop a discounted cash flow analysis to estimate the NPV to WNG Capital. The broader discussion of the case prompts students to answer how the airline benefits from the deal. This analysis and discussion form the basis of understanding the value of leasing as a value-adding financial product.

Student spreadsheet for case UV7227.

In mid-September 2015, Sara Larson, the chief financial officer of this large CAD/CAM (computer-aided design and manufacturing) equipment manufacturer must decide whether to pay out dividends to the firm's shareholders, or repurchase stock. If Larson chooses to pay out dividends, she must also decide on the magnitude of the payout. A subsidiary question is whether the firm should embark on a campaign of corporate-image advertising and change its corporate name to reflect its new outlook. The case serves as an omnibus review of the many practical aspects of the dividend and share buyback decisions, including (1) signaling effects, (2) clientele effects, and (3) finance and investment implications of increasing dividend payout and share repurchase decisions. This case can follow a treatment of the Miller-Modigliani dividend-irrelevance theorem and serves to highlight practical considerations in setting dividend policy.

Student spreadsheet for case UV7201.

This is an updated version of "The Financial Detective, 2005" (UVA-F-1486). The case presents students with financial ratios for eight pairs of unidentified companies and asks them to mate the description of the company with the financial profile derived from the ratios. The primary objective of this case is to introduce students to financial ratio analysis-in particular, the range of ratios and the insights each one affords. This case presumes that students have already been introduced to the definitions of various financial ratios through other readings or lectures. The structured exploration of pairs of companies within an industry affords a number of important insights into strategy and financial performance. First, the economics of individual industries account for significant variations in financial ratios because of differences in technologies, product characteristics, or competitive structures. Second, financial performance results from managerial choices: within industries, the wide variation in financial ratios is often a result of the differences in corporate strategy in marketing, operations, and finance. For those reasons, this case is a good springboard into subsequent classes, which deal with the interaction of strategy and financial performance.

Spreadsheet supplement for case UV7135.

This case is used in a Darden second-year elective in corporate finance, "Corporate Financial Policies." It asks students to analyze the cash flows estimated for a production sharing agreement (PSA) between BP and the Azerbaijan government targeted for signing by year-end 2014. The primary relationship is a joint venture (JV) between BP and the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR). The JV is entitled to recover operating costs and capital costs from the proceeds of sales of the early production of the project and share profits earned from production, called the profit petroleum (PP), with Azerbaijan after the cost recoveries. Students are provided a detailed cash flow model for the project and for BP's equity investment and are asked to explain how the value estimates correlate with the risks assumed by the respective parties. This case is appropriate for students who have studied the principles of discounted cash flow and cost of capital. It is best positioned as part of a first-year MBA finance course as the last case in a module related to cash flow analysis. The case can also be taught in an MBA elective containing advanced corporate finance topics. It would be of special interest to students planning for a career related to energy, banking, or consulting, and also relevant for students interested in international business.

The treasurer for Dominion Resources Inc. (Dominion), a major U.S. diversified producer and distributor of energy, was heading to meet with the company's investment bankers to discuss the impact of a large project upon Dominion's financing strategy for the next five years. The Cove Point liquefied natural gas (LNG) project would require $3.6 billion to build and represented one of the largest single capital investments in the company's 100-plus year history.

Spreadsheet supplement for UV6895.

The case examines the liquidity issues that J. C. Penney (JCP) experienced in 2012 and 2013 following a decline in sales and profits over several years. Despite once being a highly profitable and growing company, the increasing pressures of competition led to changes in strategy and in management that were insufficient to return the company to the consistent financial results it had previously enjoyed. While sales and profits waned, the cash balance also suffered, and Wall Street analysts began expressing liquidity concerns as the company wrestled with having enough cash on hand to cover daily operating needs. Students are asked to calculate a time series of quarterly liquidity and leverage ratios to illustrate the declining financial condition of the company. They are further challenged to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of raising equity versus debt as a solution for the company's lack of liquidity. To assess the amount of external capital required, students are asked to use a sources and uses analysis that provides intuition for the cash flow challenges facing the company. Set against the background of an iconic retailer, the case provides an engaging context in which to discuss the need for a major capital structure decision due to operational challenges.

Spreadsheet supplement for UV6874.

This case is designed to be part of an MBA corporate finance class. In October 2010, Henri Termeer, the chairman and CEO of Genzyme (a top-five biotechnology company), received a letter from the CEO of Sanofi-Aventis (a large French pharmaceutical company) announcing its intention to commence a tender offer for Genzyme. Termeer thought the offer undervalued Genzyme given the number of promising new drugs in the company's pipeline and the success of its current drug portfolio. To estimate Genzyme's fundamental value, Termeer and his finance team would need to conduct a discounted cash flow (DCF) and other valuation analyses. Termeer needed to be well prepared for the board meeting during which the response to the offer would be formulated.

Spreadsheet Supplement for Case UV0513.

This technical note, which is based on an earlier note (UVA-F-0910), provides a student primer of firm cost of capital from a conceptual and application perspective. The note provides student intuition on the traditional theory of cost of debt, cost of equity, and weighted-average cost of capital. Moreover, it provides detail on the common approaches to estimating the cost of capital. Specific examples are provided. The note is updated with actual data through 2012.

Spreadsheet Supplement for UV0849

Spreadsheet Supplement to Product #UV0602

Spreadsheet for case UV6529