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An investment adviser for National Securities Inc. had just met with a potential new client. His task was to help the client develop an investment policy statement and to provide advice regarding an initial asset allocation consistent with the investment policy statement. This case allows students to assess an individual's investment objectives and constraints and to determine how these factors impact on the appropriate investment mix. This is the first in a series of three cases that focus on a variety of investment decisions. (See also 9A98N030 and 9A98N031.)

An investment adviser for National Securities Inc. was meeting with a new client. Since the client had not been an active investor in equities, she had many questions for the advisor, particularly related to the notion of market efficiency. In addition, she wanted to understand the importance of different investment styles, such as growth versus value. This case is the second in a series of three cases that focus on a variety of investment decisions. (See also 9A98N029 and 9A98N031.)

An investment adviser for National Securities Inc. was meeting again with a new client. He was recommending a number of stocks for consideration as part of her investment portfolio. The client wanted to understand what the expected return and risk implications were related to investing in some of the recommended stocks. This case allows students to examine return and risk measures for both individual securities as well as portfolios. Sharpe and Treynor performance measures are also examined. This case is the third in a series of three cases that focus on a variety of investment decisions. (See also 9A98N029 and 9A98N030.)

An investment adviser for National Securities Inc. had just met with a potential new client. His task was to help the client develop an investment policy statement and to provide advice regarding an initial asset allocation consistent with the investment policy statement. This case allows students to assess an individual's investment objectives and constraints and to determine how these factors impact on the appropriate investment mix. This is the first in a series of three cases that focus on a variety of investment decisions. (See also 98N030 and 98N031.)

An investment adviser for National Securities Inc. was meeting with a new client. Since the client had not been an active investor in equities, she had many questions for the advisor, particularly related to the notion of market efficiency. In addition, she wanted to understand the importance of different investment styles, such as growth versus value. This case is the second in a series of three cases that focus on a variety of investment decisions. (See also 98N029 and 98N031.)

An investment adviser for National Securities Inc. was meeting again with a new client. He was recommending a number of stocks for consideration as part of her investment portfolio. The client wanted to understand what the expected return and risk implications were related to investing in some of the recommended stocks. This case allows students to examine return and risk measures for both individual securities as well as portfolios. Sharpe and Treynor performance measures are also examined. This case is the third in a series of three cases that focus on a variety of investment decisions. (See also 98N029 and 98N030.)

A bond portfolio manager is re-evaluating the funds position in government bonds. His team had attempted to take advantage of a mis-priced bond and was now in the process of re-examining the recent move in interest rates, the current shape of the yield curve, and the forecast for interest rate changes. This case introduces students to fundamental bond valuation and price change issues, including duration and convexity, as well as bond management styles.

Huaneng Power International (HPI), an independent power producer in the People's Republic of China (PRC), is in the process of executing a global equity issue to raise funds for the construction of new power plants. The company is planning to list the new shares through an American Depositary Receipt program on the New York Stock Exchange. The company has recently reduced the price of the issue due to poor market conditions and investor resistance to the price range stated in the preliminary prospectus. HPI's management must decide whether the new offer price and choice of listing exchange is reasonable in light of recent market events and the political, economic, social and technological environment in the PRC.

It is early October 1994, and Huaneng Power International (HPI), an independent power producer in the People's Republic of China (PRC), is in the process of executing a global equity issue to raise funds for the construction of new power plants. The company is planning to list the new shares through an American Depositary Receipt program on the New York Stock Exchange. The company has recently reduced the price of the issue due to poor market conditions and investor resistance to the price range stated in the preliminary prospectus. The student must decide, as HPI management, whether the new offer price and choice of listing exchange is reasonable in light of recent market events and the political, economic, social, and technological environment in the PRC.

Wascana Energy Inc., an oil and gas producer, had just rejected an unsolicited $1.8 billion takeover offer from Talisman Energy Inc. Rival Canadian Occidental Petroleum Ltd. had gained access to confidential Wascana data in order to determine whether a higher bid than Talisman's was warranted, and if so, how to structure the deal. The acquisition would need to make strategic sense.

Advanced Material Technology Corp. (AMT), a Japan-based company and one of the world's largest manufacturers of advanced ceramic products, was considering the prospects of raising 24 billion Yen ($200 million) to finance AMT's planned capital expenditure program. The case introduces a variety of financing sources including straight debt, convertible bonds, and bonds with warrants. Currency denomination and location of a global offering are also considered. Also examines the economic and banking environment in Japan.

In 1997, an investment advisor with a major brokerage firm gave investment suggestions and helped clients manage their portfolios. Some of her clients had Coca Cola stock in their portfolios and she wondered whether to recommend the stock to any of her new clients or clients that did not currently have Coca Cola in their portfolios. The case can be used to introduce the dividend discount model, capital asset pricing model, and price-earnings models.

Advanced Material Technology (AMT), a Japan-based company and one of the world’s largest manufacturers of advanced ceramic products, was considering the prospect of raising 24 billion yen ($200 million) to finance its planned capital expenditure program. AMT must consider a variety of financing sources including straight debt, convertible bonds, and bonds with warrants. Currency denomination and location of a global offering are also considered. The case also examines the economic and banking environment in Japan.

In 1994, William Booth, a member of the management team of the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board, was asked to re-examine the diversification strategy that the $30 billion fund had been pursuing since its inception and to determine an optimal long-term asset allocation policy for the fund. After inheriting a portfolio that consisted entirely of fixed-income securities in 1990, by the end of 1993, the allocation to equity was only 20% short of a 1995 interim policy target of 66%. Booth's primary task was to determine whether the shift in asset mix should stop at 66% equity in 1995, which was above the allocation to equities for the average pension plan, or whether it should continue to some higher amount (an independent consultant recommended an 80% allocation to equity). Booth knew that a higher allocation to equities would likely increase total returns over the long-term, thereby reducing the cost of funding the plan. However, equities exhibited greater volatility than bonds and a higher allocation to equities therefore created some risk that future funding costs might rise above current levels.

A pension fund manager was examining Bank of Montreal's recent financial performance in comparison with other large Canadian bank stocks, and large U.S. bank stocks as well, to determine what factors appeared to be driving the stock's performance. He then needed to consider whether to change the fund's investment in the stock. This case examines the usefulness of financial performance measures and examines what drives stock values.

The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board, Canada's largest pension fund with over $40 billion in assets, had just listened to a presentation addressing a method for identifying and controlling the pension fund's exposure to market risks known as Value At Risk. The Board needed to understand what Value At Risk represented, what assumptions went into the risk management systems and how it might impact on policy decisions. This case introduces students to the risk management of investment portfolios, highlighting benefits and limitations.

The focus of this note is to present a risk management framework for current and potential corporate end users of derivatives products in the mid-1990s. Several high profile cases of derivatives problems are presented in the context of the framework. The note also examines where the process has failed and how the failures could have been prevented.

A portfolio strategist for the Pegasus Pension Fund, was reviewing a research paper investigating international tactical asset allocation that had been forwarded to him from a colleague. The president of the Pegasus Pension Fund had recently become concerned with the fund's shrinking surplus and had given a directive to the portfolio strategist to investigate new strategies that could enhance the fund's performance. He thought that adopting an international equity investment strategy might be appropriate to enhance the fund's performance. He was scheduled to make a presentation to the President the following week regarding the merits, risks, and possible introduction of one such strategy: international tactical asset allocation.

A newly hired product manager at CIBC Securities Inc., one of the largest mutual fund administrators in Canada, is asked to develop an innovative equity mutual fund. In addition to examining the current product offering of the bank as well as the competition, she must examine the needs of the key stakeholders in this project. She realizes that it may prove difficult to make everyone happy. Among other suggestions she makes to the CEO, the proposed pricing structure of the new mutual fund is unprecedented and could prove to reshape the industry.

The treasurer of The University of Western Ontario was preparing a recommendation to the Spencer Hall board of directors concerning the financing of the $7.7 million expansion to Spencer Hall. The expansion was currently being financed with short-term loans but the board was concerned about increasing rates and was considering such hedging vehicles as interest rate swaps, caps and collars. A follow-up case is available (9A97N004).