Cara Snellen Fall 2017 Guidelines For Written Reports ✓ Solved
Cara Snellen Fall 2017guidelines For Written Reportspapers Written Fo
Write a financial valuation report for Amazon.com using a peers-based valuation approach. The report should follow Turabian format and include the following steps: (1) select peer companies and obtain relevant financial data, (2) calculate valuation multiples of peer companies, and (3) estimate Amazon's equity and enterprise value based on these multiples. Use the provided "Multiples Valuation Template" from Module 4, and adjust as necessary. The report should include properly formatted introductory and analytical sections, complete with citations and references. Ensure adherence to font, spacing, margins, and other Turabian formatting requirements outlined below.
Sample Paper For Above instruction
The valuation of Amazon.com Inc. has become increasingly prominent as the company continues to expand its market reach and diversify its offerings. A reliable valuation approach involves comparative analysis with peer companies, which can provide useful multiples reflecting market perceptions. This paper applies a multiples-based valuation method, estimating both the company's enterprise and equity values, by selecting appropriate peer companies and analyzing their financial data. The process includes data collection, calculation of valuation ratios, and the ultimate application of these multiples to Amazon's financials, as guided by the Turabian style standards.
To commence, comparable companies were selected based on industry similarity, revenue size, and market capitalization. These peers include companies such as Walmart, Alibaba, and eBay. Relevant financial data was obtained from their latest annual reports and financial databases, focusing specifically on items used in valuation multiples like Price/Earnings (P/E), Enterprise Value/EBITDA (EV/EBITDA), and Price/Sales (P/S). It is essential to only download data pertinent to the multiples analysis because an exhaustive financial statement review is unnecessary for this method.
Once the peer data was collected, valuation multiples were computed for each company using the latest financial figures. For example, the P/E ratio was calculated by dividing the market price per share by earnings per share, while EV/EBITDA was derived from enterprise value divided by EBITDA. These ratios were then averaged across the peer group to generate representative valuation multiples. Such averaging assumes the market’s valuation of these companies reflects industry standards and can be used as benchmarks for Amazon.
With these multiples, the next step was to estimate Amazon’s enterprise value (EV) by applying the average EV/EBITDA ratio to Amazon’s EBITDA. Similarly, the P/E multiple was used to determine Amazon’s equity value by multiplying the average P/E ratio by Amazon’s earnings per share. These calculations require alignment of fiscal periods and consistent financial data adjustment to ensure comparability. For instance, if Amazon reports an EBITDA of $X billion, and the peer average EV/EBITDA ratio is Y, then:
Enterprise Value (EV) = EBITDA of Amazon × Average EV/EBITDA Ratio.
Likewise, the equity value is computed by:
Equity Value = Net Income × Average P/E Ratio.
By comparing these valuation estimates, we can discern Amazon’s relative market value and assess whether it is over-, under-, or fairly valued based on industry standards. This approach, however, assumes the selected peers are representative and that multiples are appropriate predictors of Amazon’s value.
In conclusion, the multiples valuation method provides a pragmatic framework for estimating Amazon’s worth using comparative market data. Carefully selecting peer companies, accurately calculating and averaging multiples, and applying them to Amazon’s financial metrics yield a valuation that aligns with current market sentiments. Continued refinement with updated financial data and industry analysis can enhance the robustness of this valuation.
References
- Brealey, R., Myers, S., & Allen, F. (2017). Principles of Corporate Finance (12th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
- Damodaran, A. (2012). Investment Valuation: Tools and Techniques for Determining the Value of Any Asset. Wiley Finance.
- Lasfer, M. (2013). Corporate Financial Strategy. Routledge.
- O’Neill, H. M. (2014). Valuing Financial and Business Risk. Wiley.
- Damodaran Online. (2023). Valuation Data. Retrieved from https://pages.stern.nyu.edu/~adamodar/
- Yahoo Finance. (2023). Amazon.com Inc. Financial Data. Retrieved from https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/AMZN
- Morningstar. (2023). Peer Company Financials. Retrieved from https://www.morningstar.com/
- Forbes. (2023). Industry Comparisons and Market Ratios. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com
- SEC EDGAR. (2023). Amazon’s Financial Statements. Retrieved from https://www.sec.gov/edgar/searchedgar/companysearch.html
- Investopedia. (2023). Valuation Ratios and Multiples. Retrieved from https://www.investopedia.com/terms/v/valuationratio.asp