If You Are A CFO Who Is Responsible For Your Company's Incom ✓ Solved

If you are a CFO who is responsible for your company’s in

Question 1 (60 marks): Please read the following case study, think from Financial Management perspectives and broadly cover what we discussed in the class and structure your short answers in below format;

A) Please list your expected return for the following investment in different scenarios;

B) Please list the risks and discuss the impacts;

C) Why you go ahead with that investment by listing your recommendations;

Case Scenario: If you are a CFO who is responsible for your company’s investment. World leading C Bank relationship manager came to you and offered you the following investment product; some key features are illustrated in below: Auto callable Contingent Coupon Equity Linked Securities Linked to an Equally Weighted Basket of Four Underlying Due 07 December 2023; Issuer: C Bank Group Global Markets Holding Inc. Guarantee: All payments due on the securities are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by C Bank Group which is AAA Grade rating; Underlying Company Stock Weight Advanced Micro Devices, Inc 25% Square, Inc 25% Tesla, Inc 25% Zoom Video Communications, Inc 25% Stated Principal amount: $1,000 per security; Issue Date: 07 December 2020 Pricing Date: 07 December 2020 Valuation dates: the 5th Business day of each calendar month Maturity date: 07 December 2023 unless earlier redeemed Coupon Payment: Monthly Dividend at 0.8333% p.m. roughly 10% unless the market value of any underlying company stock is not below 60% of the initial pricing as of 07 December 2020; Payment at Maturity: If the securities are not automatically redeemed prior to maturity, callable when any of underlying stock price is below 60% of the initial pricing; If that is the case, your principal payment will be 60% of the initial purchase price + any of previous paid coupon; Otherwise, your return will be the ending sales price – previous coupon payment - management fee as of 2%; However capped at 20% capital gain; Q2(40 marks: within which quantitative 20marks, qualitative analysis of WACC for ABC is 20 marks) Please find the below financial information, and calculate the WACC for the ABC Property Development Company; And explain why is useful to calculate the WACC for ABC property company itself from Financial Management perspective?

Paper For Above Instructions

As a Chief Financial Officer (CFO), the decision to invest in Auto Callable Contingent Coupon Equity Linked Securities (CCELS) from C Bank presents an intriguing opportunity for investment. When analyzing the value of this investment, I will outline the expected returns, associated risks, and strategic recommendations.

A) Expected Returns in Different Scenarios

The securities are linked to an equally weighted basket of four companies—Advanced Micro Devices, Square, Tesla, and Zoom. The expected return will depend on the performance of these underlying stocks.

1. Best-Case Scenario: If all stock prices remain above 60% of their initial values over the life of the bonds, the investor will receive monthly coupon payments of 0.8333%, resulting in an annualized return of about 10%. Additionally, if the stocks perform exceptionally and the capital gains are realized at maturity without hitting the cap of 20%, total returns could be substantially higher.

2. Moderate Scenario: If the stock values fluctuate but stay above the 60% threshold, the investor will continue to receive the monthly dividend payments without any losses, leading to a return of approximately 10% with a possibility of minimal capital gains.

3. Worst-Case Scenario: In the event that one or more stock prices fall below 60% of their initial pricing, the principal payment upon maturity would only be 60% of the initial investment, plus any paid coupons that had accumulated. This would significantly reduce the overall return, limiting it to a maximum of 60% of the principal amount.

B) Risks and Impacts

The investment in CCELS is fraught with various risks:

1. Market Risk: The primary risk stems from the underlying stock prices of AMD, Square, Tesla, and Zoom. Market fluctuations could lead to significant portions of the principal being lost if stocks drop below the 60% threshold.

2. Credit Risk: While C Bank has a AAA grade rating ensuring the investments’ safety, any downgrade of the issuer's creditworthiness could severely impact the investment value.

3. Liquidity Risk: These securities may not be easily tradable, and in volatile markets, exiting the investment prematurely could lead to substantial losses.

4. Interest Rate Risk: Changes in interest rates can affect the attractiveness of the coupon payments, influencing the overall supply and demand for these securities.

Each of these risks can meaningfully impact investor returns, especially in adverse market conditions.

C) Recommendations

Despite the associated risks, I recommend proceeding with this investment based on the following factors:

1. Risk Diversification: By investing in an equally weighted basket of four companies, the risk of large losses from a single entity is mitigated. This contributes to a diversified investment portfolio.

2. Potential for Growth: Given historical performance and growth potential, companies like Tesla and AMD are projected to continue gaining market share and valuation, which could boost the performance of CCELS.

3. Attractive Coupon Rate: With a possible return of roughly 10% annually via coupons, this outweighs many fixed income alternatives in the current low-interest-rate environment.

4. Strategic Positioning: As the stocks are tied to technology and innovation-driven companies, investing in this product positions the portfolio favorably in a growing sector.

In conclusion, while Contingent Coupon Equity Linked Securities carry risks, the potential for significant returns, combined with strong issuer guarantees, presents a compelling investment case for stakeholders.

WACC Calculation for ABC Property Development Company

To evaluate the overall cost of capital for the ABC Property Development Company, calculating the Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) is essential. This is done to assess the financial viability of future projects and investments.

The WACC can be calculated using the following entities:

1. Common stock:

  • Shares Outstanding: 9.6 million
  • Price per Share: $44
  • Cost of Equity: Using the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) = Risk-Free Rate + Beta × Market Risk Premium = 4% + 1.30 × 8.4% = 4% + 10.92% = 14.92%

2. Preferred stock:

  • Shares Outstanding: 400,000
  • Price: $93
  • Cost of Preferred Stock = Dividend / Price = (0.06 × 100) / 93 = 0.0645 or 6.45%

3. Debt:

  • Bonds Outstanding: 165,000
  • Price of Bond = $1,150
  • Cost of Debt = Coupon / Price = (0.075 × 1,000) / 1,150 = 0.0652 or 6.52%
  • Effective Cost of Debt after tax = Cost of Debt × (1 - Tax Rate) = 6.52% × (1 - 0.4) = 3.91%

Now, to calculate the WACC:

Total Market Value = (Common Stock Value) + (Preferred Stock Value) + (Debt Value)

WACC = (E/V Re) + (P/V Rp) + (D/V * Rd(1-T))

Where:

  • E = Market Value of Equity
  • P = Market Value of Preferred Stock
  • D = Market Value of Debt
  • V = E + P + D is the total market value
  • Re = Cost of Equity
  • Rp = Cost of Preferred Stock
  • Rd = Cost of Debt
  • T = Tax Rate

Conclusion

Calculating the WACC is crucial for understanding the company’s financial health and making informed decisions regarding investments and capital expenditures. By analyzing both the investment in CCELS and calculating WACC, the CFO can strategically align investments with overall corporate financial goals.

References

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