Question 1

Millennium Investments (MI), an investment advisory firm, relies on mean-variance analysis to advise its clients. Mi's advisors make asset allocation recommendations by selecting the mix of assets along the capital allocation line that is most appropriate for each client.

One of MPs clients, Edward Alverson, 60 years of age, requests an analysis of four risky mutual funds (Fund W, Fund X, Fund Y, and Fund Z). After examining the four funds, MI finds that all four mutual funds are equally weighted portfolios, and that all of the funds, except Fund Z, are mean-variance efficient. MI also finds that the correlations between all pairs of the mutual funds are less than one.

MI calculates the average variance of returns across all assets within each mutual fund, the average covariance of returns across all pairs of assets within each mutual fund, and each mutual fund's total variance of returns. The results of Mi's calculations are reported in Exhibit 1.

During his meeting with the MT advisors, Alverson explains that he will retire soon, and, consequently, is highly risk-averse. Alverson agrees with Mi's reliance on mean-variance analysis and makes the following statements:

Statement 1: All portfolios lying on the minimum variance frontier are desirable portfolios.

Statement 2: Because I am highly risk-averse, I expect that my investment portfolio on the capital allocation line will have risk and return equal to that of the global minimum variance portfolio.

MI operates under the assumption that all investors agree on the forecasts of asset expected returns, variances, and correlations. Based on these assumptions, MI created the Millennium Investments 5000 Fund (MI-5000), which is a market value-weighted portfolio of all assets in the market. MI derives the forecasts for the MI-5000 Fund and for a fund comprising short-term government securities shown in Exhibit 2.

Given the data in Exhibit 2 and Mi's determination that Alverson's investment portfolio should have a standard deviation equal to 12%, what is the highest possible expected return for Alverson, and what percentage should Alverson invest in the MI-5000 fund?

Highest expected Percentage invested

Return in MI-5000

Options :

A : 7.2@%

B : 7.2`%

C : 9.2`%

Answer: C

Question 2

Lauren Jacobs, CFA, is an equity analyst for DF Investments. She is evaluating Iron Parts Inc. Iron Parts is a manufacturer of interior systems and components for automobiles. The company is the world's second largest original equipment auto parts supplier, with a market capitalization of $1.8 billion. Based on Iron Parts's low price-to-book value ratio of 0.9* and low price-to-sales ratio of 0.15x, Jacobs believes the stock could be an interesting investment. However, she wants to review the disclosures found in the company's financial footnotes. In particular, Jacobs is concerned about Iron Parts's defined benefit pension plan. The following information for 2007 and 2008 is provided.

Iron Parts has adopted SFAS No. 158, Employers' Accounting for Defined Benefit Pensions and Other Postretirement Plans.
Jacobs wants to fully understand the impact of changing pension assumptions on Iron Parts's balance sheet and income statement. In addition, she would like to compute Iron Parts's economic pension expense.
Which of the following best describes the effect(s) of the change in Iron Part's expected return on the plan assets, all else equal?

Options :

A : Pension expense decreased and the PBO increased.

B : Retained earnings increased and the pension plan appeared more funded.

C : Net income increased.

Answer: C

Question 3

Ivan Johnson is reviewing the investment merits of BioTLab, a fast-growing biotechnology company. BioTLab has developed several drugs, which arc being licensed to major drug companies. BioTLab also has several drugs in phase III trials (phase III trials are the last testing stage before FDA approval). Johnson notes that two drugs recently received approval which should provide BioTLab solid revenue growth and generate predictable cash flow well into the future. Based on the potential for the two drugs, BioTLab's estimated annual cash flow growth rate for the next two years is 25%, and long-term growth is expected to be 12%. Because of BioTLab's attractive investment opportunities, the company does not pay a dividend. BioTLab's current weighted average cost of capital is 15% and its stock is currently trading at $50 per share. Financial information for BioTLab for the most recent 12 months is provided below:
* Net working capita! excluding cash increased from $7,460,000 to $9,985,000;
* Book value increased from $81,250,000 to $101,250,000.
* BioTLab currently has no debt.
* Research facilities and production equipment were purchased for $8,450,000.
* BioTLab held non-operating assets in the amount of $875,000.
* Net income for the 12 months was $20,000,000.
* BioTLab has a marginal tax rate of 40%.
* Noncash charges for depreciation and restructuring for the 12 months were $1,250,000.
BioTLab's management has indicated an interest in establishing a dividend and will fund new drug research by issuing additional debt.
Johnson also reviews a competitor to BioTLab, Groh Group, which has a larger segment operating in a highly cyclical business. The Groh Group has a debt to equity ratio of 1.0 and pays no dividends. In addition, Groh Group plans to issue bonds in the coming year.
Which model would be most appropriate in valuing the Groh Group?

Options :

A : FCFF model.

B : FCFE model.

C : Dividend Discount model.

Answer: A

Question 4

James Kelley is the CFO of X-Sport Inc., a manufacturer of high-end outdoor sporting equipment. Using both debt and equity, X-Sport has been acquiring small competitor companies rather rapidly over the past few years, leading Kelley to believe that the firm's capital structure may have drifted from its optimal mix. Kelley has been asked by the board of directors to evaluate the situation and provide a presentation that includes details of the firm's capita! structure as well as a risk assessment. In order to assist with his analysis, Kelley has collected information on the current financial situation of X-Sport. He has also projected the financial information for alternative financing plans. This information is presented in Exhibit 1.

After carefully analyzing the data, Kelley writes his analysis and proposal and submits the report to Richard Haywood, the chairman and CEO of X-Sport Inc. Excerpts from the analysis and proposal follow:
* In selecting a re-financing plan, we must not push our leverage ratio too high. An overly aggressive leverage ratio will likely cause debt rating agencies to downgrade our debt rating from its current Baa rating, causing our cost of debt to rise dramatically. This effect is explained using the static trade-off capital structure theory, which states that if our debt usage becomes high enough, the marginal increase in the interest tax shield will be more than The marginal increase in the costs of financial distress. However, using some additional leverage will benefit the company by reducing the net agency costs of equity required to align the interests of X-Sport management with its shareholders.
* In the event that X-Sport decides to proceed with a recapitalization plan, I recommend Plan D since it is the most consistent with the shareholders' interests.
Haywood reviews the report and calls Kelley into his office to discuss the proposal. Haywood suggests that Flan B would be the most appropriate choice for adjusting X-Sport's capital structure. Before Kelley can argue, however, the two are interrupted by a previously scheduled meeting with a supplier.
Haywood takes Kelley's data and proposes to the board of directors that X-Sport pursue one of three alternatives to restructure the company. The first alternative is Plan B from Kelley's analysis. The second alternative involves separating GearTech, one of the companies acquired over the last few years, from the rest of the company by issuing new GearTech shares to X-Sport common shareholders. The third alternative involves creating a new company, Euro-Sport, out of the firm's European operations and selling 35% of the new Euro-Sport shares to the public while retaining 65% of the shares within X-Sport. After some persuading, Haywood convinces the seven-member board (two of whom were former executives at GearTech) to accept the second alternative, which he had favored from the beginning. The board puts together an announcement to its shareholders as well as the general public, detailing the terms and goals of the plan.
A group of shareholders, upset about the board's plan, submit a formal objection to X-Sport's board as well as to the SEC. In the objection, the shareholders state that the independence of the board has been compromised to the detriment of the company and its shareholders. The objection also states that:
* The value of X-Sport's common stock has been impaired as a result of the poor corporate governance system.
* The liability risk of X-Sport has increased due to the increased possibility of future transactions that benefit X-Sport's directors, without regard to the long-term interests of shareholders.
* The asset risk of X-Sport has increased due to the inability of investors to trust the GearTech financial disclosures necessary to value the division.
Which of the following best explains the difference between X-Sport's current cost of debt and the cost of debt associated with Plan A?

Options :

A : Decreased tax advantage with Plan A.

B : Increased liquidity risk for Plan A bond purchasers.

C : Increased probability of bankruptcy with Plan A.

Answer: C

Question 5

Jason Bennett is an analyst for Valley Airlines (Valley), a U .S . firm. Valley owns a stake in Southwest Air Cargo (Southwest), also a U .S . firm. The two firms have had a long-standing relationship. The relationship has become even closer because several of Valley's top executives hold seats on Southwest's Board of Directors.
Valley acquired a 45% ownership stake in Southwest on December 31, 2007. Acquisition of the ownership stake cost $9 million and was paid in cash. Valley's stake in Southwest is such that management can account for the investment using either the equity method or the acquisition method. While Valley's management desires to fairly represent the firm's operating results, they have assigned Bennett to assess the impact of each method on reported financial statements.
Immediately prior to the acquisition. Valley's current asset balance and total equity were $96 million and $80 million, respectively. Southwest's current assets and total equity were $32 million and $16 million, respectively.
While analyzing the use of the equity method versus the acquisition method, Bennett calculates the return on assets (ROA) ratio. He arrives at two conclusions:
Statement 1: Compared to the acquisition method, the equity method results in a higher ROA because of the higher net income under the equity method.
Statement 2: Compared to the acquisition method, the equity method results in a higher ROA because of the smaller level of total assets under the equity method.
In order to get a better picture of Valley's operating condition, Bennett is also considering the use of proportionate consolidation to account for Southwest. He makes the following statements regarding the acquisition method and a proportionate consolidation:
Statement 3: Both methods are widely accepted under the provisions of U .S . GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
Statement 4: Both methods report the same level of assets on the parent's balance sheet.
Statement 5: Both methods report all of Southwest's liabilities on the parent's balance sheet.
In addition. Valley has always wanted to pursue its goal of vertical integration by expanding its scope of operations to include the manufacturing of airline parts for its own airplanes. Therefore, it established a subsidiary, Mountain Air Parts (Mountain), in Switzerland on January 1,2008. Switzerland was chosen as the location for economic and geographical diversification reasons. Mountain will operate as a self-contained, independent subsidiary. Local management in Switzerland will make the majority of operating, financing, and investing decisions.

The Swiss franc (CHF) is the official currency in Switzerland. On January 1, 2008, the USD/CHF exchange rate was 0.77. At December 31, 2008, the exchange rate had changed to 0.85 USD/CHF. The average exchange rate in 2008 was 0.80 USD/CHF. In its first year of operations. Mountain paid no dividends and no taxes. Mountain uses the FIFO assumption for its flow of inventory.

How many of Bennett's statements on proportionate consolidation are correct?

Options :

A : None.

B : Two.

C : Three.

Answer: A

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