...REPORTING ANALYSIS: FINANCIAL EVALUATION OF BOWATER INCORPORTED INTRODUCTION Headquartered in Greenville, SC, Bowater Incorporated is a leading producer of coated and specialty papers and newsprint. Founded in 1881 in England, Bowater has evolved into an international public corporation that is among the largest manufacturer in North America. Bowater common stock (BOW) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. It operates in five divisions: Newsprint, Coated Papers, Specialty Papers, Lumber and Market Pulp. There are currently 14 analysts following the stock. On January 29, 2007, Abitibi-Consolidated Inc. and Bowater Incorporated announced a definite agreement to combine in an all-stock merger of equals. On October 29, 2007, the completion of the transaction was announced by the two companies and the combination of Abitibi-Consolidated Inc. and Bowater Incorporated formed a new merger of AbitibiBowater. Bowater originally announced that over the next two years it is expected to realize in excess of $250 million in annualized synergies. The Company also expects to achieve a debt-reduction of $1 billion over the next three years in order to enhance its global competitiveness . AbitibiBowater focus is to provide access to a broad range of forest products and best-in-class customer service, as well as a relentless commitment to the environment. Several significant to rigorously evaluate Bowater financial evaluation. Now that the merger with Abitibi is now complete...
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...BUSN 258 Week 3 Case Study Consolidated Edison company of New York or Con Ed is a utility company that services the five boroughs of New York City and parts of Westchester County. Con Ed supplies electric, gas and steam to over three million customers and prides itself on its reliability. While Con Ed does hold a positive image in their customers’ eyes some incidents recently have left a negative image in many customers’ eyes. Con Ed has been in the news due to two gas explosions in New York City where there have been fatalities as well. These come at a time when Con Ed is trying to persuade customers to covert from oil to gas through incentives. Customers feel oil is safer due to recent events they see on the news. I interviewed Mr. Stampfel a Specialist from the call center to ask him some question s on the importance of customer service and relations. Michael has 9 Customer Service Representatives reporting directly to him, and has been a Customer Service Representative himself before being promoted into management. When Mr. Stampfel was asked about the role and importance of Customer Service to the organization he replied, “ Look around, this whole floor is dedicated to customer service, without customers there would be no Con Edison. We take customer service and satisfaction very seriously. Our CEO even added enhancing the customer experience into our principles.” (Stampfel, personal interview 2015). When asked the three most common issues faced by the organization...
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...6) How does CSX intend to take control of Conrail? Explain how they intend to accumulate 50% of Conrail’s shares. As of October 15, 1996 CSX Corporation (CSX) intended to merge with Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail) by offering a two-tier deal, structured in the following manner. CSX would purchase 90.5 million fully diluted Conrail shares by paying $92.50 per share for the first 40% of the shares (the front-end offer) and would enter a share exchange for the remaining 60% of the required shares (the back-end offer). The front-end offer would be executed in two stages. The first stage, which began the day after the merger announcement, would be a cash tender offer to acquire 17.86 million shares at $92.50 per share (accounting for 19.7% of Conrail’s acquisition shares). The second stage, which could only be executed by mid-November once Conrail shareholders decided to void the “fair value” statute under Pennsylvania law, would be to acquire another 18.4 million shares at $92.50 per share (accounting for another 20.3% of Conrail’s acquisition shares) Following shareholder approval, and successful completion of the second cash tender offer, CSX would proceed with the back-end offer through a share swap of 1.85619 CSX shares for every 1 Conrail share in addition to an extra $16 of new convertible preferred stock. This two-tier structure of paying in both cash and stock not only allows CSX to abide by Pennsylvania’s antitakeover laws, but also saves on cash spent in...
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...Executive Summary Conrail has received two acquisition bids from CSX and Norfolk Southern. Introduction Conrail and CSX, the nation’s first and third largest railroads, have decided toparticipate in a merger of equals. CSX has offered to acquire Conrail in a two tiereddeal. The first 40% of tendered Conrail shares will be bought at a price of $92.50while the remaining 60% will be acquired through a stock swap at a ratio of 1.8561921 (CSX:Conrail). In the midst of this offer, a hostile Bid comes in fromNorfolk Southern, a competitor in the Industry. Norfolk Southern offers ____ Analysis Case A, Question 1: Why is CSX interested in Conrail? How much should CSX payfor Conrail? The Stagger’s Rail Act of 1980 has created a deregulated environment in whichacquisitions are used to improve the competitive positioning of existing companieswithin the railroad industry. CSX is interested in Conrail for a couple of reasons.Primarily, CSX would like to acquire Conrail because its routes are complementaryto their own, allowing the combined company to provide “long-haul, contiguous,and therefore low-cost service between the Southern, Eastern, and Mid-Westernparts of the United States.” Additionally, CSX’s acquisition of Conrail would preventthe company’s main competitor Norfolk Southern from gaining access to routes inthe Northeastern United States. This would leave Norfolk Southern at a largestrategic disadvantage. Lastly, the combination would provide cost synergies andreductions, even...
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...CASE A CSX ACQUISITION OF CONSOLIDATED RAIL CORPORATION CSX has put up a bid of $8.3 B in order to horizontally integrate with Conrail in order to increase the combined profitability based on perceived improvement in Synergies. A) Lower Cost Structure: Railroad is capital intensive industry with very high fixed cost. CSX-Conrail merger will lower company’s cost-structure by creating increasing economies of scale. Operating ratio of Conrail is 87.63% and CSX’s operating ratio is 81.99% (Exhibit 1). According to American Investment research report (Exhibit 10), proposed merger will bring operating ratio to 65 % (an 18.75% decrease). Both CSX and Conrail have low ROA (2.33% and 4.11%) compared to Norfolk’s ROA of 5.06 % (Table 6). If CSX and Conrail will achieve its projected revenue growth and cost-savings, CSX-Conrail will become more efficient than Norfolk. B) Gain Market Power : Based on revenue data from 1995 (Exhibit 1), CSK control 38.5%, Conrail controls 29.4% and Norfolk controls 32.1% of Northeast rail freight market. The proposed merger will allow CSX to control major share (~70 %) of the lucrative North Eastern rail market and enable them to take advantage of synergies in the space. In addition, CSX – Conrail can further improve on its market position by limiting Norfolk’s access to long-haul routes either from south or Midwest. MECHANICS OF THE CSX – CONRAIL DEAL CSX has offered a two-tiered offer for the stocks of Conrail. For the first 40% of the shares...
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.... Why is CSX interested in acquiring Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail)? Describe thearguments for the offer being motivated by synergies, as well as arguments for the motivationto pre-empt a bid by Norfolk. The 1999 acquisition of Conrail, jointly split with CSX, was perhaps the most important and critical time in the company’s history. If CSX had been allowed to purchase Conrail outright, not only would NS have been entirely surrounded but also it could never againeffectively compete with CSX, even if it was able to run a railroad much more efficientlyand effectively than CSX. NS had been interested in Conrail for some time because itwould add an important addition the railroad needed, direct lines to the markets of NewYork City and Philadelphia which Conrail had been effective in developing and exploitingby becoming a intermodal (i.e., the movement of ship containers which can be movedvia over-the-road trucks as well) juggernaut moving containers between Chicago andthe Northeast.Not only was intermodal the wave of the future but NS also did not contain an effectivebusiness in such and had CSX gained complete control of the Northeast it would onlyhave been a matter of time before NS was gobbled up as well, mostly likely by aWestern road (by rules of competition, CSX would not have been allowed to purchaseNS and control the entire Eastern rail market).So, thus began the battle for Conrail in the mid-1990s when CSX announced itsintentions of purchasing the railroad...
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...developed a profile in which there are steps for well versed profile development with an inclusion of fiscal specialists research assets for more growth. There is a requirement in order to include modifications into the project just following stark steps and what would be the influence of the work when confronted with the organization's present investments as well as the life of the organization with its time frame under stake and many additional factors. There is a requirement for positioning among the investment profile as well as the investment purpose of the profile. In order to be explained when being defined by the profile or the company (McGraw-Hill, 2008). There is a variety of mutual funds collection by the shareholders at the time of holding of funds for example the mutual funds or funds in terms of shares, investments, money markets, investments as well as other such similar asset. It is a group of investments which are undertaken by the same set of regulations and rules as applicable in the sphere of subject to the regulation of the marketplace (McGraw-Hill, 2008). Equities (shares), fixed-income (securities), and cash equivalents (money markets) these are 3 main set of Asset classes (McGraw-Hill, 2008). When the Money markets take up the job of temporary investments and high marketable surplus they shape up investments of the sub sector which temporary investments are thus extremely marketable. Big denomination dealing is made by these companies making the whole idea out...
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...Market Funds 2012 The World Behind Fitch’s MMF Ratings by Charlotte Quiniou, CFA, Director in Fitch Ratings Fund and Asset Manager Rating Group Fitch money market fund (MMF) rating is far more than just a stamp on a fund. Its value for investors comes from the depth and breadth of the underpinning rating analysis and process. A key component of a Fitch MMF rating is also the regular, independent surveillance performed by Fitch’s analysts, which supports ongoing dialogue with fund managers, so that systematic mechanical reactions are avoided. To better serve investors, Fitch provides information on rated MMFs and developments in the money market industry, notably based on MMF surveillance information, through freely available periodic publications and online tools. A Disciplined procedures ensure consistency Fitch conducts analysis and assigns ratings on MMFs following a consistent, disciplined process that is applied globally. The diagram in Figure 1 provides a summary view of the major steps followed by Fitch when assigning or reviewing a MMF rating. At the start of the rating process, each MMF is assigned to a group of two analysts: the primary (or lead) analyst, and the secondary (or back-up) analyst. Analysts are responsible for leading the analysis and formulating a rating recommendation. The primary analyst is typically responsible for the continuous surveillance of the rating, once it has been assigned, and maintaining the dialogue with the fund manager...
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...Rae Bock started Bock Investment Services (BIS) in 1994 with the goal of making BIS the leading money market advisory service in South Carolina. To provide better service for her present clients and to attract new clients, she has developed a weekly newsletter. Lisa has been considering adding a new feature to the newsletter that will report the results of a weekly telephone survey of fund managers. To investigate the feasibility of offering this service, and to determine what type of information to include in the newsletter, Lisa selected a sample random sample of 45 money market funds. The Data File “Bock”, reports fund assets and yields for the past seven and 30 days. Before calling the money market fund managers to obtain additional data, Lisa decided to do some preliminary analysis of the data already collected. Managerial Report 1. Use appropriate descriptive statistics to summarize the data on assets and yields for the money market funds. 2. Develop a 95% confidence interval estimate of the mean assets, mean 7-day yield, and mean 30-day yield for the population of money market funds. Provide a managerial interpretation of each interval estimate 3. Discuss the implication of your findings in terms of how Lisa could use this type of information in preparing her weekly newsletter. 4. What other information would you recommend that Lisa gather to provide the most useful information to her clients? (This case problem is due to Anderson, Sweeney, and Williams for...
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...Investment Funds and Securities Bloomberg Exercises 1. Learn about the different types of funds and their classifications by going to the Bloomberg’s FUND screen: FUND <Enter>; click “Fund Functions” and “Fund Lookup”; or enter MFOD and click type: Equity, Debt, Money Market, Real Estate, Commodity, or Alternative. 2. The performances of funds by type (e.g., mutual, hedge fund, ETFs, and unit investment trust) can be found on the Fund Heat Map Screen, FMAP. Use the screen to identify the top performers based on total return for several types: FMAP <Enter>, Click “Fund Type” in “View By” dropdown. 3.) alternative) can be found on Bloomberg’s Fund Heat Map Screen, FMAP. Use the screen to identify the top performers based on total return for several objectives: FMAP <Enter>, Click “Objective” in “View By” dropdown. 4. Use the Bloomberg fund search screen, FSRC, to search for the following types of equity-type funds and ETFs: a. Fund Type: Open-End; Classification (Asset Class Focus): Equity; Fund Strategy: Growth or Growth and Income; Analytic criterion: Input total return for one year of greater than X% (e.g., 20%) b. Fund Type: Closed-End; Classification (Asset Class Focus): Equity; Country of Domicile: select (e.g., U.S.); Analytic criterion: input total return for one year of greater than X% (e.g., 20%) c. Fund Type: Open-end; Classification: Industry Focus: Select industry (e.g., technology); Analytic criterion: input total return for one...
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...#2 Diversify across asset class variants. Within each asset class, you can practice further diversification. For instance, equities have many representations in the mutual fund world. Variants or subclasses refer to more granular characteristics of the asset class. Here are some examples: Equities can vary according to: * the size of companies represented in a “basket” (e.g. large vs medium vs small cap stocks) * the way the stocks’ prices move as the stocks chart their growth (e.g. growth vs value stocks) * the geographical market in which the stock moves (e.g. domestic vs international) Bonds can vary according to: * their maturity dates (e.g. short term vs long term bonds) * their level of risk (e.g. junk bonds, anyone?) * who issues the bond (e.g. government vs corporate) * how they pay out Cash vehicles vary mostly according to rates of return and level of security offered, which are usually characteristics that are inversely proportional to each other. Generally, within the investment world, the higher the rate of return, the less stable the fund value is expected to be. Tip: You can find additional diversification down to the class variant level from mutual fund institutitions, Treasury Direct, or online stock brokers who can assist with giving you more information. Try Morningstar as well to help you with more details on this topic. Note though that most of the time, you don’t really need to seek this kind...
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...1998 – Elena raised $20 million for her new fund Interested in Ubid, recently had an IPO—lucrative Internet-sector investment? Mandate of generating 10% annual returns charge investors 2% management fee of assets under management an incentive fee equal to 20% of profits. Mandatory minimum investment horizon of 2 years Ubid & Creative Computers creative computers – a catalog distributer of computers and computer peripherals -opened retail markets in 1990s -closed 7/8 of retail stores in 1998 b/c of constant pressures on profit margins in the computer industry -started selling computer equip. on internet via auction format on Ubid website -world-wide exposure -$2.1 million 1st quarter sales **costs? - 7.6.1998 sell 20% equity of Ubid in IPO/ distribute the remaining 80% of Ubid to shareholders of Creative computers in a tax-free spin-off six months after Ubid IPO UBID IPO 12.3.1998 – 1.817 SHARES @ $15/share -Ubid gains $25.4 million after $1.9 mil in underwriting fees -12.4.1998- shares open at $38, traded above $60, and closed at $48 -based on total shares outstanding 9.15 mil, ubid closed 1st day with a market cap of $439 million POST-IPO UBID 3rd Q sales increased to $15.3 million – growth rate of 637% & 127% for 1st and 2nd qrters--- yet earnings remained negative pretax loss of $1.1 million at end of 3rd. with no prospects of positive earnings in the near future. CREATIVE COMPUTERS Record consolidated net sales of $186(170.7 excluding ubid) million...
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...9-202-024 REV: APRIL 8, 2002 MARK MITCHELL TODD PULVINO ERIK STAFFORD Strategic Capital Management, LLC (A) On December 9, 1998, Elena King contemplated her first investment as a hedge fund manager. In only a few months, Elena had raised $20 million for her new fund, Strategic Capital Management, and was looking forward to putting the money to work. Based on recent comments by high-profile analysts such as Henry Blodgett of Merrill Lynch and Mary Meeker of Morgan Stanley, Elena thought that the Internet sector provided excellent prospects for lucrative investments. She was specifically interested in a recent initial public offering (IPO) by Ubid, an Internet auction firm. Strategic Capital Management, LLC Elena became interested in hedge funds when she was an MBA student during the prior two years. A strong believer in portfolio diversification, Elena was enamored with the risk-return profile of many hedge-fund strategies. Like many of her fellow classmates, Elena chose to forgo a traditional career in consulting and investment banking by pursuing an entrepreneurial venture. She was able to convince two of her classmates to join her in launching Strategic Capital Management (SCM), LLC. Against the backdrop of a strong stock market, SCM had little trouble raising $20 million with a mandate of generating annual returns of 10% with little market exposure. SCM would charge its investors a management fee of 2% of assets under management and an incentive fee equal to 20%...
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...and investment trusts. Firstly, it will shortly introduce the definitions of two different funds, then after identifying the main difference between them, it will talk about the advantages and disadvantages for each other. Finally, it will come up with a conclusion. Unit trusts and investment trusts are two types of funds that people can invest in as a private investor in the world. They together form the very fundamental way of how funds operate. Unit trusts are‘open-ended’funds, which means that the size of the fund and the number of units depends on the amount of money investors put into the fund.(Arnold,2012:30) Moreover unit trust fund is an investment scheme where money from many investors is pooled together for collective investments, and is invested towards a specified goal as stated in the investment objective of the fund.(Fig1.1) (ambmutual.com) Arnold(2012) also claimed that investment trusts differ from unit trusts-they are companies able to issue shares and other securities rather than units. Investors can purchase these securities when the investment company is first launched or purchase shares in the secondary market from other investors. These are known as closed-end funds because the company itself is closed to new investors – if you wished to invest your money you would go to an existing investor to buy shares and not buy from the company. An open-end fund does not restrict the amount of shares that can be issued or redeemed at any time. Usually,...
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...management are the two classes in which the investment strategies are categorized. Active management is whereby financial professionals try to outperform a specific benchmark. Passive funds like the exchange traded funds (ETFs) are whereby the index is tracked with no active stock selection (Barr, 2009). The risk of a failing a benchmark or index can be reduced through passive investment. Passive investment also reduces the cost. The active investment has the potential of boosting returns through outperforming some benchmarks. However, there are increased risks and also there are no guarantees that the benchmarks will be exceeded or matched. In a well-diversified portfolio, active and passive investment can flourish. The role of ETFs which is an important building block for dynamic and diverse portfolios is to offer access to equities and fixed income across large developed economies and the emerging markets. ETFs can be traded like share, thus similar liquidity is offered hence it allows the investor to adjust to their portfolios. In the context of investors’ specific objective, active management allows risks to be managed properly (Barr, 2009). Passive funds don’t neutralize risks, but they introduce benchmark risks and concentrated risks to investors and in relation to exchange-traded fund. The concept of market efficiency holds that there can be no over-valued or under-valued securities because of the market factors of discount which at all times influence the pricing of...
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