...MCI Communications Corporation FOUNDED: 1968 Contact Information: HEADQUARTERS: 1801 Pennsylvania Ave. Washington, DC 20006 PHONE: (202)872-1600 FAX: (202)887-3140 URL: http://www.mci.com OVERVIEW MCI is the second-largest long-distance provider in the United States after AT&T. It is a leader and innovator in the telecommunications industry. MCI was instrumental in forging an opening in that industry for companies to compete with AT&T. It continued in the late 1990s to lead all others except for AT&T, which had held an industrywide monopoly until the 1980s. The company, located just a few blocks from the White House, has offices in 300 locations around the world, and competes in a wide variety of communication service markets. In 1997, the global long-distance company World-Com Inc. made a $30-billion bid to buy MCI. GTE made a $28 billion offer. After some negotiation, MCI agreed to a $37-billion purchase by WorldCom. The merger was announced November 10, 1997 and the new company will be named MCI WorldCom. COMPANY FINANCES Upon announcing the merger of MCI and World-Com Inc., the combined firms projected over $30 billion in revenues for 1998. In 1997 MCI had net income of $209 million on revenue of $19.65 billion, as compared to 1996 when net income was __BODY__.20 billion on revenue of $18.49 billion. This was a considerable increase over 1995 income of $548 million on $15.26 billion in revenues. Earnings per share of stock rose from $.80 in 1995...
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...Corporation Case3 MCI Communications Corp., 1983 Estimation of external financing MCI requires until the end of 1987 MCI is the second-largest long-distance provider in the telecom industry of United States after AT&T. First of all, in this case we estimate external financing MCI requires until the end of 1987. Exhibit 9A provides the projected capital investment needs for the following year, so our group plug those data in Exhibit 3 corresponds to Funds from Operations and Use of Funds, then come up with the External Financing MCI needs from 1984 to 1987 by deducting the total Source from the total Use. By looking at each year’s needs, we noticed that the external needs will continue to grow because of the increase in projected market expansion and decreasing in operating margin, in addition, since telecom industry is very capital intensive, the increase of large amount of CAPEX required year by year is another factor that causes the external funds grow for the following time period. Then, we obtained the 10-year U.S. Treasury rate for 1983, which is around 10.46% and discount each year’s external fund back to 1983 using it as the discount rate for convenience. We got the final total external fund needed for the next five years is $1984.3 million. See Appendix A. Analysis of MCI’s past financial strategy MCI needs external funds to operation, which is the main financial policy. During the past 1972-1983, MCI has issued common stock...
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...Case 10: MCI Communication Corp. ------------------------------------------------- MCI External Financing Needs from 1984 to 1989 Due to the telecom industry’s competitive history, MCI has to continue growing to maintain and increase their market share. Their external financing needs will keep increasing over the next few years as the operating margins shrink in an attempt to acquire 20% market share by 1990. To accomplish this, MCI will need to infuse huge capitals into their business. As per the pro forma statements, MCI would need significant amounts of capital to finance their plans. The figures range from $890 million in 1984 to $2.76 billion in 1987. Looking back at history, MCI has been known for issuing stock and debentures/convertible debentures. To finance their forecasts, MCI will begin by selling $481 million in common stock in 1984 the same way it did in the past. The share price is currently $47 per share and MCI needs to capitalize on the high value while it can. From 1985 to 1989, MCI will sell convertible debentures. A Convertible debenture is a type of loan issued by a company that can be converted into stock by the holder and, under certain circumstances, the issuer of the bond. The debentures allow investors to turn them into stock while at the same time allow MCI to issue more debt. Thus, each year from 1985 to 1989, MCI can take on more debt while converting older ones. The additional cash will provide for MCI’s growth plans and allow them...
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...MCI COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION Introduction In 1982, the Justice department ordered the separation of ATT into local subsidiaries. MCI was one of the main competitors of AT&T and the impact of this new competition on MCI was uncertain. In this case the financial impact of this increased competition will be analyzed. Analysis of External Financing Needs for MCI from 1983 to 1989 Please see Exhibit 1 and Exhibit 2 MCI’s external needs will keep increasing over the next few years as the operating margins would shrink because of higher competition & higher access charges. In order to increase its market share, MCI would need to continue investing huge capitals in its network. As per exhibit 9 of the case, it is anticipated that MCI will increase its market share to 20 % in the next 6 years. The telecom industry is very capital intensive and in 1983 required $1.15 worth of investment in fixed plant & equipment for each extra $1 of revenue; that is first you have to build the network before you can sign up customers. The operating margin is expected to stabilize at 15% by 1990. But they are expected to vary substantially based on competition. It can go up to 22% or go down to 8%. Types of securities which were issued by MCI (1972-1983) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Common Stock Common Stock with warrant Convertible cumulative preferred stock - Cost Around 12.27 Debentures – Cost around 15% Convertible debenture – cost around 10% MCI initially issued equity in 1972 and later it started...
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...MCI External Financing Needs from 1984 to 1989 Due to the telecom industry’s competitive history, MCI has to continue growing to maintain and increase their market share. Their external financing needs will keep increasing over the next few years as the operating margins shrink in an attempt to acquire 20% market share by 1990. To accomplish this, MCI will need to infuse huge capitals into their business. As per the pro forma statements, MCI would need significant amounts of capital to finance their plans. The figures range from $890 million in 1984 to $2.76 billion in 1987. Looking back at history, MCI has been known for issuing stock and debentures/convertible debentures. To finance their forecasts, MCI will begin by selling $481 million in common stock in 1984 the same way it did in the past. The share price is currently $47 per share and MCI needs to capitalize on the high value while it can. From 1985 to 1989, MCI will sell convertible debentures. A Convertible debenture is a type of loan issued by a company that can be converted into stock by the holder and, under certain circumstances, the issuer of the bond. The debentures allow investors to turn them into stock while at the same time allow MCI to issue more debt. Thus, each year from 1985 to 1989, MCI can take on more debt while converting older ones. The additional cash will provide for MCI’s growth plans and allow them to compete in a dynamic market. Pro Forma Statements Pro Forma statements are helpful...
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...University) and Edward Romar (University of Massachusetts-Boston) 2002 saw an unprecedented number of corporate scandals: Enron, Tyco, Global Crossing. In many ways, WorldCom is just another case of failed corporate governance, accounting abuses, and outright greed. But none of these other companies had senior executives as colorful and likable as Bernie Ebbers. A Canadian by birth, the 6 foot, 3 inch former basketball coach and Sunday School teacher emerged from the collapse of WorldCom not only broke but with a personal net worth as a negative nine-digit number.2 No palace in a gated community, no stable of racehorses or multi-million dollar yacht to show for the telecommunications giant he created. Only debts and red ink--results some consider inevitable given his unflagging enthusiasm and entrepreneurial flair. There is no question that he did some pretty bad stuff, but he really wasn't like the corporate villains of his day: Andy Fastow of Enron, Dennis Koslowski of Tyco, or Gary Winnick of Global Crossing.3 Personally, Bernie is a hard guy not to like. In 1998 when Bernie was in the midst of acquiring the telecommunications firm MCI, Reverend Jesse Jackson, speaking at an all-black college near WorldCom's Mississippi headquarters, asked how Ebbers could afford $35 billion for MCI but hadn't donated funds to local black students. Businessman LeRoy Walker Jr., was in the audience at Jackson's speech, and afterwards set him straight. Ebbers had given over $1 million plus...
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...Mark Willis BUS 508 – Contemporary Bus November 15, 2013 Determine the most important five skills that a forensic accountant needs to possess and evaluate the need for each skill. Be sure to include discussion regarding the relationship between the skill and its application to business operations. As the annual price tag for fraud at American business soars to nearly $1 trillion, the demand for Certified Public Accountants that provide forensic accounting services has increased exponentially- a spike that appears in no danger of waning over the next several years. (Carlino, 2010) With the demand for forensic accounting services increasing, it is very beneficial for prospective employers and employees to know what skills are needed to fulfill the duties of this very important occupation in today’s society. “Forensic accounting encompasses collecting, analyzing, and evaluating evidence, and the interpreting and communicating the findings in courts, boardrooms or other venues.” (Carlino, 2010) There are numerous skills needed for these positions but five skills are vital in becoming am effective forensic accountant. The most essential skill needed to become an effective forensic accountant is included in the description of the position. One has to be very analytical in their profession in order to become efficient and effective. Being a problem solver in any business is a trait that no business wants lacking from their employees, but in the field of finance and...
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...------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- Individual Final Project ------------------------------------------------- Case 2: “WorldCom, Inc.: Corporate Bond Issuance” Case Highlights This case is about the $37-billion bid for MCI Corp., by WorldCom – the United States’ second largest long distance phone company (after AT&T at the time). The purchase should come through by using its own stock to buy the public shares of MCI that did not belong to British Telecommunications (BT), and paying with cash the 20% stake BT held in MCI. In order to finance BT’s stake, WorldCom planned to issue the highest bond offering up to date in the markets of $6 billion. Also to be taken into account in this case, is the timing of the bond issuance, with some turmoil conditions in the bond and equity markets at the time due to the Asian crisis, the large volume of debt issues scheduled for issuance on the same week, and the pricing of the “jumbo” bond. For the remainder of this paper, I will analyze in detail each of these issues. WorldCom’s Background The company was born after the breakup of AT&T, in 1983, with the rise of long-distance telephone business. Bernie Ebbers, CEO, conducted a series of acquisitions which led LDDS (company’s name at the time – Long Distance Discount Services) to become the fourth-largest long-distance carrier in the USA. LDDS changed its name to WorldCom...
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...Wor9 - 1 04 - 0 71 R EV: JU LY 2 6 , 2 00 4 RO BERT S. KAPLAN D A VI D KIR O N Accounting Fraud at WorldCom WorldCom could not have failed as a result of the actions of a limited number of individuals. Rather, there was a broad breakdown of the system of internal controls, corporate governance and individual responsibility, all of which worked together to create a culture in which few persons took responsibility until it was too late . — Richard Thornburgh, former U.S. attorney general1 On July 21, 2002, WorldCom Group, a telecommunications company with more than $30 billion in revenues, $104 billion in assets, and 60,000 employees, filed for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Between 1999 and 2002, WorldCom had overstated its pretax income by at least $7 billion; a deliberate miscalculation that was, at the time, the largest in history. The company subsequently wrote down about $82 billion (more than 75%) of its reported assets.2 WorldCom’s stock, once valued at $180 billion, became nearly worthless. Seventeen thousand employees lost their jobs; many left the company with worthless retirement accounts. The company’s bankruptcy also jeopardized service to WorldCom’s 20 million retail customers and on government contracts affecting 80 million Social Security beneficiaries, air traffic control for the Federal Aviation Association, network management for the Department of Defense and long-distance services for both houses of Congress and the...
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...WorldCom Case Study1 By Dennis Moberg (Santa Clara University) and Edward Romar (University of Massachusetts-Boston) (The original of this document can be found at the Santa http://www.scu.edu/ethics/dialogue/candc/cases/worldcom.html#one. Clara University website at An update for this case is available at http://www.scu.edu/ethics/dialogue/candc/cases/worldcomupdate.html . Note that this update is not part of the syllabus for the PRM or Associate PRM exam. It is included for reference and explanation only.) 2002 saw an unprecedented number of corporate scandals: Enron, Tyco, Global Crossing. In many ways, WorldCom is just another case of failed corporate governance, accounting abuses, and outright greed. But none of these other companies had senior executives as colorful and likable as Bernie Ebbers. A Canadian by birth, the 6 foot, 3 inch former basketball coach and Sunday School teacher emerged from the collapse of WorldCom not only broke but with a personal net worth as a negative nine-digit number.2 No palace in a gated community, no stable of racehorses or multi-million dollar yacht to show for the telecommunications giant he created; only debts and red ink--results some consider inevitable given his unflagging enthusiasm and entrepreneurial flair. There is no question that he did some pretty bad stuff, but he really wasn't like the corporate villains of his day: Andy Fastow of Enron, Dennis Koslowski of Tyco, or Gary Winnick of Global Crossing.3 Personally, Bernie...
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...WorldCom Case Study Update 20061 by Edward J. Romar, University of Massachusetts-Boston, and Martin Calkins, University of Massachusetts-Boston In December 2005, two years after this case was written, the telecommunications industry consolidated further. Verizon Communications acquired MCI/WorldCom and SBC Communications acquired AT&T Corporation, which had been in business since the 19th Century. The acquisition of MCI/WorldCom was the direct result of the behavior of WorldCom's senior managers as documented above. While it can be argued that the demise of AT&T Corp. was not wholly attributable to WorldCom's behavior, AT&T Corp.'s decimation certainly was facilitated by the events surrounding WorldCom, since WorldCom was the benchmark long distance telephone and Internet communications service provider. Indeed, the ripple effect of WorldCom's demise goes far beyond one company and several senior managers. It had a profound effect on an entire industry. This postscript will update the WorldCom story by focusing on what happened to the company after it declared bankruptcy and before it was acquired by Verizon. The postscript also will relate subsequent important events in the telecommunications industry, the effect of WorldCom's problems on its competitors and labor market, and the impact WorldCom had on the lives of the key players associated with the fraud and its exposure. From Benchmark to Bankrupt Between July 2002 when WorldCom declared bankruptcy and April...
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...Re.: “MCI Takeover Battle” Case Analysis Attached is an analysis of “The MCI Takeover Battle: Verizon versus Qwest” I. STRATEGIC PROFILE This case profiles MCI’s merger debate between Verizon and Qwest in 2005. At this time, many other companies are merging due to the industry consolidation, therefore forcing MCI to keep up with its competition. MCI was acquired after a bidding war between WorldCom, British Telecom and GTE, with the winning bid being a $37 billion offer from WorldCom. MCI-WorldCom then acquired many other communication companies excluding Sprint due to a U.S. Justice Department ruling. WorldCom operated throughout its filing of bankruptcy, resulting with MCI being not only the surviving company, but one of the most extensive networks in the world. After posting losses in 2004, MCI must undergo a strategic process in which to choose the better bid, Verizon or Qwest, in order to stay on top of the industry. II. SITUATION ANALYSIS Many general environmental trends are effecting Verizon, Qwest, and the communications industry as a whole. The always changing technological needs are shifting from landlines to wireless, where Verizon has seen about one in five people using their wireless phones as their primary forms of communication. However, Qwest is still generating a strong majority of its revenue from their wireline segment, and will therefore have to eventually undergo the process of shifting to wireless. Demographics also play a large role in the success...
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...MCI Communications Corp. BACKGROUND MCI Communications Corp., a long distance telecommunications company, had been a sluggish performer in a buoyant market, and the management sensed a growing restlessness on the part of shareholders. To enhance the shareholders’ value, the company planned to repurchase some of its outstanding common stock. To guide the management in its decision, the company sought the advice of Lynch Investments in establishing a program to repurchase some of its outstanding common stocks. This leads to Katzu Mizuno, an associate of Lynch Investments, to investigate what source of fund is appropriate for the repurchase program and the possible effect of such action in the company. CASE ANALYSIS This case analysis aims to answer the following problem: How should the company finance its plan to repurchase its outstanding common stock in order to enhance its shareholder value? The company will be less flexible if it would have a debt-equity ratio of 72%. But since the said D/E ratio would “still be moderate with respect to the industry”, MCI’s bond rating won’t go below a medium grade of BBB. MCI needs to unlevered and then re-lever the target company’s equity beta. Unlevering the target’s equity beta yields an estimated beta comparable to the other major competitors which have different debt structure (see Exhibit B). Thus, re-levering this equity beta to reflect MCI’s target capital structure yields the appropriate risk for MCI to use in estimating a cost...
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...the strengths and weaknesses of Verizon, MCI and Qwest? MCI: well-established infrastructure and broad customer base, mass markets B slipping sales and earnings performance Verizon: robust financial statement, Verizon has a signed agreement with MCI and a proven track record of completing transactions that create value for shareholders, customers, and employees A+ right growth psition , Low international market share Damage on 911, carried out a series of divestitures Qwest: low revenue, loss, weak performance, B+ Low stock price, cash is king, large investment, most of revenue from wireline segment Larger bid price 2. What are the synergies in the proposed combinations? Qwest: net present value of gross synergies at $14.8 billion, with a cost of $2.7 billion. gross synergies at $7 billion, with a cost of $3.3 billion 3. Evaluate the two offers in Exhibit 7. What explains the two structures? In each case, what is the value of MCI shareholders? 4. Merger arbitrage funds speculate on the completion of stock and cash mergers, typically buying the target and hedging the risk of the acquirer’s shares according to the exchange ratio in stock mergers. What positions would arbitragers take in this deal? How would their position change if the board appeared to favor the Qwest offer? 5. Consider the WorldCom-MCI merger and the Qwest-US West merger. Should the boards of MCI and US West have accepted the offers (without...
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...Case Study 1 – And the Fraud Continues Heidi Janis Casazza Strayer University ACC/571 Dr. Timothy Franklin Deleanor Brown January 27, 2013 Case Study 1 – And the Fraud Continues Since the turn of the century, many financial scandals have been discovered, such as MCI Communications Corporation (MCI). Financial scandals can be minimized by the use of effective internal controls. According to Chao and Foote, effective internal controls reasonably prevent material misstatements in financial reporting and fraud while weak internal controls have the opposite effect (2012). Extensive research about the MCI’s financial scandal has provided proof that Chao and Foote’s analogy of internal controls is correct. Ultimately, the problems MCI had were caused by a weakness in internal controls, which causes MCI to be a prime example of how weak internal controls can be disastrous and lead to the bankruptcy of a company. The Situation That Led to MCI’s Downfall MCI Communications Corporation (MCI) was a communication company that primarily dealt with resellers, which means MCI would sell or lease time to other communication carriers who in turn resold the time to other businesses and consumers. According to Lyon and Tocco (2007), MCI’s revenue grew from about $240 million to about $650 million a month in account receivables. In addition, the growth in revenue caused the bad debt percentage to increase significantly in 1995 along with a significant increase in accounts receivable...
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