Examined and critically evaluated the key strategic decisions that a business may have to make and appreciated how accounting and finance can assist in making and evaluating those decisions.
APC308 Financial Management
Weighting – 100% of the marks for this module
This is an individual assignment of 3,000 words. (+ or – 10%)
Students are required to submit their assignments through Turnitin on Canvas and JIRA for marking. Only assessments submitted through Canvas and JIRA will be marked.
Requirements:
You must answer any TWO questions. Each question that is attempted will carry a maximum mark of 50%
Question 1 – Dividend Policy
Deciding how much earnings to retain and how much to return to ordinary shareholders is a key part of dividend policy. Drawing on the dividend policy literature critically discuss some of the factors that need to be considered by senior managers of a listed company when deciding on
a) the size of the annual dividend to return to its shareholders (12 marks)
b) and the practical issues that need to be considered when deciding on the size of the dividend payment. (12 marks
Squeezeco is currently deciding on the level and form of its next dividend. It is considering three options
- A cash dividend payment of 15p per share
- A 5% scrip dividend
- A repurchase of 15 % of ordinary share capital at the current market price
Extracts form the company’s financial statements are given below
|
£m
|
£m
|
|
Operating profit
|
24.5
|
|
Taxation
|
7.8
|
|
Distributable earnings
|
16.7
|
|
Non-current assets
Current Assets
|
75
|
|
Trade receivables
24
|
27 Inventory
|
|
Cash
|
46 97
|
|
Total Assets
Equity Finance
|
172
|
|
Ordinary Shares (50p)
|
26
|
|
Reserves
|
108 134
|
|
Current Liabilities
|
38
|
|
Total liabilities
|
172
|
c) If the current cum dividend share price is 432p, calculate the effect of the three options on the wealth of a shareholder owning 1250 shares in Squeezeco. (16 marks)
d) Critically discuss how the company’s decision will be influenced by the opportunity to invest
£70m in a project with a positive net present value. (10 marks)
Total (50 mark)
Question 2 – Mergers and Takeovers
The managing directors of Aztec are considering what value to place on Trojan plc, a company that they are planning to take near in the near future. Aztec’s plc’s share price is currently £3.89 and the company’s earning per share stand at 21p. Aztec’s weighted average cost of capital is 9%.
The board estimates that annual after tax synergy benefits resulting form the takeover will be £4.35m, that Trojans’ distributable earnings will grow at an annual rate of 2% and that duplication will allow the sale of the £21m of assets, net of corporate tax (currently standing at 20%), in a years time.
Information relating to Trojan plc.:
Financial Statement of Trojan plc
|
|
£m
|
|
Non-current assets
|
270
|
|
Current assets
|
56
|
|
Total assets
Equity
|
326
|
|
Ordinary Shares (£1)
|
147
|
|
Reserves
|
64
211
|
|
7% bonds
|
72
|
|
Current liabilities
|
43
|
|
Total liabilities
|
326
|
Statement of profit or loss extracts
£m
|
Profit before interest and tax
|
64.0
|
|
Interest payments
|
6.5
|
|
Profit before tax
|
57.5
|
|
Taxation
|
17.1
|
|
Distributable earnings
|
40.4
|
Other information:
|
Current ex-div share price
|
£2.05
|
|
Latest dividend payment
|
13p
|
|
Past four years dividends payment
|
10p, 10.5p, 11p, 12p
|
|
Trojan’s equity beta
|
1.1 %
|
|
Treasury bill yield
|
5%
|
|
Return on the market
|
11%
|
Given the above information calculate the value of Trojan plc using the following valuation methods:
a) Price/earnings ratio (10 marks)
b) Dividend valuation method (10 marks)
c) Discounted cash flow method (10 marks)
d) Drawing on the mergers and takeovers literature, critically discuss (20 marks) the problems associated with using the above valuation techniques and based on this which of the above you would recommend the board of Aztec to use
Question 3
Lovewell Limited a food manufacturer is considering purchasing a new machine for £275,000. The company is expecting an annual cash inflow of £85,000 from the sale of products and an annual cash outflow of £12,500 for each of the six years of the machine’s useful life. The annual cash outflows do not include annual depreciation charges for the machine. The machine is depreciated using the straight
–line method. The machine is expected to last for six years, with a residual value estimated to be at the rate of 15% of the original cost of the machine. The cost of capital for Lovewell Limited is 12%.
You are required to:
- Calculate using the following investment appraisal techniques, and provide brief recommendations as to the economic feasibility of acquiring the machine: a. The Payback Period.
- The Accounting Rate of Return.
- The Net Present Value.
- d. The Internal Rate of Return (to two decimal places) (20 marks)
2. Critically evaluate the benefits and limitations of each of the differing investment appraisal techniques. (30 marks)
Table 1 Applied Penalties for Exceeding the word count.
|
Word limit
|
Penalty
|
Actual Word Count
|
|
Exceeds limit by up to 10%
|
No penalty – tolerance band (see below)
|
3300
|
|
Exceeds limit by 10.1-20%
|
-5%
|
3301 – 3600
|
|
Exceeds limit by 20.1-30%
|
-10 %
|
3601 - 3900
|
|
Exceeds limit by 30.1-40%
|
-15 %
|
3901 - 4200
|
|
Exceeds limit by 40.1-50%
|
-20 %
|
4201 - 4500
|
|
Exceeds limit by more than 50%
|
Mark of zero
|
4501+
|
The learning outcomes for this module assessed by this piece of work are
Knowledge
- Examined and critically evaluated the key strategic decisions that a business may have to make and appreciated how accounting and finance can assist in making and evaluating those decisions.
- A critical understanding of specific analytical skills in key decision areas within strategy and finance at local and international level
- A critical understanding of the limitations of the current state of financial theory in making strategic business decisions
Skills
- Applied the key valuation concepts and methodologies of financial decision making in order to contribute to the wider decision making of the organisation
Assessment Criteria: APC308 Financial Management
Your seminar tutor on the basis of the following generic criteria will assess the paper:
Assessment Regulations For further information regarding Assessment Regulations, extenuating circumstances or extensions and academic integrity, please refer to your Programme Handbook on the University of Sunderland in London information page on Canvas.
Reading List
Please access your reading list from the library website. To access it, please go to https://moduleresources.sunderland.ac.uk/ and search for your module
Submission guidelines
Your submission link will become available approximately 3 weeks prior to your submission deadline, along with detailed instructions on how to submit your assignment.
Grading
You will be marked in accordance to the University of Sunderland assessment criteria attached below. The assessment criteria covers; Relevance, Knowledge, Analysis, Argument and Structure, Critical Evaluation, Presentation, Reference to Literature
Assessment Criteria
|
|
Categories
|
|
|
Grade
|
Relevance
|
Knowledge
|
Analysis
|
Argument and Structure
|
Critical Evaluation
|
Presentation
|
Reference to Literature
|
|
|
86 –
100%
|
The work examined is exemplary and provides clear evidence of a complete grasp of the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. There is also ample excellent evidence showing that all the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are fully satisfied. At this level it is expected that the work will be exemplary in all the categories cited above. It will demonstrate a particularly compelling evaluation, originality, and elegance of argument, interpretation or discourse. APC308 Financial Management
|
|
76-85%
|
The work examined is outstanding and demonstrates comprehensive knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. There is also excellent evidence showing that all the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that level are fully satisfied. At this level it is expected that the work will be outstanding in the majority of the category as cited above or by demonstrating particularly compelling evaluation and elegance of argument, interpretation or discourse.
|
|
70 – 75%
|
The work examined is excellent and is evidence of comprehensive knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. There is also excellent evidence showing that all the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that level are satisfied. At this level it is expected that the work will be excellent in the majority of the categories cited above or by demonstrating particularly compelling evaluation and elegance of argument, interpretation or discourse.
|
|
60 – 69%
|
Directly relevant to the requirements of the assessment
|
A substantial knowledge of relevant material, showing a clear grasp of themes, questions and issues therein
|
Good analysis, clear and orderly
|
Generally coherent and logically structured, using an appropriate mode of argument and/or theoretical mode(s)
|
May contain some distinctive or independent thinking; may begin to formulate an independent position in relation to theory and/or practice.
|
Well written, with standard spelling and grammar, in a readable style with acceptable format
|
Critical appraisal of uptodate and/or appropriate literature. Recognition of different perspectives. Very good use of source material.
Uses a range of sources
|
|
|
50 – 59%
|
Some attempt to address the requirements of the assessment: may drift away from this in less focused passages
|
Adequate knowledge
of a fair range of relevant material, with intermittent evidence of an appreciation of its significance
|
Some analytical treatment, but may be prone to description, or to narrative, which lacks clear analytical purpose
|
Some attempt to construct a coherent argument, but may suffer loss of focus and consistency, with issues at stake stated only vaguely, or theoretical mode(s) couched in simplistic terms
|
Sound work which expresses a coherent position only in broad terms and in uncritical conformity to one or more standard views of the topic
|
Competently written, with only minor lapses from standard grammar, with acceptable format
|
Uses a variety of literature which includes some recent texts and/or appropriate literature, though not necessarily including a substantive amount beyond
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
library texts. Competent use of source material.
|
|
40 – 49%
|
Some correlation with the
requirements of the assessment but there is a significant degree of irrelevance
|
Basic understanding of the subject but addressing a limited range of material
|
Largely descriptive or narrative, with little evidence of analysis
|
A basic argument is evident, but mainly supported by assertion and there may be a lack of clarity and coherence
|
Some evidence of a view starting to be formed but mainly derivative.
|
A simple basic style but with significant deficiencies in expression or format that may pose obstacles for the reader
|
Some up-to-date and/or appropriate literature used. Goes beyond the material tutor has provided. Limited use of sources to support a point. Weak use of source material.
|
|
|
35 – 39%
|
Relevance to the requirements of the assessment may be very intermittent, and may be reduced to its vaguest and least challenging terms
|
A limited understanding of a narrow range of material
|
Heavy dependence on description, and/or on
paraphrase, is common
|
Little evidence of coherent argument: lacks development and may be repetitive or thin
|
Almost wholly derivative: the writer’s contribution rarely goes beyond simplifying paraphrase
|
Numerous
deficiencies in expression and presentation; the writer may achieve clarity (if at all) only by using a simplistic or repetitious style
|
Barely adequate use of literature. Over reliance on material provided by the tutor.
|
|
The evidence provided shows that the majority of the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are satisfied.APC308 Financial Management
|
|
|
30 – 34%
|
The work examined provides insufficient evidence of the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. The evidence provided shows that some of the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are satisfied. The work will be weak in some of the indicators.
|
|
15-29%
|
The work examined is unacceptable and provides little evidence of the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. The evidence shows that few of the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are satisfied. The work will be weak in several of the indicators.
|
|
0-14%
|
The work examined is unacceptable and provides almost no evidence of the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. The evidence fails to show that any of the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are satisfied. The work will be weak in the majority or all of the indicators.
|
APC308 Financial Management
100% Plagiarism Free & Custom Written,
tailored to your instructions