Reason 1: The country risk attributable to Zuflak can be diversified away according to modern finance theory, and should not be included in the cost of capital.
; r) E1 O# K' K4 \; W Reason 2: Companies in emerging markets tend to exhibit wild price swings both up and down, therefore adjusting cash flows is the best way to account for these symmetrical country risks.
l7 c& ~; C3 S" x. h9 c Reason 3: Although Kiani, Oleg, and Malik are all domiciled in Zuflak, each of these companies will tend to respond differently to country risks. This makes it virtually impossible to adjust the discount rate for country specific risk and come up with an accurate valuation estimate.
$ F# u" C/ S$ b. O8 W/ |2 e) C After careful analysis by Sigmund and his team, Sigmund decides that he wants to have exposure to Zuflak in his international portfolios. He is still unsure however, what the best way would be to establish the exposure. Sigmund discusses his concerns with Steve Solak, another portfolio manager with PGA. Solak suggests that Sigmund consider using a closed-end country fund to invest in Zuflak. Solak hands Sigmund a copy of a note that he had provided to a client listing facts about country-specific closed end funds. The note contained the following statements: 8 D2 s- X4 |& T, l
Closed-end country funds provide an excellent means to access local foreign markets. Even nations that have restrictions on foreign investment are sometimes accessible using closed-end country funds.
) L. b2 J/ K2 H Closed-end country funds issue a fixed number of shares and are a great way to diversify a U.S.-dollar stock portfolio because of their low correlation with the U.S. stock market.
4 L% O+ w# H- Z# d1 _ Sigmund thanks Solak for the information and heads back to his office. As he is leaving, Solak asks him if he would have time later that afternoon to discuss the use of American Depository Receipts (ADRs).
8 F8 U9 P+ Z" o2 t( C' s" n& d Part 1) 8 c' t, J: B5 d+ x% W
What is the best estimate of the country risk premium for Zuflak? ()
3 f! A( e+ K' t: U& c1 m A. 0.25%. / ?: N B. R, |$ ]( d
B. 1.50%. / M' |, {8 t. B5 \; W
C. 2.75%. 7 D- s! }& \1 a( I1 Y
D. 6.00%.
% \1 \, _/ u+ Y$ f& i Part 2) 5 {2 f7 X+ O4 k- N' }9 f# a/ S& w
To determine a valuation estimate for Oleg, Testorf assumes that local investors require a 5 percent real rate of return on companies with similar risk to Oleg. What is Oleg’s price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, if the company has an inflation flow-through rate of 65 percent? ()
1 _% _) @4 ?& Z$ ] A. 13.75. # R1 {8 {, G" \* R3 w' [3 |8 I2 l
B. 5.33.
0 |8 c% c' t2 o; _* h* _ C. 3.00. # B8 S4 D) z- S7 k' u6 J$ f
D. 21.25
. |7 {' c8 o5 U( h7 J% a% R0 G Part 3) " x# T" F. b2 v+ P# G- h7 \+ Y& o
In regard to Testorf’s reasons for incorporating emerging market risk into the valuation of Zuflak by adjusting cash flows rather than adjusting the discount rate, which of the following is TRUE?() ( H( A+ p* {2 A' _6 {/ f0 p
A. Reasons 1 and 3 support Testorf’s cash flow adjustment, but reason 2 does not.
' }1 F$ V0 o6 N( q3 k6 Q }- S B. All three of the reasons given support Testorf’s cash flow adjustment. 5 T& V( ]# I# t1 ~# P% S5 J2 a% `
C. Reasons 2 and 3 support Testorf’s cash flow adjustment, but reason 1 does not. * m3 k! G, I' X- C- j
D. Reason 1 supports Testorf’s cash flow adjustment, but reasons 2 and 3 do not.
; f4 z7 P( \: }4 f4 } Part 4)
7 C9 G5 ?% t8 y Due to the high inflation rate of the local country, Testorf calculates the return on invested capital (ROIC) for Kiani by revaluing the company’s fixed assets. In comparing the performance of Zuflak to other local companies, the ROIC calculation should: () , Z$ o: j |& n! Q0 S+ ^5 l
A. Exclude goodwill. 1 a- q8 K# e# M3 x2 y
B. Exclude depreciation. * r( T+ R0 i9 l% c
C. Not revalue fixed assets. . q3 H$ s' h* W* X0 I$ K
D. Exclude net operating profit adjusted for taxes.
! l0 h% n: p% k! {. H5 N$ y Part 5) 9 t O- t: H* E0 @" X
With regard to Solak’s note concerning closed end-country funds: ()
( ]7 B& c+ D1 U( d' W! Z8 v A. Statement 1 is correct, statement 2 is correct. 8 Y) U4 f5 e" o9 K* g
B. Statement 1 is incorrect, statement 2 is incorrect.
5 m8 K; ]. s) g# F* c3 B% G) {& H C. Statement 1 is correct, statement 2 is incorrect.
) p$ L# _! F4 j. ~! A D. Statement 1 is incorrect, statement 2 is correct. 8 q$ A1 r& b& k% a6 `9 g
Explanations of terms:(10 points) ' ~* w0 H- Z2 ^8 r
1. Real interest rate - Y3 z' ^4 T" J) k8 `$ h: B
2. Window instruction
0 S u7 }# R' i8 l5 K 3. Special drawing rights ! O4 U7 q' t0 q8 Z/ L1 t
4. Money market mutual funds
: e8 a# `9 r: o- T 5. Putable bonds
[# b) J# j i) f, E; T Question3: Please list some Capital Market Instruments. 8 o. L0 Q' Q; n. n( z" Q* Q
Question4: What kind of Economic Policy in an Open Economy
, @( `9 @- L2 S& `& E1 Z' B Question5: What is the Modern Quantity Theory of Money Demand?
: m% C0 h- a& g; G6 M8 { Question6: If you are a policy maker, what are your Ultimate Targets of Monetary Policy? |