Key Issue: Is $1b appropriate to enhance UST’s firm value and ultimately shareholder value?
Higher leverage is very likely to create value for a firm considering capital structure change by exerting financial discipline and more efficient corporate strategy changes.
Before evaluating whether $1b is value enhancing in quantitative measure, ability to cope with pre-requisite interest payment and potentially dividend payment (possibly dividend growth maintenance) should be considered.
Required debt rate and pro forma income statement
Risk determinants
Credit rating agencies take a wide range of factors – debt raising purpose, industry outlook, corporate profile and financial measures into account when performing corporate bond rating service. Debt is raised to repurchase shares rather than the normal case of capturing expansion opportunities to strengthen cash flow. This is not going to be regarded favorable to debt holders since the debt coverage ability in terms of cash or collateral is not strengthened. UST is characterized positively by commanding market share position in the moist smokeless tobacco market, strong brand name recognition, premium product offering, pricing flexibility; negatively by lack of geographical and product diversification, market share erosion, lackluster non-core investment performance, and recent key executive reshuffle and anti-trust dispute with Conwood Co.. Besides its cash generative nature, smokeless tobacco market still is faced with legal challenges (legislation, litigation, marketing ban), slowing down growth and possibility of future health research negatively influencing customer behavior. Financial measures will be conducted in the form of pro-form income statement, key data and...
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...efit is shared by a larger group of equity investors. The company is still subject to similar level of risk compared to immediate repurchase based on credit rating determinants. Most importantly, initial abundant cash with promising investment projects will lead to even more lackluster non-core investment performance.
Thirdly, serial borrowing and repurchase throughout several years is considered. This is essentially the financial policy the company has adopted these years. This policy is less risky measured by coverage ratios and is more acceptable to stockholders. However, UST has imminent challenges and value enhancing objectives to meet. If the company has debt capacity untapped upon, large sum repurchases avoid excessive advisory fee, negotiation time and effort, potentially credit rating charge while immediate significant tax shield benefit is made possible.
Balance sheet lists assets, liabilities and owner’s equity. The assets listed on the balance sheet are acquired either by debt (liabilities) or equity. “Companies that use more debt than equity to finance assets have a high leverage ratio and an aggressive capital structure. A company that pays for assets with more equity than debt has a low leverage ratio and a conservative capital structure. That said, a high leverage ratio and/or an aggressive capital structure can also lead
...ws the business to lease equipment used for farming and production. This use of financing allows Tassal to avoid a large loss of capital when purchasing equipment. Instead they are able to make periodic payments, which offer a distribution of funds rather than an initial large expenditure. Therefore Tassal is able to focus on its key activity of ensuring growth and a continued long term return for investors. By avoiding large expenditure of capital these funds can be kept, allowing for increased profits which directly affect the shareholders in the company.
However, financial situation of the firm plays a very important role in the decision of the bondholder and this company has been one of the most profitable companies America in terms of ROE, ROA ad gross profit margin. Apart from decrease in earnings and cash flow in 1997, UST had continuous increases in sales (10-year compound annual growth rate of 9%), earnings (11%) and cash flow (12%). They are generating their cash flows out of the operations. Thanks to their premium pricing, they are achieving more than average gross profit margin. So, over the years UST's revenues are stable and positive, and generally its statements are positive. The company does not have any problems with its cash flow.
We defined several criteria to determine our choice – return, risks and other quantitative and qualitative factors. Targeting a debt ratio of 40% will maximize the firm’s value. A higher earning’s per share and dividends per share will lead to a higher stock price in the future. Due to leveraging, return on equity is higher because debt is the major source of financing capital expenditures. To maintain the 40% debt ratio, no equity issues will be declared until 1985. DuPont will be financing the needed funds by debt. For 1986 onwards, minimum equity funds will be issued. It will be timed to take advantage of favorable market condition. The rest of the financing required will be acquired by issuing debt.
This object is one of the financial goals to invest properly. Marriott used discounted cash flow techniques to evaluate potential investment. It is beneficial because it is considered present time value. Projects which increase shareholder value could be formed with benchmark hurdle rates, the company can ensure a return on projects which results in profitable and competitive advantage.
Constant innovationthis company's growth is driven by their constant innovation. Constant innovation is the key to their enterprises future. When they signed the tobacco settlement agreement in 1988 it fundamentally changed the way cigarettes are advertised, promoted, and sold in the US. This impacts every aspect of Philip Morris USA's marketing practices. While they are complying with this agreement they are also being responsible by marketing to adult smokers. They also have policies and practices in place to address all issues with their primary stakeholders along with their secondary stakeholders such as the general public, public health communities, parents, community leaders, decision makers, and the government (Altria, 2008).
Currently, HCA is approaching an all time high debt ratio of 70%, well above their established target ratio of 60%. The increase in debt ratio has attracted the attention of rating agencies who have clearly stated that in order for HCA to maintain their A bond rating HCA must return to their 60-40 capital structure. Now the question arises as to whether the A rating should be sought or should HCA move to a less conservative position. Some investors believe that a more aggressive use of leverage would present greater opportunities in the future. Others feel that with changes in Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement structure on the horizon, HCA should remain conservative. In order to decrease the debt ratio, HCA would have to 1) decrease the growth rate (inadvertently decreasing ROE) or 2) decrease debt/increase equity. The debt ratio is important for many reasons, but it should not be the basis of a company's future. The market will ultimately decide the value based on numerous facts, not just the bond rating.
...ccurately reflects the intrinsic value of the company from the shareholders point of view and their expectations of future earnings.
When discussing the cost of equity capital, or the rate of return required by investors for their share expenses, there are three main models widely used for analyzation. These models are the dividend growth model, which operates on the variable of growth and future trends, the capital asset pricing model (CAPM), which operates on the premise that higher returns are a result of higher risk, and the arbitrage pricing theory (APT), which has a more flexible set of criteria than CAPM and takes advantage of mispriced securities
The company is heavy on assets, the debt ratio will only grow to 0.40. with the added $50M in debt. Also, the firm will benefit from an added $2M in a tax shield and be able to return $12.7M a year to its. stockholders and investors, instead of $8.9M if equity is raised. finance the acquisition of the company.
The purpose of this report is to analyze Target Corporation’s financial statements, determine the future growth potential of the company, and make a recommendation for or against the acquisition of the company.
This is a publicly traded company in the US that has been ding quite well in the recent years. The company’s 10k filing for the year 2014. From this statement, the risks facing the company will be identified classified and suggestions made on how best to mitigate them in the subsequent areas. There are various areas that the risks can arise based on the company’s 10k filling (Mertz, 1999).
Brealey, Richard A., Marcus, Alan J., Myers, Stewart C. 1999, Fundamentals of Corporate Finance, 2nd edn, Craig S. Beytien, USA.
are ever increasing. Contrary to the popular myth that private equity firms weaken companies by
The debt used to acquire Salomon has been an important issue for the finances of the company. Although financially storng and unlikely to default, the company needs to look into reducing its debt to increase its profitability.