Created: 12/08/2020 | Version: 1.0
Code: ACBUS204A
Title: Business Finance Sem 2, 2020
Assessment 3: Group Assignment and Presentation
Weighting: 30%
Due: Week 11 – Written Assignment (25%)
Week 11 & 12 – Interviews XXXXXXXXXX%)
Instructions to Students:
Students should be aware that the group/individual assignment report and Excel spreadsheet analysis will be submitted via the Turnitin software which picks up paraphrasing and plagiarism of all levels from a vast a
ay of material including essays submitted at other institutions. Refer to the TAFE NSW Higher Education Academic Integrity and Honesty Procedure for further details. Refer to the ‘Turnitin Guidelines for Students’ on your subject Moodle for further information on using Turnitin software.
NOTE : Please read through carefully ALL of the Case Study closely & accurately – as it contains ALL of the KEY information & details required; as well as clues & hints !!!
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Written Assignment (25%)
Case Study Scenario – SOLGEN Z
Company Background
SOLGEN Z Limited is a new publicly listed company on the ASX that manufacturers and distributes hi-tech monocrystalline silicon/graphite encased solar storage panels to both domestic and global markets. The capital structure of the company is as follows:
$20,000,000 Ordinary shares issued, cu
ently trading at $20.00
$10,000,000 Preference shares issued, cu
ently trading at $13.30
$300,000,000 FV; 6.00% Corporate Bonds cu
ently trading at $87.65
Ordinary shareholders are expecting to receive a dividend of $2.50 next year, with anticipated growth of 3.5% each year thereafter. The risk-free rate in the marketplace is 4%, the market risk premium is 8%, and the Beta of SOLGEN shares is 1.5.
The Preference shares pay a constant dividend of $2.00.
The Corporate bonds have five years to maturity with bond holders receiving the coupon rate paid six monthly (semi-annual).
Cu
ent Proposal
The company is experiencing strong and increasing growth due to their extremely efficient solar panels. The company’s cu
ent line of solar panels leads the market in helping customers save money on energy costs, while reducing their ‘ca
on footprint’. The company believes the next rapid growth area will be in solar storage and the Board of Directors are committed to pursuing this new market. This investment will also maintain the company’s reputation as the market leader in innovation and product development in solar energy.
As general manager of the company’s capital budgeting department, the board has asked your team to evaluate a project for the SLX-2020, the ultimate solar storage system, which has the ability for customers to completely disconnect from the grid. The prototype model has so far cost $4,000,000 in research and development funds, and is now in beta testing, in readiness for full production.
Due to capacity constraints with their cu
ent production facilities, the company will need additional new plant which will be built on some of the company’s land which it owns; and the cu
ent market value of the land is $3,000,000. The project requires an initial capital investment (CapEx) of $30,000,000 to build a new plant and purchase relevant machinery & equipment. The investment will be depreciated (straight-line) over the life of the project which is estimated to be 5 years.
At the end of the project, the plant and equipment is expected to be worth $1,000,000 and the land is expected to be worth $4,000,000 (ignoring CGT and GST).
Anticipated sales are expected to be 5,000 units in the first year. Sales will increase in the next year (year 2) by 10%; and then due to new & aggressive competition, unit sales will then decline by 10% each year over the remaining life of the project. The company will produce units at a cost of $7,250 each and will sell them for $11,000 each. To supplement the production process, the company will need to purchase $5,000,000 worth of inventory (NWC) to commence production and that inventory will be depleted (or run down & returned to starting levels), during the final year of the project (by year’s end).
There are additional annual fixed costs of $1,000,000 and the company will need to hire an additional factory supervisor with an annual salary of $150,000. Total market survey & data research expenses (information gathering for the project analysis) to date; are $500,000. The company tax rate is 30% and is paid in the year following the year of income.
Capital Expenditure Investment Criteria
The Director’s believe the company’s risk tolerance and investment time horizon is important due to the rapid change in technology & competition becoming ready to hit the market. As a result, the Board has adopted the following decision rules for approving capital expenditure:
projects need to have a discounted cash flow greater than 50% of ‘CapEx’; a minimum internal rate of return of 27.5%; and a payback period of two & a half years or less.
Required:
1. Prepare a spreadsheet clearly showing the discounted cash flow for each year. The calculations must include the NPV, IRR and the Payback Period of the project. Scenario analysis (3 cases) & Sensitivity analysis (2 cases) should be utilized, to fully justify your recommendations & decision. You should also demonstrate the WACC for the company, as well as each cost of capital/security, and the capital structure of the company. Spreadsheet presentation, functionality and ease of understanding & interpretation; will also be graded (refer to the marking guide ru
ic XXXXXXXXXXmarks)
HINT: (Best to do the Scenario & Sensitivity analysis’- use a separate worksheet, for each different analysis in the Excel workbook). With Sensitivity analysis, it is most appropriate to test the negative effects of the chosen factors first!
2. Typed business report (approx. 2000 words – not a limit) making a recommendation whether to accept or reject the project, in regards of the financial analysis you have conducted above. Include ALL scenarios in the report. Also a detailed summary analysis of the KEY factors that drive the project & give it the value it has. Highlight the vital elements or factors.
Consideration of
oader business factors, the opportunities & threats analysis (SWOT) of the project; also to consider, the general ‘emission reduction targets’ and
the environment. Identify any political issues, policies or strategies that the company may face or benefit from in pursuing of this project; and explain a possible management plan to address such issues. (So you may want to include or refer to a PESTLE analysis).
The executive summary/introduction should contain concise reasons for your recommendation and a summary of your of key financial analysis.
Your report must also contain a strong conclusion to justify your analysis of the project.
All supporting sections of the report such as the contents page, reference list and appendices are in addition to the report (re word count).
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Subject:
ACBUS204
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Business
Finance
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Students are advised to attach all relevant spreadsheets, charts and any other research or statistics etc. as appendices. XXXXXXXXXX13 marks)
Group or Individual Interview/Reflection (5% XXXXXXXXXXmarks)
An Online Interview will be conducted by your teacher for 10 mins, asking you ‘one-on-one’ questions about your report, Excel spreadsheet, the results you reported and the recommendations you made. This can also include the various factors you listed in your SWOT analysis of the report.
(The guide here is to know your Excel results & report analysis well, as this will form the basis of the interview questions). One-on-One Online interview will be organized & booked at a later date – coinciding with week 12 of delivery.
Your marks will be awarded based on the ability to address likely reflective criteria & questions, such as those criteria listed below (BUT not just limited to these criteria below):
In looking at the various KEY elements you had to calculate & report on in this Case Study (e.g. NPV, IRR, WACC, scenario & sensitivity analysis of cash flows & the assumptions made when using this analysis etc).
· What were the most difficult elements to calculate for the spreadsheet & why? Highlight these (in summary). Eg. Assumptions for various types of analysis.
· What challenges did you undergo to a
ive at the conclusions you reached & recommendations you made? In regards of financial & business/industry analysis?
· Excel spreadsheet, what layout or formatting difficulties did you encounter? What features of Excel were you able to utilize and which aspects do you need improvement/further training on?
· When compiling the SWOT & business analysis, what issues if any did you encounter? Do you believe this covers all of the key issues that the company would face?
ACBUS204A – Individual Case Study- Assignment Marking Guide
Student No. – [Student Names]