Assignment
Part I: Dividend Policy: Assume that you were recently hired by a national consulting firm, which has been asked to help Adams, Stores, Inc. prepare for its public offering. Prepare a presentation in which you review the theory of dividend policy and discuss the following:
o The terms "irrelevance," "bird-in-the-hand," and "tax preference" have been used to describe three major theories regarding the way dividend payouts affect a firm's value. Explain what these terms mean, and briefly describe each theory.
o What do the three theories indicate regarding the actions management should take with respect to dividend payout?
o What are stock repurchases? Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a firm's repurchasing its own shares. D. What are stock dividends and stock splits? What are the advantages and disadvantages of stock dividends and stock splits?
Part II: International Financial Management Citrus, Inc. is a medium-sized producer of citrus juice drinks in Florida. Until now, the company has confined its operations and sales to the United States, but its CEO, Heidi Sims, wants to expand into Europe. The first step would be to set up sales subsidiaries in Spain and Sweden, then to set up a production plant in Spain, and, finally, to distribute the product throughout the European Union. The firm's financial manager, George Benson, is enthusiastic about the plan, but he is worried about the implications of the foreign expansion on the firm's financial management process. He has asked you, the firm's most recently hired financial analyst, to develop a 1-hour tutorial package that explains the basics of multinational financial management. The tutorial will be presented at the next board of director's meeting. To get you started, Benson has supplied you with the following list of questions.
o What is a multinational corporation? Why do firms expand into other countries?
o Discuss at least six major factors which distinguish multinational financial management from financial management as practiced by a purely domestic firm. (Please consider doing additional research on this question and document your findings).
o Discuss exchange rate risk as they relate to multinational corporations.
o Describe the current International Monetary System. How does the current system differ from the system that was in place prior to August 1971? (Please consider doing additional research on this question and document your findings).
o What is the difference between spot rates and forward rates? When is the forward rate at a premium to the spot rate? At a discount? (Consider doing additional research on this question and document your findings).
o From a managerial point of view, discuss how your responses above will help Citrus, Inc. as they plan to expand overseas.
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
o The answer should be typed, using Times New Roman font (size 12), double spaced, with one-inch margins on all sides.
o The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
o Also include a reference page. The Citations and references must follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.