Review the case study enclosed below and answer the following questions by writing the case report in accordnce with the following formatting:
- Please do not include any cover page.
- You must encompass around two pages of text.
- Do not include any tables or figures in the text.
- Write paper in Times New Roman, font size 12, having 1.5 inch line spacing, with margins of at least one inch.
Please write up a case report with your analysis of the following issues:
1. Why has Netscape been so successful to date? What appears to be its strategy? What must be accomplished if it is to be a highly successful going concern in the long run? How risky is its current competitive position?
2. Does Netscape need to go public to satisfy its capital needs? What would you estimate might be the magnitude of its capital needs over the next 3 to 5 years? What sources other than the public equity market could be tapped to satisfy those needs?
3. The case points out that the IPO market is sometimes characterized as a "hot issue" market, and that many IPOs are viewed in retrospect as having been "underpriced". What might explain these phenomena? Should the Netscape board be concerned about underpricing? Why or why not?
4. Can the recommended offering price of $28 per share for Netscape’s stock be justified? In valuing Netscape, you might find it helpful to use the following assumptions:
a) Total cost of revenue remains at 10.4% of total revenue;
b) R&D remains at 36.8% of total revenue;
c) Other operating expenses decline on a straight line basis from 80.9% of revenues in 1995 to 20.9% of revenue in 2001 (this would give Netscape a ratio of operating income to revenue close to Microsoft’s);
d) Capital expenditures decline from 45.8% of revenues in 1995 to 10.8% of revenues by 2001 (again, close to Microsoft’s experience);
e) Depreciation is held constant at 5.5% of revenues;
f) Changes in net working capital of essentially zero;
g) Long-term steady-state growth of 4% annually after 2005; and
h) A long-term riskless interest rate of 6.71%.
Given these assumptions, and starting from its current revenue base of $16.625 million, how fast must Netscape grow on an annual basis over the next ten years to justify a $28 share value?
5. As an executive of Netscape, what would you recommend with respect to the proposed offering price? As an investor in Netscape, what would you recommend? As the manager of an institutional fund who was willing to buy and hold Netscape’s stock at the original proposed price of $14 per share, would you be willing to buy and hold at an initial offering price of $28 per share?
Attachment:- netscape-.pdf