Publications

Read Now

02 Feb 2016
First Look

February 2, 2016

quality of accounting information. Overall, a tractable accounting-based valuation model provides a unifying framework for obtaining reliable proxies of expected returns worldwide. Download working paper:... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

16 Jun 2009
First Look

First Look: June 16

a valuation objective, are critical features of an economic GAAP. We recognize the advantage of using fair values in circumstances where these are based on observable prices in liquid secondary markets, but caution against expanding fair... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

13 Mar 2019
News

The First Five Years: Sierra Smith and Taylor Wiegele (both MBA 2017)

were filming and Lori came in with Charles, we had to do everything we could to fight our smiles (for fear of giving up our negotiating leverage!). It was tough, too, seeing the other Sharks come in at better valuations and trying to... View Details

June 1998 (Revised June 1999)
Case

Dixon Corporation: The Collinsville Plant

By: W. Carl Kester

Dixon Corp.faces the task of valuing a plant and an associated project that it is considering buying. The revisions are designed to enable the application of adjusted present value technique for valuation. A rewritten version of an earlier case. View Details

Keywords: Factories, Labs, and Plants; Valuation; Projects; Forecasting and Prediction; Acquisition; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; Technology Industry

August 2024
Case

The Walt Disney Company: Management Guidance

By: Joseph Pacelli and James Weber

In November 2023, financial analyst Aurora Fee was forecasting The Walt Disney Company’s earnings and stock price, with the goal of providing an investment recommendation to her clients. Disney, one of the world’s largest media and entertainment companies, had just... View Details

Keywords: Valuation; Accounting; Investment; Communication; Forecasting and Prediction; Business Earnings; Growth and Development Strategy; Financial Services Industry; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; United States

September 2011 (Revised August 2012)
Background Note

The Venture Capital Problem Set

By: William Sahlman, Evan W. Richardson and James McQuade

This note consists of three valuation/analysis exercises often found in venture capital financing deals. View Details

Keywords: Venture Capital; Financing and Loans; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Negotiation Deal; Valuation

February 2004
Teaching Note

Sampa Video, Inc. (TN)

By: Richard S. Ruback and Peter Tufano

Teaching Note to (9-201-094). View Details

Keywords: Service Operations; Service Delivery; Projects; Valuation; Financing and Loans; Strategy; Cost of Capital; Service Industry

November 1999
Case

Seminis Inc.

By: Ray A. Goldberg, Jonathan West, Carin-Isabel Knoop and David Benedict Pearcy

Seminis became the world leader in vegetable seeds through a series of acquisitions. This case describes the Seminis strategy toward capturing value, biotechnology, and international operations. View Details

Keywords: Business Earnings; Acquisition; Profit; Global Strategy; Corporate Strategy; Valuation; Value Creation; Biotechnology Industry

Find at Harvard

January 1998
Case

Morgan Stanley and S.G. Warburg: Investment Bank of the Future (B)

By: James K. Sebenius and David T. Kotchen

Supplements the (A) case. View Details

Keywords: Negotiation; Valuation; Investment Banking; Mergers and Acquisitions; Consolidation; Banking Industry; Financial Services Industry

Find at Harvard

November 2009
Case

Cisco Acquires Linksys

By: David F. Hawkins

Students must suggest ways to value intangible assets, including trademarks, acquired by Cisco in the Linksys acquisition. View Details

Keywords: Accounting; Mergers and Acquisitions; Trademarks; Brands and Branding; Information Technology; Valuation; Telecommunications Industry

02 Oct 2000
Research & Ideas

The Dubious Logic of Global Megamergers

deal that brings some rationality to the valuation of Internet stocks. These are just some generic strategies, of course. Your viability as a nonconsolidator will depend directly on the analysis and imagination you bring to the table as... View Details

Keywords: by Pankaj Ghemawat & Fariborz Ghadar

October 2015
Teaching Note

Molycorp: Financing the Production of Rare Earth Minerals (A)

By: Benjamin C. Esty and E. Scott Mayfield

Molycorp, the western hemisphere's only producer of rare earth minerals, was in the middle of a $1 billion capital expenditure project in its effort to become a vertically integrated supplier of rare earth minerals, oxides, and metals. Yet it had just reported lower... View Details

June 2016
Supplement

FANUC Corporation: Reassessing the Firm's Governance and Financial Policies Spreadsheet Supplement

By: Benjamin C. Esty and Akiko Kanno

In February 2015, Daniel Loeb (a US-based activist investor) announced his firm had a large investment in FANUC Corporation, a leading producer of industrial robots and software for machine tools. Loeb was demanding that the Japanese firm change its financial and... View Details

Keywords: Financial Management; Valuation; Investment Funds; Policy; Corporate Governance; Macroeconomics; Investment Activism; Change Management; Financial Strategy; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Japan; United States

March 2013
Supplement

HOYA Corporation (A)

By: W. Carl Kester

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Investment Activism; Corporate Governance; Governance Controls; Governing and Advisory Boards; Negotiation Tactics; Business and Shareholder Relations; Valuation; Japan

June 2016 (Revised May 2017)
Case

FANUC Corporation: Reassessing the Firm's Governance and Financial Policies

By: Benjamin C. Esty, Nobuo Sato and Akiko Kanno

In February 2015, Daniel Loeb (a U.S.–based activist investor) announced his firm had a large investment in FANUC Corporation, a leading producer of industrial robots and software for machine tools. Loeb was demanding that the Japanese firm change its financial and... View Details

Keywords: Hedge Funds; Economic Policy; Investments; Government Policy; Deregulation; Financial Management; Valuation; Investment Funds; Policy; Corporate Governance; Macroeconomics; Investment Activism; Change Management; Financial Strategy; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Japan; United States

2009
Simulation

Finance Simulation: Blackstone/Celanese (Facilitator's Guide)

By: Nabil N. El-Hage, Timothy A. Luehrman and Heide Diener Abelli

Keywords: Bids and Bidding; Finance; Mergers and Acquisitions; Valuation; Leveraged Buyouts; Negotiation