Exam 18: Initial Public Offerings-Investment Banking: and Financial Restructuring

The term "equity carve-out" refers to the situation where a firm's managers give themselves the right to purchase new stock at a price far below the going market price. Since this dilutes the value of the public stockholders, it "carves out" some of their value.

Which of the following statements is most CORRECT?

The term "leaving money on the table" refers to the situation where an investment banking house makes a very low bid for the right to underwrite a firm's new stock offering. The banker is, in effect, "buying the job" with the low bid and thus not getting all the money his firm would normally earn on the job.

To finance its ongoing construction project, Bowen-Roth Inc. will need $5,000,000 of new capital during each of the next 3 years. The firm has a choice of issuing new debt or equity each year as the funds are needed, or issue only debt now and equity later. Its target capital structure is 40% debt and 60% equity, and it wants to be at that structure in 3 years, when the project has been completed. Debt flotation costs for a single debt issue would be 1.6% of the gross debt proceeds. Yearly flotation costs for 3 separate issues of debt would be 3.0% of the gross amount. Ignoring time value effects, how much would the firm save by raising all of the debt now, in a single issue, rather than in 3 separate issues?

If its managers make a tender offer and buy all shares that were not held by the management team, this is called a private placement.

Which of the following statements about listing on a stock exchange is most CORRECT?

Going public establishes a market value for the firm's stock, and it also ensures that a liquid market will continue to exist for the firm's shares. This is especially true for small firms that are not widely followed by security analysts.

In its negotiations with its investment bankers, Patton Electronics has reached an agreement whereby the investment bankers receive a smaller fee now (6% of gross proceeds versus their normal 10%) but also receive a 1-year option to purchase an additional 200,000 shares at $5.00 per share. Patton will go public by selling $5,000,000 of new common stock. The investment bankers expect to exercise the option and purchase the 200,000 shares in exactly one year, when the stock price is forecasted to be $6.50 per share. However, there is a chance that the stock price will actually be $12.00 per share one year from now. If the $12 price occurs, what would the present value of the entire underwriting compensation be? Assume that the investment banker's required return on such arrangements is 15%, and ignore taxes.

Which of the following statements is NOT CORRECT?

Which of the following is generally NOT true and an advantage of going public?

The cost of meeting SEC and possibly additional state reporting requirements regarding disclosure of financial information, the danger of losing control, and the possibility of an inactive market and an attendant low stock price are potential disadvantages of going public.

Which of the following statements concerning common stock and the investment banking process is NOT CORRECT?

Whereas commercial banks take deposits from some customers and make loans to other customers, the principal activities of investment banks are (1) to help firms issue new stock and bonds and (2) to give firms advice with regard to mergers and other financial matters. However, financial corporations often own and operate subsidiaries that operate as commercial banks and others that are investment banks. This was not true some years ago, when the two types of banks were required by law to be completely independent of one another.