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Module Catalogue

IB236-15 Finance 2: Corporate Finance

Department
Warwick Business School
Level
Undergraduate Level 2
Module leader
Danmo Lin
Credit value
15
Module duration
10 weeks
Assessment
Multiple
Study location
University of Warwick main campus, Coventry

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Introductory description

Students will understand principles underlying financial decision making by corporations. They will develop a solid understanding of financing and investment decisions; options, futures, forwards, warrants and convertibles; valuation techniques for investment appraisals. Some of the fundamental concepts of corporate finance, such as corporate governance and capital structure are also discussed and a global aspect of corporate finance is reviewed under international finance.

Module aims

Make students critically aware of the key financial decisions taken by firms.
Develop in students a sound understanding of the main theories and models of Corporate Finance.
Make students aware of key empirical tests of those models, and their implications.
Provide students with structured opportunities to practise using the key tools and techniques of Corporate Finance.
Prepare students for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Finance.

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

  • Cost of Capital
  • Risky debt
  • Capital Structure
  • Payout Policy
  • Company valuation
  • Options
  • International Corporate Finance
  • Initial Public Offerings

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

  • Critically assess the factors that determine the optimal investment, financing and payout decisions of a firm.
  • Compute the cost of capital of a firm under alternative assumptions.
  • Use alternative methods for valuing firms to gain important insights into value drivers.
  • Discuss the main motives for mergers and acquisitions.
  • Identify the reasons why firms raise capital.

Indicative reading list

Hiller D, Ross SA, Westerfield RW, Jaffe J & Jordan BD, Corporate Finance, (European edition, McGraw-Hill 2010).
Berk J & DeMarzo P, Corporate Finance, (2nd edition, Pearson 2010).

Subject specific skills

  1. Discuss topical issues about the theory and practice of Corporate Finance.

  2. Construct spreadsheets to value the equity and debt in a firm’s capital structure, and test the robustness of those values to changes in key inputs.

  3. Explain and interpret corporate financial information from the financial press.

  4. Use web-based resources to retrieve, process and interpret corporate financial data.

Transferable skills

  1. Solve structured numerical problems.

  2. Write informed critiques of important topics in Corporate Finance theory.

  3. Analyse case studies and formulate arguments to support a particular solution.

Study time

Type Required
Lectures 10 sessions of 2 hours (13%)
Seminars 9 sessions of 1 hour (6%)
Private study 47 hours (31%)
Assessment 74 hours (49%)
Total 150 hours

Private study description

Independent learning

Costs

No further costs have been identified for this module.

You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.

Assessment group D
Weighting Study time Eligible for self-certification
Participation 10% 9 hours No
Online Examination 90% 65 hours No

Exam

~Platforms - AEP

  • Answerbook Green (8 page)
  • Students may use a calculator
Assessment group R
Weighting Study time Eligible for self-certification
Online Examination - Resit 100% No

Exam

~Platforms - AEP

  • Answerbook Green (8 page)
  • Students may use a calculator
Feedback on assessment

In-seminar and cohort feedback post-exam

Past exam papers for IB236

Pre-requisites

To take this module, you must have passed:

  • Any of

    • There is currently no information about the courses for which this module is core or optional.