Corporate Finance Syllabus
Corporate Finance
Syllabus
Spring 2009
Prof. Anna Scherbina
UC Davis Graduate School of Management
Office: 126 AOB IV
Tel: 530.754.8076 e-mail: ascherbina@ucdavis.edu
Course Focus
We will explore how corporations make financial decisions through the analysis of
Harvard Business School cases. Should a firm undertake a new investment opportunity, raise equity, acquire another firm, or conduct an IPO? How should small firms manage their working capital? How fast should a firm grow? These questions can be answered through incremental cash flow analysis technique, and in this course we will learn how to properly apply the technique to real-life situations. We will also examine how market imperfections, such as taxes, information asymmetries, and conflicts of interest, affect optimal corporate policies and what managers can do to increase the value of the firm.
Course Materials
Textbooks:
1. Principles of Corporate Finance by R.A. Brearly, S. Myers, and F.
Allen, 9th edition
2. Analysis for Financial Management by R.C. Higgins, 9th edition
These textbooks will be used for background readings only, and earlier editions are also fine.
Cases will be available on study.net
Course Format
Case analysis will involve building Excel models and conducting sensitivity analysis to assumptions in support of the final recommendation. Due to the labor-intensive nature of case preparation, I strongly encourage students to work in groups to get ready for class.
Attendance and participation are essential parts of the learning process for this course. I expect students to attend all scheduled sessions and to come prepared to contribute to the discussion. Reading assignments should be read in advance of class, and everyone is expected to participate in discussions. If you have a compelling reason for missing a class, you should inform me in advance (email is best). Missing classes will affect your grade; missing any without reasonable cause is
Syllabus
Spring 2009
Prof. Anna Scherbina
UC Davis Graduate School of Management
Office: 126 AOB IV
Tel: 530.754.8076 e-mail: ascherbina@ucdavis.edu
Course Focus
We will explore how corporations make financial decisions through the analysis of
Harvard Business School cases. Should a firm undertake a new investment opportunity, raise equity, acquire another firm, or conduct an IPO? How should small firms manage their working capital? How fast should a firm grow? These questions can be answered through incremental cash flow analysis technique, and in this course we will learn how to properly apply the technique to real-life situations. We will also examine how market imperfections, such as taxes, information asymmetries, and conflicts of interest, affect optimal corporate policies and what managers can do to increase the value of the firm.
Course Materials
Textbooks:
1. Principles of Corporate Finance by R.A. Brearly, S. Myers, and F.
Allen, 9th edition
2. Analysis for Financial Management by R.C. Higgins, 9th edition
These textbooks will be used for background readings only, and earlier editions are also fine.
Cases will be available on study.net
Course Format
Case analysis will involve building Excel models and conducting sensitivity analysis to assumptions in support of the final recommendation. Due to the labor-intensive nature of case preparation, I strongly encourage students to work in groups to get ready for class.
Attendance and participation are essential parts of the learning process for this course. I expect students to attend all scheduled sessions and to come prepared to contribute to the discussion. Reading assignments should be read in advance of class, and everyone is expected to participate in discussions. If you have a compelling reason for missing a class, you should inform me in advance (email is best). Missing classes will affect your grade; missing any without reasonable cause is