The module aims to develop students’ ability to apply the theoretical and empirical concepts of corporate finance to the decision-making process of real-world financial management. The module aims to develop students’ skills with respect to analysing both financial and non-financial information in ultimately determining/recommending appropriate courses of action for firms with respect to investment decisions, valuations, funding decisions and the management of financial risks.

This practical module aims to equip students with the skills they will require when working in financial management roles in large firms and being tasked with contributing to development of a firm’s financial management/strategy while balancing the needs of all stakeholders.

(LO1) Students will be able to evaluate investment opportunities and provide reasoned advice on investment appraisal decisions.

(LO2) Students will be able to apply a range of business valuation approaches and justify the underlying assumptions of their chosen valuations method(s)

(LO3) Students will be able to assess and compare various sources of finance available to businesses (including Green Financing options) and calculate a suitable risk-adjusted cost of capital for a business given a particular scenario

(LO4) Students will be able to demonstrate how various risk management (a.k.a. hedging products) can be used to manage financial risk and advise on appropriate risk management decisions for a particular scenario

(S1) Problem solving skills

(S2) Numeracy

(S3) Commercial awareness

(S4) Communication skills

(S5) Team Player

(S6) International awareness

(S7) Ethically aware

(S8) IT literate

Teaching Method: Lecture
Scheduled Directed Student Hours: 24
Attendance Recorded: No

Teaching Method: Seminar
Scheduled Directed Student Hours: 6
Attendance Recorded: Yes

Self-Directed Learning Hours: 120
Description: Self-Directed Learning will include research activity, developing academic writing skills, and wider reading to support the module

This module is a pre-requisite for the following module:
N/A

Skills/Other Attributes Mapping

Skills / attributes: Communication skills
How this is developed: In the coursework students will be required to effectively communicate the basis of the company valuations. In the exam students will be required to provide recommendations with respect to various financial management decisions.
Mode of assessment (if applicable): Coursework and final exam

Skills / attributes: Commercial Awareness
How this is developed: In the coursework students will have to consider both co mpetitor and industry data/information when performing their company valuation.
Mode of assessment (if applicable): Coursework and final exam

Skills / attributes: Numeracy
How this is developed: Students will be required to work effectively with numbers in all elements of the module.
Mode of assessment (if applicable): Coursework and final exam

Skills / attributes: Problem solving skills
How this is developed: For the coursework students will need to work in groups to value a company and in doing so select a range of comparable companies and appropriate assumptions to underpin the valuation.
Mode of assessment (if applicable): Coursework

Skills / attributes: Team player
How this is developed: For the coursework students will be required to work (effectively) in groups in order to tackle the coursework assignment.
Mode of assessment (if applicable): Coursework

Skills / attributes: International awareness
How this is developed: Bot h in the coursework and the final exam students will be dealing with tasks/questions that involve multinational companies.
Mode of assessment (if applicable): Coursework and final exam

Skills / attributes: Ethically aware
How this is developed: The ethics of the various financial management decisions will be covered during lectures and also tested via the final exam.
Mode of assessment (if applicable): Final exam

Skills / attributes: IT literacy
How this is developed: For the coursework students will be required to produce some models in Excel as part of their company valuation.
Mode of assessment (if applicable): Coursework

The module will cover the following topics:
1) Advanced investment appraisal (foreign currency, inflation and consideration of non-financial factors)
2) Business Valuations (options for corporate restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, asset and income based approaches for valuation)
3) Financing options (assessment and analysis of financing options, cost of capital, dividend policy)
4) Management of financial risk interest rate risk, currency risk and stock market risk)
5) Contemporary issues in corporate finance (including issues linked to sustainability such as Green Finance)