Fight Finance

Question 41  DDM, income and capital returns

The following is the Dividend Discount Model (DDM) used to price stocks:

### P_0 = \frac{d_1}{r-g} ###

Assume that the assumptions of the DDM hold and that the time period is measured in years.

Which of the following is equal to the expected dividend in 3 years, ## d_3 ##?

(a) ## d_1(1+g)^3 ##

(b) ## P_3(r-g) ##

(c) ## d_2(1+g)^2 ##

(d) ## P_0(1+g)^3(r-g) ##

(e) ## P_0(1+g)^2(r-g) ##

Question 247  cross currency interest rate parity, no explanation

In the so called 'Swiss Loans Affair' of the 1980's, Australian banks offered loans denominated in Swiss Francs to Australian farmers at interest rates as low as 4% pa. This was far lower than interest rates on Australian Dollar loans which were above 10% due to very high inflation in Australia at the time.

In the late-1980's there was a large depreciation in the Australian Dollar. The Australian Dollar nearly halved in value against the Swiss Franc. Many Australian farmers went bankrupt since they couldn't afford the interest payments on the Swiss Franc loans because the Australian Dollar value of those payments nearly doubled. The farmers accused the banks of promoting Swiss Franc loans without making them aware of the risks.

What fundamental principal of finance did the Australian farmers (and the bankers) fail to understand?

(a) Home-made leverage.

(b) Diversification.

(c) Cross-currency interest rate parity.

(d) Time value of money.

(e) The undiversifiable nature of systematic risk.

Question 274  derivative terminology, option

The 'option price' in an option contract is paid at the start when the option contract is agreed to. or ?

Question 275  derivative terminology, future

The 'futures price' in a futures contract is paid at the start when the futures contract is agreed to. or ?

Question 283  portfolio risk, correlation, needs refinement

Three important classes of investable risky assets are:

• Corporate debt which has low total risk,
• Real estate which has medium total risk,
• Equity which has high total risk.

Assume that the correlation between total returns on:

• Corporate debt and real estate is 0.1,
• Corporate debt and equity is 0.1,
• Real estate and equity is 0.5.

You are considering investing all of your wealth in one or more of these asset classes. Which portfolio will give the lowest total risk? You are restricted from shorting any of these assets. Disregard returns and the risk-return trade-off, pretend that you are only concerned with minimising risk.

(a) Most money in corporate debt, with some money in equity and real estate.

(b) Most money in equity, with some money in corporate debt and real estate.

(c) Most money in real estate, with some money in corporate debt and equity.

(d) Most money in corporate debt, with some money in real estate and none in equity.

(e) All money in corporate debt.

Question 444  investment decision, corporate financial decision theory

The investment decision primarily affects which part of a business?

(a) Assets.

(b) Liabilities and owner's equity.

(c) Current assets and current liabilities.

(d) Dividends and buy backs.

(e) Net income, also known as earnings or net profit after tax.

Question 482  market capitalisation of equity

The below screenshot of Microsoft's (MSFT) details were taken from the Google Finance website on 28 Nov 2014. Some information has been deliberately blanked out.

What was MSFT's market capitalisation of equity?

(a) $395.11 million

(b) $21.01 billion

(c) $121.92 billion

(d) $393.95 billion

(e) $1.02935 trillion

Question 770  expected and historical returns, income and capital returns, coupon rate, bond pricing

Which of the following statements is NOT correct? Assume that all events are a surprise and that all other things remain equal. So for example, don't assume that just because a company's dividends and profit rise that its required return will also rise, assume the required return stays the same.

(a) If a company's dividend (and profit and free cash flow to equity) rises, its share price will rise.

(b) If a fixed coupon bond's yield to maturity rises, its price will rise.

(c) If a residential property's rent revenue rises, its price will rise.

(d) If a patent's royalty revenue rises, its price will also rise.

(e) If a software asset's licensing revenue rises, its price will also rise.

Question 965  foreign exchange reserve, foreign exchange rate, no explanation

Observe the below graph of Chinese foreign exchange reserves held by the central bank, as well as the Chinese currency the Yuan (CNY, also called the Renminbi, RMB) against the US Dollar. Note the inverted y-axis scale on the Yuan exchange rate graph.

Which of the below statements is NOT correct?

(a) To increase FX reserves the Chinese central bank must buy CNY.

(b) The CNY appreciated against the USD from 2005 to 2013.

(c) The CNY was fixed prior to 2005 and from 2008 to 2010.

(d) If the Chinese central bank buys CNY using USD, the CNY is likely to appreciate against the USD, all other things remaining equal.

(e) The Chinese central bank spent its FX reserves from 2014 to 2016.

Question 985  principal agent problem, business structure

Which type of business organisation has the most checks and balances against the detrimental effects of the principal-agent problem since it's potentially the most exposed?

(a) Sole traders

(b) Partnerships

(c) Small private corporations

(d) Large public corporations