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In the spring of 1984, Disney Productions' stock was selling for about $3.125 per share. (All prices have been adjusted for 4-for-l splits in 1986 and 1992.) Then Saul Steinberg, a New York financier, began acquiring it; after he had 12%, he announced a tender offer for another 37% of the stock—which would bring his holdings up to 49%—at a price of $4.22 per share. Disney's management then announced plans to buy Gibson Greeting Cards and Arvida Corporation, paying for them with stock. It also lined up bank credit and (according to Steinberg) was prepared to borrow up to $2 billion and use the funds to repurchase shares at a higher price than Steinberg was offering. All of these efforts were designed to keep Steinberg from taking control. In June, Disney's management agreed to pay Steinberg $4.84 per share, which gave him a gain of about $60 million on a 2-month investment of about $26.5 million.
When Disney's buyback of Steinberg's shares was announced, the stock price fell almost instantly from $4.25 to $2.875. Many Disney stockholders were irate, and they sued to block the buyout. Also, the Disney affair added fuel to the fire in a congressional committee that was holding hearings on proposed legislation that would (1) prohibit someone from acquiring more than 10% of a firm's stock without making a tender offer for all the remaining shares; (2) prohibit poison pill tactics such as those Disney's management had used to fight off Steinberg; (3) prohibit buybacks, such as the deal eventually offered to Steinberg, (greenmail) unless there was an approving vote by stockholders; and (4) prohibit (or substantially curtail) the use of golden parachutes (the one thing Disney's management did not try).
Set forth the arguments for and against this type of legislation. What provisions, if any, should it contain? Also, look up Disney's current stock price to see how its stockholders have fared. Note that Disney's stock was split 3-for-l in July 1998.
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Chapter 21 Solutions
Fundamentals Of Financial Management
- You have just won the Strayer Lottery jackpot of $11,000,000. You will be paid in twenty-six equal annual installments beginning immediately. If you had the money now, you could invest it in an account with a quoted annual interest rate of 9% with monthly compounding of interest. Calculate the present value of the payments you will receive. Show your calculations using formulas in your paper or in an attached spreadsheet file.arrow_forwardThe approach uses a weighted average cost of capital that is unique to a particular project while determining the appropriate discount rate.arrow_forwardAn all-equity firm faces a risk-free rate of 4%, a beta of 2, and a market risk premium of 6%. What is its cost of capital? Multiple choice question. 18% 12% 14% 16%arrow_forward
- created or destroyed. uses the weighted average cost of capital to determine if value is beingarrow_forwardUnder the subjective approach for project evaluation, all proposed projects are placed into several Blank______ categories. Multiple choice question. risk cost revenue returnarrow_forwardUsing the WACC as the discount rate for future cash flows is appropriate only when the proposed investment is Blank______ the firm's existing activities. Multiple choice question. riskier than different from less risky than similar toarrow_forward
- Suppose a project has a cost of $20 million and expected cash flows of 10 million per year for two years. If the WACC is 10%, what is the NPV of this project? Multiple choice question. $17.4 million –$2.6 million $2.6 million 0 millionarrow_forwardAlpha Corporation consists of two divisions, X and Y. Division X is riskier than Division Y. If Alpha Corporation uses the firm's overall weighted average cost of capital to evaluate both divisions' projects, which division(s) will tend to be awarded greater funds for investment? Multiple choice question. Only division X Neither division Both divisions Only division Yarrow_forwardAlpha Corporation consists of two divisions, X and Y. Division X is riskier than Division Y. If Alpha Corporation uses the firm's overall weighted average cost of capital to evaluate both divisions' projects, which division(s) will tend to be awarded greater funds for investment? Multiple choice question. Only division X Neither division Both divisions Only division Yarrow_forward
- Which of the following is true of the dividends paid to common stockholders? Multiple choice question. All companies are legally required to pay dividends when they earn a net income. All companies are legally required to pay fixed dividends regardless of their financial performance. Dividends paid are not tax deductible. Unlike interest payments, dividends paid are tax-deductible at the corporate level and are tax-free at the personal level.arrow_forwardIf a firm issues no debt, its weighted average cost of capital will equal Blank______. Multiple choice question. its cost of debt half the sum of the cost of debt and equity its dividend yield its cost of equityarrow_forwardIf a firm issues no debt, its weighted average cost of capital will equal Blank______. Multiple choice question. its cost of debt half the sum of the cost of debt and equity its dividend yield its cost of equityarrow_forward
Cornerstones of Cost Management (Cornerstones Ser...AccountingISBN:9781305970663Author:Don R. Hansen, Maryanne M. MowenPublisher:Cengage Learning