The Examiner's Answers – F3 - Financial Strategy Some of the answers that follow are fuller and more comprehensive than would be expected from a well-prepared candidate. They have been written in this way to aid teaching, study and revision for tutors and candidates alike.
SECTION A Answer to Question One
(a) Three alternative uses of the funds have already been suggested by the Board of the Newspaper Division. These are: • • •
Reinvest in a new project. Repay debt. Pay a one-off dividend.
Investments, funding and dividend decisions are the main financial decisions facing all companies and are closely interrelated as each decision affects the others. Reinvest in a new project Reinvestment of the funds into a new project that has a positive NPV would help M plc achieve its growth targets as stated in its financial objectives. As we know from the pre-seen material, the key shareholders (that is, the bank, charity and financial institution) are putting pressure on the Board to devise a strategic plan aimed at achieving M plc’s stated financial objectives. Growth in revenue and profits between 2011 and 2012 met profit growth targets but not revenue growth targets as the following analysis shows:
Revenue Operating profit
2011
2012
274 68
200 73
Growth achieved 2.2% 7.3%
Target growth per financial objectives 4.0% 4.0%
A company such as M plc is likely to have a wide range of projects with positive NPVs to consider. These need to be assessed as to their contribution towards meeting M plc’s financial and strategic objectives. With the disposal of FR, M plc will lose control over the pan European newspaper that FR produces and which helps to meet one of its strategic objectives (strategic objective number 3). M plc may therefore wish to consider whether it is possible to provide a news service to native English speakers over a wide geographical spread (strategic objective number 2) by
Financial Strategy
1
November 2011