Corporate Valuation is a “capstone” finance course that draws on core corporate finance principles, theories and methods previously studied. Students will work in teams to value an existing company, present their analysis and investment recommendation. The techniques covered include discounted cash flow, multiple-based and asset-based valuations. Because of the richness of the approach, most of the focus will be on discounted cash flow analysis. While this entails more work and requires significant student initiative, this type of ‘learning by doing’ should provide a lasting framework.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Demonstrate an in depth knowledge of valuation essentials;
2. Implement and communicate techniques used to place a value on a company’s operations; and
3. Use valuation tools to plan and monitor key corporate decisions.

Research-Led Teaching

This course will cover methods which are applicable in both a research and practical context. Examples will be provided during the course of the semester which will demonstrate

the practical application of research based models.

Required Resources

Prescribed Text

Damodaran, A., (2012) Investment Valuation, 3rd University Edition, John Wiley and Sons. (D)

(The prescribed text may be accessed electronically via the ANU Library (https://library.anu.edu.au/record=b3034662), and may also be purchased from the campus bookshop)

Other Required Reading

CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct: https://www.cfainstitute.org/ethics-standards/codes/code-of-ethics-and-standards-of-professional-conduct

CFA Institute Standards of Practice Handbook (Standard V) (SPH): https://www.cfainstitute.org/-/media/documents/code/code-ethics-standards/standards-practice-handbook-11th-ed-eff-July-2014-corr-sept-2014.ashx

Recommended Resources

Koller, T., Goedhart, M., and Wessels, D., (2020) Valuation: Measuring and Managing the Value of Companies, 7th Edition, McKinsey & Co, John Wiley and Sons. (https://library.anu.edu.au/record=b6978636)

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments
• verbal comments
• feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Topic: Introduction to Valuation Activity: Lecture 1 Required reading: (D) Chapters 1 and 2. CFA Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct.
2	Topic: Understanding Financial Statements Activity: Lecture 2 Required reading: (D) Chapter 3. (SPH) pages 155-168.
3	Topic: Risk and the Cost of Capital Activity: Lecture 3 Required reading: (D) Chapter 8. (SPH) pages 181-183.
4	Topic: Earnings and Free Cash Flow Activity: Lecture 4 Required reading: (D) Chapters 9 and 10.
5	Topic: Estimating Growth and Terminal Value Activity: Lecture 5 Required reading: (D) Chapters 11 and 12.	Quiz
6	Topic: Free Cash Flow to Equity Models Activity: Lecture 6 Required reading: (D) Chapter 14.
7	Topic: Firm Valuation Activity: Lecture 7 Required reading: (D) Chapter 15.	Mid-Semester Examination
8	Topic: Relative Valuation Activity: Lecture 8 Required reading: (D) Chapters 17 and 18.
9	Topic: Valuing Private Firms Activity: Lecture 9 Required reading: (D) Chapter 24
10	Topic: Valuing Real Estate Activity: Lecture 10 Required reading: (D) Chapter 26	Assignment Due
11	Topic: The Option to Delay and Valuation Implications Activity: Lecture 11 Required reading: (D) Chapter 28
12	Topic: Value Enhancement and Review Activity: Lecture 12 Required reading: (D) Chapter 32

Tutorial Registration

Tutorials will be available on Campus, live through scheduled Zoom sessions and as pre-recorded videos. Information regarding enrolments for these options will be provided on Wattle during O-week, prior to the start of the semester.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Quiz - 15 mins duration	0 %	23/08/2021	27/08/2021	1, 2
Mid-Semester Examination – 60 minutes in duration (Week 7*)	15 %	20/09/2021	04/10/2021	1, 2
Group Assignment	25 %	15/10/2021	29/10/2021	1, 2, 3
Final Examination – 4 hours duration (TBA)	60 %	04/11/2021	02/12/2021	1, 2

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Integrity . In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

Course content delivery will take the form of pre-recorded weekly lectures (available via echo 360 on Wattle), pre-recorded weekly workshops (available via echo 360 on Wattle) and weekly tutorials delivered in hybrid format (on campus, and live through scheduled Zoom sessions).

Examination(s)

Centrally administered examinations through Examinations, Graduations & Prizes will be timetabled prior to the examination period. Please check ANU Timetabling for further

information.

Assessment Task 1

Quiz - 15 mins duration

Date: Week 5, exact date and time to be advised (Online via Wattle)

Value or weighting: 0% (Quiz will be for self check purposes only)

Additional information: This will be an online quiz conducted via Wattle, consisting of multiple choice questions only. The purpose of the quiz is to provide students with feedback on their understanding of the material, prior to the mid-semester exam. The questions will be of practical (numerical) and/or theory in nature and students will need to review and revise all material covered in lectures 1 to 4, inclusive, as well as the corresponding tutorial material, and will be scheduled to be completed within a 2 hour window during that week. The specific time will be announced when confirmed. After quiz results are released, you may attempt the quiz as many times as you like. In light of the quiz, there will be no Workshop in Week 5.

Assessment Task 2

Mid-Semester Examination – 60 minutes in duration (Week 7*)

Date: Week 7 - to be centrally timetabled.

Value or weighting: 15% (or 0% if the mid-semester exam is not attempted or redeemed)

Additional information: This will be an online exam conducted via Wattle. The questions will be of practical (numerical) and/or theory in nature and students will need to review and revise all material covered in lectures 1 to 5, inclusive, as well as the corresponding tutorial material. This exam is optional and redeemable for students in this course. This assessment is to be completed individually, and while Proctorio will not be used in this course, students are not permitted to communicate during the examination. More details regarding the exam will be provided as the exam approaches (by week 5).

*The mid-semester exam will be scheduled centrally, with the expectation being that it will be held during Week 7. This may be subject to change in the unforeseen event

of timetabling restrictions. Should this be the case, students will be advised well in advance, by the lecturer.

Assessment Task 3

Group Assignment

Due Date: Friday 15 Oct 2021, by 5pm (Week 10)

Value or weighting: 25%

Additional information: An assignment handout will be provided on Wattle at the commencement of semester, with details elaborated in class. This assignment is to be

submitted electronically via Turnitin in Wattle by 5pm, on the Friday of Week 10.

Group formation: The assignment is to be completed in a group containing 3 - 4 students. Students should commence forming groups as soon as possible, and once

decided upon, email the Lecturer with the details of their group (student names and IDs of each member), with all group members included as recipients to the email. To

assist students in finding a group, a discussion forum will be created on Wattle, in Week 1, where students may post their desire to find a group, and/or looking for additional members. The deadline for group formation for the assignment will be 5pm on Friday August 3, 2021 (Week 3)

Assessment Task 4

Final Examination – 4 hours duration (TBA)

Date: To be centrally scheduled and administered by the ANU examinations once to take place during the final exam period.

Value or weighting: 60% (or up to 75% if the mid-semester examination is redeemed).

Additional information: This will be an individual, online exam administered via Wattle, and may include all topics covered throughout the semester. It is expected that the exam be completed in 3 hours, with the additional hour provided to allow for collating, and scanning your handwritten answers. Although Proctorio will not be used in this course, students are not permitted to communicate during the examination under any circumstances. More information will be provided about the final exam during the lecture in Week 10 of semester.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically, committing to honest and responsible scholarly practice and upholding these values with respect and fairness.

The ANU commits to assisting all members of our community to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle and Academic Misconduct Rule, uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with.

The Academic Misconduct Rule is in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Very minor breaches of the academic integrity principle may result in a reduction of marks of up to 10% of the total marks available for the assessment. The ANU offers a number of online and in person services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. Visit the Academic Skills website for more information about academic integrity, your responsibilities and for assistance with your assignments, writing skills and study.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

There is no hardcopy submission in the course.

Late Submission

No submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date will be permitted. If an assessment task is not submitted by the due date, a mark of 0 will be awarded.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Returning Assignments

The assessments will be returned via Turnitin by the dates indicated in the Assessment Summary. If there is any change to this, an announcement will be made on Wattle.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

No resubmission of assignments is allowed.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students