Corporate Finance

EMEC003S6 (30 credits)

Lecturer: David Schroeder

Aims

To provide an understanding of corporate finance theory with applications to business decisions.

Objectives

On successful completion of this course, students should:

  • know the various facets of corporate finance;
  • know how to evaluate investment projects using the net present value criterion;
  • be able to assess the trade-off between risk and return of any portfolio;
  • be able to critically assess the controversies surrounding the irrelevance of dividend and debt policies;
  • be able to assess the implications of bankruptcy costs and debt-equity holder conflicts;
  • be able to assess the effects of taxes on dividends and shares;
  • know how to price options, when to buy or sell an option;
  • be able to assess cost and benefits of a merger.

Assessment

The three-hour June exam counts for 80% and an assignment over the Christmas vacation counts for the remaining 20%.

Reading

  • Grinblatt, M & S Titman, Financial Markets and Corporate Strategy, McGraw-Hill, 2001 (2nd edition)
  • Brealey, Myers and Allen, Principles of Corporate Finance, McGraw-Hill, 2005 (8th edition)
Department of Economics, Mathematics and Statistics, Birkbeck, University of London, Malet St, London WC1E 7HX.