Module Information
Course Delivery
Assessment
Due to Covid-19 students should refer to the module Blackboard pages for assessment details
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Essay (2,000 words) | 30% |
| Semester Exam | 3 Hours | 70% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Students must take elements of assessment equivalent to those that led to failure of the module. | 30% |
| Supplementary Exam | 3 Hours Students must take elements of assessment equivalent to those that led to failure of the module. | 70% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
1. Describe, explain and illustrate the structure, characteristics, attributes, purposes and operation of financial markets and a variety of financial market instruments.
2. Explain and analyse the regulation risks faced by banks and the management of bank risks and evaluate the rationale for existence of financial institutions and the need for financial intermediation.
3. Describe and explain and illustrate the issues of capital structure, dividend policy, leasing versus purchase policy, working capital management, accounting-based valuation and financial distress prediction (and associated matters).
4. Describe, derive, interpret and apply models which have been proposed to illuminate these issues.
5. Relate key financial issues one to another, to associated theory and to the preferences and expectations of key stakeholders.
Brief description
This module provides a thorough treatment of financial markets and institutions; and the key financial issues faced by the directors and managers of firms, including cost of capital and capital structure, dividend policy, taxation, leasing (versus borrow and purchase) policy, working capital management, accounting-based valuation, and financial distress prediction. The module examines the context in which decisions on these issues are made, and analyses relevant controversies and debates.
Content
• Firm structure and their objectives
• Sources of Finance
• Debt versus equity Financing
• Signaling and agency theory
• The Efficient Market Hypothesis
• Introduction to the different types of markets i.e. continuous/call/money/capital
• Current issues within the global financial markets
Financial markets
• Financial instruments and innovation
• Market microstructure
• Principles of banking
• Financial Intermediation
• Risk and regulation in banking
Taxation
• Classification of tax systems
• Basis of assessment and advance corporation tax (and its abolition)
• Basis of deduction
• Revenue and Capital Expenditure
• Relief for Capital Expenditure: Capital Allowances
• Trading Losses
• Transfer pricing
Cost of capital and capital structure
• Cost of Capital (Ordinary shares, retained earnings, preference shares, debt, Weighted Average Cost of Capital)
• Gearing and Debt/equity ratio
• Theories of Capital Structure: Traditional and Modernist views
• Modigliani and Miller derivations and arbitrage examples
• Market imperfections: Corporate and personal taxes; risky debt; bankruptcy costs; signaling and agency theories; empirical evidence; investment appraisal: adjusted present value (APV)
Equity finance and dividend policy
• Methods of issuing equity
• Signalling theory, agency theory and clientele theory
• Dividend relevance versus irrelevance
• Dividend policies and alternative distribution channels.
Leasing
• Finance Lease/ Operating Lease
• Financial accounting and tax accounting treatment
• Reasons for leasing, and lease evaluation
Working capital management
• Reasons for investing in WCM
• Objectives of WCM and policies
• Cash conversion cycle and WCM requirement
• Stock management, cash management, debtor management, creditor management
• Overtrading and the economic order quantity model
Accounting-based valuation and distress prediction
• Accounting-based valuation models
• Financial distress prediction models
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | Develop an easy familiarity with numerical data sources and numerical data. Apply numerical data to problem solving with care and accuracy. Assess the reasonableness of and interpret numerical solutions. Support assertions/arguments with appropriately developed and presented numerical data. Apply/ Derive complex mathematical formulae. |
| Communication | Develop confidence in and clarity of oral communication via example class/tutorial participation. Develop clarity and focus of written communication via development of answers to self study questions/ assignment production. Develop and use appropriate subject-specific vocabulary in oral and written communication. |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | Identify and distil the key issues covered by lectures, tutorials and self study. Identify and use a range of learning resources. Investigate benefits of small group working on self study. Structure study to accommodate intensive learning. |
| Information Technology | Use a variety of electronic web- and library-based resources to review available information and retrieve pertinent information. Use of word-processing skills in assignment. |
| Personal Development and Career planning | Preparation for seminar tasks will encourage initiative, independence and self-awareness. Identify a variety of potential career opportunities within the financial and professional services sector. |
| Problem solving | Identify the precise problem to be solved. Assess which data are pertinent to the problem. Recognize that alternative solution methods might be available. Select and apply appropriate methods for solving the problem. Assess the reasonableness of problem solutions and interpret those solutions. |
| Research skills | Identify which information sources are available to: - facilitate module study (understanding, wider reading).. - provide data which allow application of module learning in a real world context Properly reference/attribute information sources. |
| Subject Specific Skills | Develop competence in understanding and appropriately applying Corporate Finance models/ theory to practice. Develop competence in understanding the key financial decisions which are faced by the directors and managers of firms. Develop competence in understanding and analyzing financial market transformations and market efficiency. |
| Team work | Develop experience of team work and develop team working skills via small group working on self study. Group work during seminars. |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 5