James Sigmund, CFA, is the Head of International Equity for Pell Global Advisors (PGA). Sigmund is considering investing in the country of Zuflak as part of an emerging market portfolio. Sigmund is aware of the risks in investing in emerging markets and is preparing a valuation report regarding this investment. He estimates that Zuflak government debt would be rated BB, and has gathered the following market information for use in analyzing Zuflak.

Local Government Bond Yield= 11.50%

U.S. 10 year Treasury Bond Yield= 4.50%

U.S. BB rated Corporate Bond Yield= 7.75%

Local Inflation Rate= 6.50%

U.S. Inflation Rate= 3.00%

To assist in his analysis of Zuflak, Sigmund has asked Stefano Testorf, CFA, to estimate a value for Kiani Corporation (Kiani), Oleg Industries (Oleg), and Malik Incorporated (Malik) - the three primary companies domiciled in Zuflak that Sigmund has determined to have adequate liquidity for inclusion in PGA’s client portfolios. Testorf gives Sigmund a rough draft of his report and tells Sigmund that in order to account for country specific emerging market risks, he used a probability-weighted scenario analysis to adjust cash flows. Sigmund asks him, “Why didn’t you simply adjust the discount rate?” Testorf replies with three reasons:

Reason 1: The country risk attributable to Zuflak can be diversified away according to modern finance theory, and should not be included in the cost of capital.

Reason 2: Companies in emerging markets tend to exhibit wild price swings both up and down, therefore adjusting cash flows is the best way to account for these symmetrical country risks.

Reason 3: Although Kiani, Oleg, and Malik are all domiciled in Zuflak, each of these companies will tend to respond differently to country risks. This makes it virtually impossible to adjust the discount rate for country specific risk and come up with an accurate valuation estimate.

After careful analysis by Sigmund and his team, Sigmund decides that he wants to have exposure to Zuflak in his international portfolios. He is still unsure however, what the best way would be to establish the exposure. Sigmund discusses his concerns with Steve Solak, another portfolio manager with PGA. Solak suggests that Sigmund consider using a closed-end country fund to invest in Zuflak. Solak hands Sigmund a copy of a note that he had provided to a client listing facts about country-specific closed end funds. The note contained the followingstatements:

Closed-end country funds provide an excellent means to access local foreign markets. Even nations that have restrictions on foreign investment are sometimes accessible using closed-end country funds.

Closed-end country funds issue a fixed number of shares and are a great way to diversify a U.S.-dollar stock portfolio because of their low correlation with the U.S. stock market.

Sigmund thanks Solak for the information and heads back to his office. As he is leaving, Solak asks him if he would have time later that afternoon to discuss the use of American Depository Receipts (ADRs).

Part 3)

In regard to Testorf’s reasons for incorporating emerging market risk into the valuation of Zuflak by adjusting cash flows rather than adjusting the discount rate, which of the following is TRUE?

A)Reasons 1 and 3 support Testorf’s cash flow adjustment, but reason 2 does not.

B)All three of the reasons given support Testorf’s cash flow adjustment.

C)Reasons 2 and 3 support Testorf’s cash flow adjustment, but reason 1 does not.

D)Reason 1 supports Testorf’s cash flow adjustment, but reasons 2 and 3 do not.

James Sigmund, CFA, is the Head of International Equity for Pell Global Advisors (PGA). Sigmund is considering investing in the country of Zuflak as part of an emerging market portfolio. Sigmund is aware of the risks in investing in emerging markets and is preparing a valuation report regarding this investment. He estimates that Zuflak government debt would be rated BB, and has gathered the following market information for use in analyzing Zuflak.

Local Government Bond Yield= 11.50%

U.S. 10 year Treasury Bond Yield= 4.50%

U.S. BB rated Corporate Bond Yield= 7.75%

Local Inflation Rate= 6.50%

U.S. Inflation Rate= 3.00%

To assist in his analysis of Zuflak, Sigmund has asked Stefano Testorf, CFA, to estimate a value for Kiani Corporation (Kiani), Oleg Industries (Oleg), and Malik Incorporated (Malik) - the three primary companies domiciled in Zuflak that Sigmund has determined to have adequate liquidity for inclusion in PGA’s client portfolios. Testorf gives Sigmund a rough draft of his report and tells Sigmund that in order to account for country specific emerging market risks, he used a probability-weighted scenario analysis to adjust cash flows. Sigmund asks him, “Why didn’t you simply adjust the discount rate?” Testorf replies with three reasons:

Reason 1: The country risk attributable to Zuflak can be diversified away according to modern finance theory, and should not be included in the cost of capital.

Reason 2: Companies in emerging markets tend to exhibit wild price swings both up and down, therefore adjusting cash flows is the best way to account for these symmetrical country risks.

Reason 3: Although Kiani, Oleg, and Malik are all domiciled in Zuflak, each of these companies will tend to respond differently to country risks. This makes it virtually impossible to adjust the discount rate for country specific risk and come up with an accurate valuation estimate.

After careful analysis by Sigmund and his team, Sigmund decides that he wants to have exposure to Zuflak in his international portfolios. He is still unsure however, what the best way would be to establish the exposure. Sigmund discusses his concerns with Steve Solak, another portfolio manager with PGA. Solak suggests that Sigmund consider using a closed-end country fund to invest in Zuflak. Solak hands Sigmund a copy of a note that he had provided to a client listing facts about country-specific closed end funds. The note contained the followingstatements:

Closed-end country funds provide an excellent means to access local foreign markets. Even nations that have restrictions on foreign investment are sometimes accessible using closed-end country funds.

Closed-end country funds issue a fixed number of shares and are a great way to diversify a U.S.-dollar stock portfolio because of their low correlation with the U.S. stock market.

Sigmund thanks Solak for the information and heads back to his office. As he is leaving, Solak asks him if he would have time later that afternoon to discuss the use of American Depository Receipts (ADRs).

Part 2)

To determine a valuation estimate for Oleg, Testorf assumes that local investors require a 5 percent real rate ofreturn on companies with similar risk to Oleg. What is Oleg’s price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, if the company has an inflation flow-through rate of 65 percent?

A)13.75.

B)5.33.

C)3.00.

D)21.25

James Sigmund, CFA, is the Head of International Equity for Pell Global Advisors (PGA). Sigmund is considering investing in the country of Zuflak as part of an emerging market portfolio. Sigmund is aware of the risks in investing in emerging markets and is preparing a valuation report regarding this investment. He estimates that Zuflak government debt would be rated BB, and has gathered the following market information for use in analyzing Zuflak.

Local Government Bond Yield= 11.50%

U.S. 10 year Treasury Bond Yield= 4.50%

U.S. BB rated Corporate Bond Yield= 7.75%

Local Inflation Rate= 6.50%

U.S. Inflation Rate= 3.00%

To assist in his analysis of Zuflak, Sigmund has asked Stefano Testorf, CFA, to estimate a value for Kiani Corporation (Kiani), Oleg Industries (Oleg), and Malik Incorporated (Malik) - the three primary companies domiciled in Zuflak that Sigmund has determined to have adequate liquidity for inclusion in PGA’s client portfolios. Testorf gives Sigmund a rough draft of his report and tells Sigmund that in order to account for country specific emerging market risks, he used a probability-weighted scenario analysis to adjust cash flows. Sigmund asks him, “Why didn’t you simply adjust the discount rate?” Testorf replies with three reasons:

Reason 1: The country risk attributable to Zuflak can be diversified away according to modern finance theory, and should not be included in the cost of capital.

Reason 2: Companies in emerging markets tend to exhibit wild price swings both up and down, therefore adjusting cash flows is the best way to account for these symmetrical country risks.

Reason 3: Although Kiani, Oleg, and Malik are all domiciled in Zuflak, each of these companies will tend to respond differently to country risks. This makes it virtually impossible to adjust the discount rate for country specific risk and come up with an accurate valuation estimate.

After careful analysis by Sigmund and his team, Sigmund decides that he wants to have exposure to Zuflak in his international portfolios. He is still unsure however, what the best way would be to establish the exposure. Sigmund discusses his concerns with Steve Solak, another portfolio manager with PGA. Solak suggests that Sigmund consider using a closed-end country fund to invest in Zuflak. Solak hands Sigmund a copy of a note that he had provided to a client listing facts about country-specific closed end funds. The note contained the followingstatements:

Closed-end country funds provide an excellent means to access local foreign markets. Even nations that have restrictions on foreign investment are sometimes accessible using closed-end country funds.

Closed-end country funds issue a fixed number of shares and are a great way to diversify a U.S.-dollar stock portfolio because of their low correlation with the U.S. stock market.

Sigmund thanks Solak for the information and heads back to his office. As he is leaving, Solak asks him if he would have time later that afternoon to discuss the use of American Depository Receipts (ADRs).

Part 1)

What is the best estimate of the country risk premium for Zuflak?

A)0.25%.

B)1.50%.

C)2.75%.

D)6.00%.

Tess Mulroney, a veteran options investor, wishes to do some speculating and hedging with options, but isn’t sure the derivatives currently available are attractively priced. Before making any transactions, Mulroney puts her calculator to work to determine a fair price for the options.

First, Mulroney seeks to protect a large variable-rate investment. She has loaned $40 million to her nephew’s construction company. The loan is payable in one year, and the current interest rate is 7.6 percent. Based on data provided by her brokerage house, Mulroney believes interest rates will fall sharply over the next year, with a 70 percent chance of a decline to 5.9 percent and a 30 percent chance of a decline to 4.7 percent.

To protect her cash flows, Mulroney is considering the purchase of a 6.2 percent floor. Mulroney knows a banker who writes such options, but she must come to him with a price in mind.

Next on Mulroney’s list is call options on Merrill Materials stock. She has obtained the followingassumptions through a subscription options service:

The stock trades for $35 per share.

The chance of an upward movement over the next year is 60 percent.

The likely downward movement is 20 percent.

At-the-money calls currently sell for $4.75.

Despite her experience, Mulroney knows she always has more to learn. So she then reviews some technical material on options that she found on the Internet. Mulroney spends the next hour reading up on sensitivity factors related to option pricing.

Later that day, Mulroney meets with Ben Glanda, her financial adviser. He has prepared some investment recommendations and advice for Mulroney.

His first suggestion addresses a series of investments Mulroney was considering. She had proposed buying a stock, buying a European put option on the stock, and writing a call option. Glanda has proposed an alternative investment that will be simpler to make.

Next Glanda attempts to convince Mulroney to start using an alternate method for valuing her options. Glanda suggests using the Black-Scholes-Merton model because of its precision and ability to consider more factors, but Mulroney prefers the binomial model because it requires fewer assumptions.

Mulroney doesn’t like the Black-Scholes Merton model for the following reasons:

It does not work for American options.

It does not consider volatility of interest rates.

It does not reflect the compounding of returns.

It does not work for assets that generate cash flows.

Part 6)

If Glanda is attempting to duplicate the effects of Mulroney’s proposed stock and option investment, he should recommend the:

A) sale of a riskless bond.

B) purchase of a riskless bond.

C) purchase of a stock.

D) sale of a stock.

Tess Mulroney, a veteran options investor, wishes to do some speculating and hedging with options, but isn’t sure the derivatives currently available are attractively priced. Before making any transactions, Mulroney puts her calculator to work to determine a fair price for the options.

First, Mulroney seeks to protect a large variable-rate investment. She has loaned $40 million to her nephew’s construction company. The loan is payable in one year, and the current interest rate is 7.6 percent. Based on data provided by her brokerage house, Mulroney believes interest rates will fall sharply over the next year, with a 70 percent chance of a decline to 5.9 percent and a 30 percent chance of a decline to 4.7 percent.

To protect her cash flows, Mulroney is considering the purchase of a 6.2 percent floor. Mulroney knows a banker who writes such options, but she must come to him with a price in mind.

Next on Mulroney’s list is call options on Merrill Materials stock. She has obtained the followingassumptions through a subscription options service:

The stock trades for $35 per share.

The chance of an upward movement over the next year is 60 percent.

The likely downward movement is 20 percent.

At-the-money calls currently sell for $4.75.

Despite her experience, Mulroney knows she always has more to learn. So she then reviews some technical material on options that she found on the Internet. Mulroney spends the next hour reading up on sensitivity factors related to option pricing.

Later that day, Mulroney meets with Ben Glanda, her financial adviser. He has prepared some investment recommendations and advice for Mulroney.

His first suggestion addresses a series of investments Mulroney was considering. She had proposed buying a stock, buying a European put option on the stock, and writing a call option. Glanda has proposed an alternative investment that will be simpler to make.

Next Glanda attempts to convince Mulroney to start using an alternate method for valuing her options. Glanda suggests using the Black-Scholes-Merton model because of its precision and ability to consider more factors, but Mulroney prefers the binomial model because it requires fewer assumptions.

Mulroney doesn’t like the Black-Scholes Merton model for the following reasons:

It does not work for American options.

It does not consider volatility of interest rates.

It does not reflect the compounding of returns.

It does not work for assets that generate cash flows.

Part 5)

The value of the floor Mulroney seeks is closest to:

A) $236,571.

B) $228,023.

C) $233,494.

D) $231,029.

Tess Mulroney, a veteran options investor, wishes to do some speculating and hedging with options, but isn’t sure the derivatives currently available are attractively priced. Before making any transactions, Mulroney puts her calculator to work to determine a fair price for the options.

First, Mulroney seeks to protect a large variable-rate investment. She has loaned $40 million to her nephew’s construction company. The loan is payable in one year, and the current interest rate is 7.6 percent. Based on data provided by her brokerage house, Mulroney believes interest rates will fall sharply over the next year, with a 70 percent chance of a decline to 5.9 percent and a 30 percent chance of a decline to 4.7 percent.

To protect her cash flows, Mulroney is considering the purchase of a 6.2 percent floor. Mulroney knows a banker who writes such options, but she must come to him with a price in mind.

Next on Mulroney’s list is call options on Merrill Materials stock. She has obtained the followingassumptions through a subscription options service:

The stock trades for $35 per share.

The chance of an upward movement over the next year is 60 percent.

The likely downward movement is 20 percent.

At-the-money calls currently sell for $4.75.

Despite her experience, Mulroney knows she always has more to learn. So she then reviews some technical material on options that she found on the Internet. Mulroney spends the next hour reading up on sensitivity factors related to option pricing.

Later that day, Mulroney meets with Ben Glanda, her financial adviser. He has prepared some investment recommendations and advice for Mulroney.

His first suggestion addresses a series of investments Mulroney was considering. She had proposed buying a stock, buying a European put option on the stock, and writing a call option. Glanda has proposed an alternative investment that will be simpler to make.

Next Glanda attempts to convince Mulroney to start using an alternate method for valuing her options. Glanda suggests using the Black-Scholes-Merton model because of its precision and ability to consider more factors, but Mulroney prefers the binomial model because it requires fewer assumptions.

Mulroney doesn’t like the Black-Scholes Merton model for the following reasons:

It does not work for American options.

It does not consider volatility of interest rates.

It does not reflect the compounding of returns.

It does not work for assets that generate cash flows.

Part 4)

Assuming the risk-free rate is 5.5 percent, call options on Merrill Materials are:

A) $0.2083 undervalued.

B) $0.2263 undervalued.

C) $0.5201 overvalued.

D) $0.0502 overvalued.

Tess Mulroney, a veteran options investor, wishes to do some speculating and hedging with options, but isn’t sure the derivatives currently available are attractively priced. Before making any transactions, Mulroney puts her calculator to work to determine a fair price for the options.

First, Mulroney seeks to protect a large variable-rate investment. She has loaned $40 million to her nephew’s construction company. The loan is payable in one year, and the current interest rate is 7.6 percent. Based on data provided by her brokerage house, Mulroney believes interest rates will fall sharply over the next year, with a 70 percent chance of a decline to 5.9 percent and a 30 percent chance of a decline to 4.7 percent.

To protect her cash flows, Mulroney is considering the purchase of a 6.2 percent floor. Mulroney knows a banker who writes such options, but she must come to him with a price in mind.

Next on Mulroney’s list is call options on Merrill Materials stock. She has obtained the followingassumptions through a subscription options service:

The stock trades for $35 per share.

The chance of an upward movement over the next year is 60 percent.

The likely downward movement is 20 percent.

At-the-money calls currently sell for $4.75.

Despite her experience, Mulroney knows she always has more to learn. So she then reviews some technical material on options that she found on the Internet. Mulroney spends the next hour reading up on sensitivity factors related to option pricing.

Later that day, Mulroney meets with Ben Glanda, her financial adviser. He has prepared some investment recommendations and advice for Mulroney.

His first suggestion addresses a series of investments Mulroney was considering. She had proposed buying a stock, buying a European put option on the stock, and writing a call option. Glanda has proposed an alternative investment that will be simpler to make.

Next Glanda attempts to convince Mulroney to start using an alternate method for valuing her options. Glanda suggests using the Black-Scholes-Merton model because of its precision and ability to consider more factors, but Mulroney prefers the binomial model because it requires fewer assumptions.

Mulroney doesn’t like the Black-Scholes Merton model for the following reasons:

It does not work for American options.

It does not consider volatility of interest rates.

It does not reflect the compounding of returns.

It does not work for assets that generate cash flows.

Part 3)

During the course of her review, Mulroney reads about a factor related to interest rates. The variable is negative for put options. Mulroney is reading about:

A) rho.

B) gamma.

C) vega.

D) theta.

Tess Mulroney, a veteran options investor, wishes to do some speculating and hedging with options, but isn’t sure the derivatives currently available are attractively priced. Before making any transactions, Mulroney puts her calculator to work to determine a fair price for the options.

First, Mulroney seeks to protect a large variable-rate investment. She has loaned $40 million to her nephew’s construction company. The loan is payable in one year, and the current interest rate is 7.6 percent. Based on data provided by her brokerage house, Mulroney believes interest rates will fall sharply over the next year, with a 70 percent chance of a decline to 5.9 percent and a 30 percent chance of a decline to 4.7 percent.

To protect her cash flows, Mulroney is considering the purchase of a 6.2 percent floor. Mulroney knows a banker who writes such options, but she must come to him with a price in mind.

Next on Mulroney’s list is call options on Merrill Materials stock. She has obtained the followingassumptions through a subscription options service:

The stock trades for $35 per share.

The chance of an upward movement over the next year is 60 percent.

The likely downward movement is 20 percent.

At-the-money calls currently sell for $4.75.

Despite her experience, Mulroney knows she always has more to learn. So she then reviews some technical material on options that she found on the Internet. Mulroney spends the next hour reading up on sensitivity factors related to option pricing.

Later that day, Mulroney meets with Ben Glanda, her financial adviser. He has prepared some investment recommendations and advice for Mulroney.

His first suggestion addresses a series of investments Mulroney was considering. She had proposed buying a stock, buying a European put option on the stock, and writing a call option. Glanda has proposed an alternative investment that will be simpler to make.

Next Glanda attempts to convince Mulroney to start using an alternate method for valuing her options. Glanda suggests using the Black-Scholes-Merton model because of its precision and ability to consider more factors, but Mulroney prefers the binomial model because it requires fewer assumptions.

Mulroney doesn’t like the Black-Scholes Merton model for the following reasons:

It does not work for American options.

It does not consider volatility of interest rates.

It does not reflect the compounding of returns.

It does not work for assets that generate cash flows.

Part 2)

The Black-Scholes-Merton model is designed to solve for:

A) volatility.

B) theta.

C) time to maturity.

D) option returns.

Tess Mulroney, a veteran options investor, wishes to do some speculating and hedging with options, but isn’t sure the derivatives currently available are attractively priced. Before making any transactions, Mulroney puts her calculator to work to determine a fair price for the options.

First, Mulroney seeks to protect a large variable-rate investment. She has loaned $40 million to her nephew’s construction company. The loan is payable in one year, and the current interest rate is 7.6 percent. Based on data provided by her brokerage house, Mulroney believes interest rates will fall sharply over the next year, with a 70 percent chance of a decline to 5.9 percent and a 30 percent chance of a decline to 4.7 percent.

To protect her cash flows, Mulroney is considering the purchase of a 6.2 percent floor. Mulroney knows a banker who writes such options, but she must come to him with a price in mind.

Next on Mulroney’s list is call options on Merrill Materials stock. She has obtained the followingassumptions through a subscription options service:

The stock trades for $35 per share.

The chance of an upward movement over the next year is 60 percent.

The likely downward movement is 20 percent.

At-the-money calls currently sell for $4.75.

Despite her experience, Mulroney knows she always has more to learn. So she then reviews some technical material on options that she found on the Internet. Mulroney spends the next hour reading up on sensitivity factors related to option pricing.

Later that day, Mulroney meets with Ben Glanda, her financial adviser. He has prepared some investment recommendations and advice for Mulroney.

His first suggestion addresses a series of investments Mulroney was considering. She had proposed buying a stock, buying a European put option on the stock, and writing a call option. Glanda has proposed an alternative investment that will be simpler to make.

Next Glanda attempts to convince Mulroney to start using an alternate method for valuing her options. Glanda suggests using the Black-Scholes-Merton model because of its precision and ability to consider more factors, but Mulroney prefers the binomial model because it requires fewer assumptions.

Mulroney doesn’t like the Black-Scholes Merton model for the following reasons:

It does not work for American options.

It does not consider volatility of interest rates.

It does not reflect the compounding of returns.

It does not work for assets that generate cash flows.

Part 1)

Which of Mulroney’s arguments against the Black-Scholes-Merton model is least compelling? Her statement about:

A) American options.

B) interest-rate volatility.

C) compounding returns.

D) cash flows.

Joseph Glass, CFA, is a consultant who provides advisory services to large manufacturing companies. Glass has been retained by ABCO, a leading manufacturer of widgets for automobiles in the United States. ABCO has hired Glass to evaluate the possibility of expanding their current base of operations by building an additional facility in South America. Management of ABCO has identified anincrease in demand for widgets in South America over the past decade, and any new manufacturing facility would produce goods to satisfy that void and would be distributed and sold across South America.

Glass is not familiar with the current economic climate in South America, but is aware that several governments have attempted to encourage economic development in their countries through the enactment of pro-business legislation. Two of these countries, Venezuela and Peru, both have the reputations of being “friendly” to foreign economic investment within their borders. The two countries share some similarities: both, until the past twenty years, were primarily agricultural economies with little industrial development. Also, both countries can offer a relatively low-cost labor force, although their workers in general, are not highly skilled.

The government of Peru has declared that protecting the country’s environment is of utmost importance, and has established a regulatory body that oversees any environmental concerns that may arise as the country becomes more industrialized. Fairly stringent regulations have already been put into place in order to ensure that going forward, the operating practices of manufacturers within their country’s borders will be in balance with the government’s concern for their county’s natural resources. Regulations cover areas of concern such as air emissions, water conservation and the use of sustainable resources. Glass advised ABCO that a cost-benefit analysis must be performed to accurately determine both the direct and indirect costs of compliance with the regulations.

The Venezuelan government has taken steps to ensure that it can carefully manage the development of its country’s emerging economy, and to ensure that a competitive market is maintained. A regulatory agency was established five years ago to provide guidance for any new manufacturing concern seeking to operate in Venezuela. The head of the agency is Juan Santos, the former CEO of one of the first modernized manufacturing facilities in the country. During his tenure as head of the agency, he has demonstrated his ability to render decisions that attempt to simultaneously satisfy legislators, industry participants, and consumers. Glass is impressed by Santos’ work so far, but realizes that over the past five years, Venezuela has experienced a period of relatively slow economic development. Glass believes that Santos’ skills will truly be put to the test in the upcoming years of the anticipated economic expansion.

Glass acknowledges the need for governmental regulation of industry, but recognizes that there always are offsetting costs, both short-term and long-term of such controls. Based upon his knowledge of events that have occurred in the United States over the past thirty years, Glass recommends that ABCO continue to carefully monitor economic developments in both countries even after a site for a new manufacturing facility is selected.

Part 6)

Both Peru and Venezuela have increased the level of governmental regulation as the countries have become more industrialized. A major argument in opposition of heavy regulation contends that the removal of governmental-imposed barriers to entry will actually lead to more competitive markets, and is referred to as:

A) deregulation.

B) the market share test.

C) the theory of contestable markets.

D) the theory of relevant markets.