25. Impact of Exchange Rates on MNC Value. Olmsted Co. has small computer chips assembled in
Poland and transports the final assembled products to the parent, where they are sold by the parent in
the U.S. The assembled products are invoiced in dollars. It uses Polish currency (the zloty) to produce
these chips, and assembles them in Poland. The Polish subsidiary pays the employees in the local
currency (zloty). Olmsted Co. finances its subsidiary operations with loans from a Polish bank (in
zloty). The parent of Olmsted will send sufficient monthly payments (in dollars) to the subsidiary in
order to repay the loan and other expenses incurred by the subsidiary. If the Polish zloty depreciates
against the dollar over time, will that have a favorable, unfavorable, or neutral effect on the value of
Olmsted Co.? Briefly explain.
ANSWER: It will have a favorable effect because Olmsted incurs expenses in the zloty and it will be
26. Impact of Uncertainty on MNC Value. Minneapolis Co. is a major exporter of products to
Canada. Today, an event occurred that has increased the uncertainty surrounding the Canadian
dollar’s future value over the long term. Explain how this event can affect the valuation of
Minneapolis Co.
27. Exposure of MNCs to Exchange Rate Movements. Arlington Co. expects to receive 10 million
euros in each of the next 10 years. It will need to obtain 2 million Mexican pesos in each of the next
10 years. The euro is presently valued at $1.38 and is expected to depreciate by 2 percent each year.
The peso is valued at $.13 and is expected to depreciate by 2 percent each year. Review the valuation
equation for an MNC. Do you think that the exchange rate movements will have a favorable or
unfavorable effect on the MNC?
ANSWER: The movements in the euro are expected to have an unfavorable effect on Arlington’s
28. Impact of the Credit Crisis on MNC Value. Much of the attention to the credit crisis was
focused on its adverse effects on financial institutions, but many other types of firms were also
affected. Explain why the numerator of the MNC valuation equation was affected during the period of
October 6-10. Explain how the denominator of the MNC valuation equation was affected during that
period.
ANSWER: The numerator of the MNC valuation equation represents cash flows. In October, 2008,
the credit crisis intensified. Investors were concerned that the economic conditions in the U.S. and in
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Multinational Financial Management: An Overview 2
29. Exposure of MNCs to Exchange Rate Movements. Because of the low labor costs in Thailand,
Melnick Co. (based in the United States) recently established a major research and development
subsidiary there. The wholly-owned subsidiary was created to improve new products that the parent
of Melnick can sell in the United States (denominated in dollars) to U.S. customers. The subsidiary
pays its local employees in baht (the Thai currency). The subsidiary has a small amount of sales
denominated in baht, but its expenses are much larger than its revenue. It has just obtained a large
baht-denominated loan that will be used to expand its subsidiary. The business that the parent of
Melnick Co. conducts in the United States is not exposed to exchange rate risk. If the Thai baht
weakens over the next 3 years, will the value of Melnick Co. be favorably affected, unfavorably
affected, or unaffected? Briefly explain.
ANSWER: It will be favorably affected since it needs fewer dollars over time to cover its loan
30. Shareholder Rights of Investors in MNCs. MNCs tend to expand more when they more easily
access funds by issuing stock. In some countries, shareholder rights are very limited and so the MNCs
are less able to raise funds by issuing stock. Explain why access to funding is more severe for MNCs
based in countries where shareholder rights are limited.
ANSWER: Shareholders may be concerned that the agency problems of the local firms would be very
31. MNC Cash Flows and Exchange Rate Risk. Tuscaloosa Co. is a U.S. firm that assembles phones in
Argentina and transports the final assembled products to the parent, which sells them in the U.S.. The
assembled products are invoiced in dollars. The Argentine subsidiary obtains some material from
China, and the Chinese exporter is willing to accept Argentine pesos as payment for these exported
materials. The Argentine subsidiary pays its employees in the local currency (pesos), and finances its
operations with loans from an Argentine bank (in pesos). Tuscaloosa Co. has no other international
business. If the Argentine peso depreciates against the dollar over time, will that have a favorable,
unfavorable, or neutral effect on Tuscaloosa Co.? Briefly explain.
Tuscaloosa Co. has no cash inflows in Argentine pesos, but has cash outflows in Argentine pesos.
32. MNC Cash Flows and Exchange Rate Risk. Asheville Co. has a subsidiary in Mexico that develops
software for its parent. It rents a large facility in Mexico and hires many people in Mexico to work in
the facility. Ashville Co. has no other international business. All operations are presently funded by
Asheville’s parent. All the software is sold to U.S. firms by Asheville’s parent and is invoiced in U.S.
dollars.
a. If the Mexican peso appreciates against the dollar, does this have a favorable effect, an unfavorable
effect, or no effect on Asheville’s value?
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Multinational Financial Management: An Overview 3
b. Asheville Co. plans to borrow funds to support its expansion in the U.S. The Mexican interest rates
are presently lower than U.S. interest rates, so Asheville obtains a loan denominated in Mexican pesos
in order to support its expansion in the U.S. Will the borrowing of pesos increase, decrease, or have
no effect on its exposure to exchange rate risk? Briefly explain.
ANSWER:
a. Appreciation of the peso has an unfavorable effect because it results in higher dollar expenses to
Asheville Co.
33. Estimating an MNC’s Cash Flows. Biloxi Co. is a U.S. firm with a subsidiary in China. The
subsidiary reinvests half of its net cash flows into operations and remits half to the parent. Biloxi Co.
has expected cash flows of $10,000,000 from domestic business and the Chinese subsidiary is
expected to generate 100 million Chinese yuan at the end of the year. The expected value of yuan at
the end of the year is $.13. What are the expected dollar cash flows of the parent of Biloxi Co. in one
year?
ANSWER
34. Uncertainty Surrounding an MNC’s Cash Flows.
a. Assume that Bangor Co. (a U.S. firm) knows that it will have cash inflows of $900,000 from
domestic operations, cash inflows of 200,000 Swiss francs resulting from exports to Swiss operations,
and cash outflows of 500,000 Swiss francs at the end of the year. Although the future value of the
Swiss franc is uncertain, your best guess is that it will be worth $1.10 at the end of this year. What are
the expected dollar cash flows of Bangor Co?
b. Assume that Concord Co. (a U.S. firm) is in the same industry as Bangor Co. There is no political
risk that could have any impact on the cash flows of either firm. Concord Co. knows that it will have
cash inflows of $900,000 from domestic operations, cash inflows of 700,000 Swiss francs from
exports to Swiss operations, and cash outflows of 800,000 Swiss francs at the end of the year. Is the
valuation of the total cash flows of Concord Co. more uncertain or less uncertain than the total cash
flows of Bangor Co.? Explain briefly.
ANSWER
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Multinational Financial Management: An Overview 4
35. Valuation of an MNC. Odessa Co., Midland Co., and Roswell Co. are U.S. firms in the same
industry and have the same valuation as of yesterday, based on the present value of future cash flows
of each company. Odessa Co. obtains a large amount of its supplies invoiced in euros from European
countries, and all of its sales are invoiced in dollars. Midland has a large subsidiary in Europe that
does all of its business in euros and remits profits to the U.S. parent every year. Roswell Co. has no
international business. Suppose an event occurs that you believe will cause a substantial depreciation
of the euro against the dollar over time, but assume this event will not change the business operations
of the firms mentioned. Which firm will have the highest valuation based on your expectations?
Briefly explain.
ANSWER
36. Impact of Uncertainty on an MNC’s Valuation. Assume that Alpine Co. is a U.S. firm that has
direct foreign investment in Brazil as a result establishing a subsidiary there. Political conditions have
changed in Brazil, but the best guess by investors regarding the future annual cash flows for Alpine
Co. has not changed despite the uncertainty surrounding those estimates. In other words, the
distribution of possible outcomes above and below the best guess has widened. Would this change in
uncertainty cause the prevailing value of Alpine Co. to increase, decrease, or remain unchanged?
Briefly explain.
ANSWER: The increase in uncertainty surrounding cash flows would cause the prevailing value of
37. Exposure of MNC Cash Flows.
a. Rochester Co. is a U.S. firm that has a language institute in France. This institute attracts
Americans who want to learn the French language. Rochester Co. charges tuition to the American
students in dollars. It expects that its dollar revenue from charging tuition will be stable over each of
the next several years. Rochester’s total expenses for this business project are as follows. It rents a
facility in Paris, and makes a large rent payment each month in euros. It also hires several French
citizens as full-time instructors, and pays their salary in euros. Rochester Co. expects that its
euro-denominated expenses will be stable over each of the next several years. If the euro appreciates
against the dollar over time, should this have a favorable effect, unfavorable effect, or no effect on the
value of Rochester Co.? Briefly explain.
b. Rochester considers a new project in which it would also attract people from Spain, and the
institute in France would teach them the French language; tuition would be charged in euros. The
expenses for this project would be about the same as those for the one just described for American
students. Assume that euros to be generated by this project would be stable over the next several
years. Assume that this project is about the same size as the project for American students. For either
project, the expected annual revenue is just slightly larger than the expected annual expenses. Is the
valuation of net cash flows subject to a higher degree of exchange rate risk for this project or for the
project for American students? Briefly explain.
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Multinational Financial Management: An Overview 5
ANSWER: The valuation of net cash flows for the project focused on American students is more
Solution to Continuing Case Problem: Blades, Inc.
1. What are the advantages Blades could gain from importing from and/or exporting to a foreign country
such as Thailand?
ANSWER: The advantages Blades, Inc. could gain from importing from Thailand include potentially
lowering Blades’ cost of goods sold. If the inputs (rubber and plastic) are cheaper when imported
2. What are some of the disadvantages Blades could face as a result of foreign trade in the short run? In
the long run?
ANSWER: There are several potential disadvantages Blades, Inc. should consider. First of all, Blades
In the long run, Blades should be aware of any regulatory and environmental constraints the Thai
3. Which theories of international business described in this chapter apply to Blades, Inc. in the short
run? In the long run?
ANSWER: There are at least three theories of international business: the theory of comparative
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Multinational Financial Management: An Overview 6
4. What long-range plans other than establishing a subsidiary in Thailand are possible for Blades?
Would these other options be more suitable for the company?
ANSWER: Since Ben Holt is very unfamiliar with international business, and since Blades has never
Solution to Supplemental Case: Ranger Supply Company
This case is simply intended to force students to think about reasons for or against international business.
As with most cases, there are no perfect solutions, but there are some general conclusions that can be
drawn.
a. Some of the more obvious factors to consider are:
1. Competition. There are similar distributors in Canada, whereas Eastern Europe may not have an
2. Transportation Costs. The costs of transporting office supplies to Eastern Europe would be high,
placing Ranger at a relative disadvantage compared to other European firms.
4. Marketing Characteristics. Ranger would have an easier time adapting to the Canadian market.
5. Exchange Rates. The future exchange rates of the Canadian dollar and currencies of Eastern
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Multinational Financial Management: An Overview 7
b. Recall that the reason for Ranger to expand overseas was to offset the anticipated U.S. demand for its
Small Business Dilemma
In every chapter of this text, some of the key concepts are illustrated with an application to a small
sporting goods firm that conducts international business. The “Small Business Dilemma” in each
chapter allows students to recognize the dilemmas and possible decisions that firms (such as this sporting
goods firm) may face in a global environment. For this chapter, the application is on the development of
the sporting goods firm that would conduct international business.
Developing a Multinational Sporting Goods Corporation
1. Is Sports Exports Company a multinational corporation?
2. Why are the agency costs lower for Sports Exports Company than for most MNCs?
3. Does Sports Exports Company have any comparative advantage over potential competitors in foreign
countries that could produce and sell footballs there?
ANSWER: The Sports Exports Company has a comparative advantage of applying an idea that has
4. How would Jim Logan decide which foreign markets he would attempt to enter? Should he initially
focus on one or many foreign markets?
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Multinational Financial Management: An Overview 8
ANSWER: Jim would need to consider various factors, such as the potential demand for footballs in
While Jim may someday wish to spread his international business across several different countries,
5. The Sports Exports Company has no immediate plans to conduct direct foreign investment. However,
it might consider other less costly methods of establishing its business in foreign markets. What
methods might the Sports Exports Company use to increase its presence in foreign markets by
working with one or more foreign companies?
ANSWER: The Sports Exports Company may consider a licensing agreement whereby it has a
International Investing Project
This project is provided in Appendix D in the back of the text. It may be used as a project assignment
that is to be completed by the end of the semester.
Discussion in the Board Room
This exercise is provided in Appendix E in the back of the text. It may be used as a project assignment
that is to be completed by the end of the semester. Possible answers to the discussion questions are
provided at the end of this Instructor’s Manual (after Chapter 21). If you use this appendix for in-class
discussion on a weekly basis, you may benefit from making a copy of the discussion questions and
possible answers provided at the end of the Instructors Manual so that you have easy access to this
exercise each week in class.
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