CDO352: Analyse the downfall of HLT from the Perspective of Global financial market risks OR financial shenanigans: Financial Decisions Assignment, SUSS, Singapore

Question 1:
Read the following news article:

https://www.straitstimes.com/business/companiesmarkets/singapore-giant-oil-trader-hin-leong-ocean-tankers-apply-for-court (20 April 2020).

Respond to the following:
(a) Analyse the downfall of HLT from the perspective of (i) global financial market risks OR (ii) financial shenanigans.

(b) Appraise the impact of the decision “not to disclose hundreds of millions of dollars in losses over several years” on (i) HLT’s revenue structure, cost structure OR capital structure, and (ii) liquidity, profitability, bankability OR viability.

Question 2:

Read the following news article:

https://www.marketing-interactive.com/grab-singtelconsortium-awarded-digital-full-bank-licence-looks-to-fill-200-roles-by-2021 (7 December 2020).

Respond to the following:
(a) Recommend what Grab (with 60% stake) should do to enhance the psychological value of the consortium

(b) Recommend what Singtel (with 40% stake) should do to make Grab the Greater Fool in the consortium.

Question 3:
Read the following news article:

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/proposed-gvcathay-merger-a-sign-of-change-for-cinema-industry (10 December 2020).

Respond to the following:
(a) Examine how Golden Village can enhance its market value to improve returns to shareholders via the proposed merger.

(b) Examine how Cathay can create market interest to generate more revenue via the proposed merger.

ASSIGNMENT 02 (TMA02): Video-Based Assignment

Question:
Read the following news article: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapores-hawkerculture-added-to-unesco-list-of-intangible-cultural-heritage.

Upon hearing this news, Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of several listed food companies asked their staff to meet The Federation of Merchants Association (“Merchants Association”) to discuss how they can launch their menus under Hawker Culture by setting up hawker stalls. The CEOs are keen to seize the opportunity to capture a slice of any revenue flowing from the inclusion of Singapore’s Hawker Culture to the “Unesco Representative List of the
Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity”.

To do this assignment:

• Get together with members of the group assigned to you
• In your groups, discuss and assign the following roles (Role 1 to Role 5) to each member:
• Role 1: Meeting Chair/Finance Manager, Merchants Association – http://www.fmas.org.sg/
• Role 2: Finance Manager, BreadTalk – https://www.breadtalk.com.sg/
• Role 3: Finance Manager, Japan Foods -https://www.jfh.com.sg//html/index.php
• Role 4: Finance Manager, No Signboard Seafood http://www.nosignboardholdings.com/
• Role 5 (for groups with 5 students): Finance Manager, QAF – https://www.qaf.com.sg/
• Plan, prepare and carry out a formal meeting. In the meeting, demonstrate the application of financial tactics learned in the course, examine any potential financial impact, recommend actions and defend the financial decisions you make from the perspective of the role you assumed.
• Submit two separate video recordings, showing (i) the meeting and discussion that unfolded (Video 1) and (ii) your analysis of the meeting (Video 2). Video 1 should be submitted as a group and Video 2 individually. Each video recording should be between 8 and 10 minutes of duration.

You should identify yourselves and your respective roles clearly in both Videos 1 and 2. Be aware of ongoing news and/or rumors e.g., speculation of increase in rental of hawker stalls, which might materially and/or adversely affect your financial decisions at the meeting. What is expected in Video 1 and Video 2?

Video 1: Formal Meeting (to be submitted as a group by the nominated Group Leader)

• Introduce yourselves and your respective roles.
• Meeting commences with Meeting Chair/Finance Manager. Merchants Association applying financial tactics to paint the potential of Hawker Culture for existing and new hawkers (collectively, the “Participating Hawkers”).
• The meeting continues with Finance Managers from BreadTalk, Japan Foods, No Signboard Seafood and QAF expressing their interest and doing their sums on the costs and benefits for Participating Hawkers.
• Using sensing and sense-making ability, the Meeting Chair realised that the
  Merchants Association could make a financial windfall from the desperate food companies.
• To stay in the game, the Finance Managers from BreadTalk, Japan Foods, No
  Signboard Seafood and QAF apply financial tactics to get rid of their competitors.
• Prepare financial analysis on business risks and the impact on an organization’s
  revenue structure, cost structure, and capital structure.
• Recommend and defend your financial decisions.

Video 2: Analysis of Financial Astuteness of Meeting Participants (to be submitted individually)

• Identify your “animal personality” (Bull, Bear, Pig, Rabbit, Tortoise, Chicken, Duck, Wolf, Whale, or Shark) during the meeting, and examine whether it was the most appropriate.
• Reflect on your performance and defend your financial decisions.
• Identify the animal personality of each of the other Meeting Participants and appraise the financial astuteness of other Meeting Participants