AC303: Advanced Business Finance

Module code: AC303

Module provider: Business Informatics, Systems and Accounting; Henley Business School

Credits: 20

Level: 6

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Dr Dan Zhou, email: dan.zhou@henley.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s): BEFORE TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST TAKE AC203 (Compulsory)

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: na

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 19 November 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The module aims to introduce students to key perspectives, theories and practices in Advanced Business Finance by considering inflation and taxation effects on investment appraisal, the effects of capital structure, portfolio analysis, different approaches to business valuation and tools of risk assessment and measurement.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Analyse investment projects allowing for inflation and taxation and allow for risk and uncertainty.
2. Identify and appraise the main issues in the capital structure debate and estimate the weighted average cost of capital.
3. Explain and appraise the factors influencing dividend policy in theory and in practice.
4. Discuss the valuation of debt and equity and the implications of the efficient market hypothesis.
5. Describe and evaluate approaches to managing risk.

Module content

1.  Inflation and taxation effects on investment decisions
2. Capital rationing and replacement decisions 
3. Risk and return in investment decisions (advanced investment appraisal). 
4. Portfolio theory  
5. Capital asset pricing model  
6. Capital structure and cost of capital 
7. Dividend policy 
8. Risk management

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Lectures of two hours per week will be used for the exposition of the major concepts, principles and techniques under consideration. Workshops of two hours duration will be used for problem solving and discussions based on current issues.

Study hours

At least 30 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs