FIN 402 All Assignments

Week 1

Individual Capital Markets and Investment Banking Process Paper

Resources: Week One readings

Prepare a 1,050- to 1,400-word paper in which you analyze the investment banking process. Address the following:

Describe the investment banking process, including portfolio construction.

Describe factors that must be considered when selecting among asset classes for an investment portfolio.

Describe capital market instruments used in portfolio construction.

Make general recommendations for the composition of an investment portfolio. Include rationale for your recommendations.

Prepare to discuss this assignment in class.

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Week 2

Individual Asset Classes Paper

Resources: Week One readings

Select a mutual fund and a Dow 30 organization.

Prepare a 700- to 1,050-word paper in which you determine asset classes for your mutual fund and Dow 30 organization. Explain how such classifications and the current investment environment affect organizational decisions concerning portfolio composition.

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Learning Team Portfolio Selection Paper

Resources: Electronic Reserve Readings, Internet, University Library

Select one publicly traded bond.

Select five organizations from the following list. These organizations represent the stocks that comprise your portfolio.

Cisco Systems, Inc.

Citigroup

Dell

Disney

Ford Motor Company

General Electric Company

The Home Depot, Inc.

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Microsoft

Motorola, Inc.

Proctor & Gamble

Time Warner Inc.

United Parcel Service of America, Inc.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Obtain faculty approval of your selections prior to beginning the assignment.

Conduct research on the selected securities. Examine the organizations 10K and investment reports, general economic data, and Federal Reserve data.

Prepare a 1,750- to 2,450-word paper in which you describe the selected securities.

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Week 3

Individual CAPM Web Exercise

Resource: Fundamentals of Investment Management

Prepare a response to the following assignment:

Web Exercise (Ch. 21) of Fundamentals of Investment Management, including calculations for each organization listed in Step 9

Learning Team Relative Performance Analysis Paper

Resources: Week Three readings

Prepare a 1,050- to 1,750-word paper in which you address the following:

Research the companies the team chose in Week Two using tools such as Yahoo Finance, NASDQ.com, other online resources as well as the company websites.

Determine the five-year average return for each security.

Identify the securities industries.

Determine the average five-year average return in each industry.

Identify three additional stocks in each industry and determine the five-year average return for each.

Compare your securities performance to those in the same industry and industry average.

Determine whether or not changes must be made to your portfolio.

Attach supporting Microsoft Excel tables and graphs to your paper. Spreadsheets must detail all calculations.

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Week 4

Individual Risk and Return Tradeoff Memo

Resources: Constructing and Managing a Portfolio Simulation, Electronic Reserve Readings, University Library

Complete the Constructing and Managing a Portfolio simulation on the student website.

Conduct research concerning the risk and return tradeoff, and the relationship between investment strategy and performance.

Prepare a 1,050- to 1,400-word memo to Rainier Ekstrom, Casa Bonitas chief executive officer, in which you analyze risk and return tradeoffs associated with the organizations investment portfolio. Address the following:

Decisions you made in the simulation

A discussion of how the Sharpe ratio helps make investment decisions

Recommendations for changes in the organizations investment strategy to improve its performance

Learning Team Risk and Return Analysis Paper

Complete the following activities:

Conduct a risk assessment and return analysis on the investment vehicles in your portfolio.

Select the weights of each vehicle in your portfolio; for example, the percentage of the portfolio each vehicle makes up.

Locate the beta for each security. Use .3 beta for bonds and 0 for money market instruments.

Calculate the weighted average risk and return of your portfolio. Then, change the weights of the vehicles to emphasize high-return performers. Perform another risk assessment, using these weightings. Change the weights of the vehicles to emphasize low-risk performers. Perform another risk assessment using these weightings.

Prepare a 1,750- to 2,450-word paper in which you present your risk assessment and return analysis, and summarize your findings. Include an explanation of the relationship between risk tolerance levels and macroeconomic variables.

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Week 5

Individual Investment Enhancement Paper

Resources: Week One readings

Prepare a 1,050- to 1,750-word paper in which you address the following:

Analyze effects of international portfolio diversification on an investment portfolio.

Examine alternative investment vehicles.

Explain how derivative securities may further enhance a portfolios performance.

Learning Team Investment Portfolio Project Final Paper and Presentation

Prepare a 1,050- to 1,750-word paper in which you assess the performance of your portfolio, using William Sharpes and Harry Markowitzs modern portfolio theories. Address the following:

Calculate your portfolios performance using the Sharpe, Jensen, and Treynor indices.

Describe the importance of these indices and interpret how your portfolio performed against the market index.

Discuss how you would revise your portfolio.

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.