BØK 1121 Finance I

APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2015/2016
Norwegian version

BØK 1121 Finance I


Responsible for the course
Kjell Jørgensen

Department
Department of Financial Economics

Term
According to study plan

ECTS Credits
7,5

Language of instruction
Norwegian

Introduction
This introductory course focuses mainly on the investment part of the subject finance. The purpose is to give students the necessary knowledge about the terms and methods used to make investment decisions. It has to be mentioned that even if the main focus is on financial investments (stocks and bonds), the methodology is also applicable to real investments.


Learning outcome
Acquired knowledge:
On completion of the course students should be able to:

  • Understand the importance of investment analysis in finance.
  • Understand why there is a focus on cash flows and not on earnings.
  • Understand what the actual size of a cash flow means.
  • Understand how and when to use the different rules of discounting and compounding.
  • Understand how to interpret the cost of capital/discount rate.
  • Understand the meaning of, and difference between, the different decision criteria behind an investment. Here: Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Payback etc.
  • Understand the meaning of the term structure of interest rates and forward rates.
  • Understand the concepts of total risk, relevant risk and irrelevant risk.
  • Understand the content in portfolio theory and its importance in what we call diversification benefits.
  • Understand Beta and the basis for interpreting the size of this.
  • Understand the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) and how it is derived.
  • Understand the meaning of Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) and when to use it.
  • Understand the concept of market efficiency.

Acquired skills
On completion of the course, students should be able to:
  • Estimate cash flows, both according to the flow to equity method and total capital method.
  • To use the different discounting rules both with the use of a financial calculator and interest tables.
  • To use the different decision criteria related to both stocks and bonds.
  • Calculate forward rates.
  • Use portfolio theory for different investment alternatives.
  • Calculate Beta values.
  • Derive the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM).
  • Use the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM).
  • Calculate the Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC).

Reflection
After taking the course, the students should be able to ask critical questions and reflect on the crucial assumptions behind the theories taught. They should also be able to reflect on the practical relevance of the mentioned theories.


Prerequisites
Basic bachelor courses in Mathematics and Statistics.

Compulsory reading
Books:
Hillier, David ... [et al.]. 2013. Corporate finance. 2nd European ed. McGraw-Hill Higher Education

Recommended reading

Other:
Pål Korsvold og Dag Michalsen. 1997. Eksamensoppgaver med løsningsforslag i finans. BI Forlag. 1-7
Rentetabeller. Handelshøyskolen BI


Course outline

  • Introduction
  • Cash flow
  • Compounding and discounting rules/mathematical finance
  • Capital Budgeting
  • The term structure of interest rates
  • Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM)
  • Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC)
  • Market efficiency

Computer-based tools
Not necessary, but the use of Excel can be helpful.

Learning process and workload
The course includes 12 lectures, each of 3 hours. There will also be two three-hour sessions where former examination papers are reviewed. The total number of hours is 45.

To stimulate a good learning environment two-way communication with the students and the lecturer is preferable. It is the students’ responsibility to participate in the lectures with questions, comments and discussion. The lecturer, therefore, has the opportunity to ask each student questions.

Recommended use of time:
Activity
Hours
Lectures and plenary tutorials where exercises will be explained
39
Preparation for lectures (approximately 1,5 hours before each lecture)
18
Review of lectures
(approximately 1, 5 hours after each lecture)
18
Exercises
59
Self-study and colloquia
60
Review of previous exams
6
Recommended use of hours
200



    Examination
    A three-hour individual, multiple-choice examination concludes the course.
    Examination code(s)
    BØK 11211 – Multiple choice, accounts for 100% of the grade in BØK 1121 Finance, 7.5 ECTS credits

    Examination support materials
    Interest tables and BI approved exam calculator. Examination support materials at written examinations are explained under examination information in the student portal @bi. Please note use of calculator and dictionary in the section on support materials (https://at.bi.no/EN/Pages/Exa_Hjelpemidler-til-eksamen.aspx).

    Re-sit examination
    A re-sit is held in connection with the next scheduled exam in the course

    Additional information

    Semesters

    Translations