Course Syllabus F21
Course Syllabus F21
The classes encompass both case analysis and discussion of articles from practice-oriented
academic journals. The material leads to a practical, in-depth application of many corporate
finance competencies for decision-making purposes, including forecasting financing needs, the cost
of capital, corporate performance measurement, capital budgeting, capital structure policy,
securities issuance, dividend policy, valuation, mergers and acquisitions, and restructurings. The
analysis incorporates a number of general themes in corporate finance, including managerial
objectives, corporate governance and value creation.
Prerequisite: AFM 274 or AFM 372/ACTSC 391; Accounting and Financial Management, Math-
CPA, Biology-CPA, or Computing and Financial Management students only
Course Schedule:
As there are no physical in-class lectures, you will be provided with course resources such as
required readings, lecture decks, recorded video lectures, etc. to guide your learning. The purchase
of a course-pack containing the cases is required (see link below). The absence of in-class lectures
means that the recorded videos under the ‘Course Schedule, Material and Videos’ link on the Learn
site will largely replace in-class lectures, with Piazza discussion boards as your primary support
(you will receive an invitation to AFM373 Piazza via email).
You will be charged with setting your own pace for study and review of the materials, however
guidance will be given in the course schedule appended to this syllabus and posted on Learn
outlining the expected amount of study time that should be spent on each module/case.
Nonetheless, it is of utmost importance that you keep up with the schedule.
The time slot listed below is reserved for live sessions, which will include optional (for students)
live classes that will recap the recorded material posted on Learn (i.e., the recorded debriefs for
each case), tutorials and review sessions for exam purposes.
2
Course Resources:
• The course readings package (required cases) is available from the bookstore. The link is
provided on Learn (and again below). Should you have any difficulty obtaining the casepack, be
sure to email Damir ASAP: damirbaizhiyenov1@gmail.com
COURSEPACK LINK:
https://www.campusebookstore.com/integration/AccessCodes/default.aspx?
bookseller_id=22&Course=AFM+373+
%26+476+FALL+2021+CASE+READINGS&frame=YES&t=permalink
• Additional materials: articles, applications, excel spreadsheets, exhibits, student slides containing
guidance for each case, posted on the LEARN course website under Course Content tab – “Course
Schedule, Materials and Videos”. The materials include advance study questions, and indicate
areas of focus for each case. They are an essential aid for student preparation.
Supplementary reading: The finance text used in AFM 273/4 or AFM 272/372 (Corporate Finance,
Fourth Canadian Edition, Berk, DeMarzo, Stangeland) should serve as supplemental/review
readings for most of the topics covered in the course.
Students are also encouraged to follow the popular press online (e.g. the Globe & Mail, New York
Times, Business News Network BNN, the Financial Post, Report on Business, Wall Street Journal,
etc).
Course Evaluation:
Assessment Method Date Percent of Total
Case Synopses, Case Refer to course schedule Grade
(4 x 10%) = 40%
Videos, Peer Feedbacks
(4
Midterm Exam Tuesday, Oct.19 – 9:00am 30%
Final Exam Set by the R.O. - TBA 30%
Total 100%
Students should choose a format appropriate for each case, and follow these general guidelines:
1) Read the case and the advance slides posted by the professors (on Learn).
2) Frame the Key Issue(s) and Decision(s) in the Case. Why are they important?
3) Attempt any relevant Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis to compare alternatives (attach any
relevant spreadsheet analysis as an appendix in your pdf/word file).
4) Make a Reasoned Recommendation - stating which alternative is preferable, based on your
analysis. What are the key sources of risk and uncertainty associated with your recommendation?
5) The posted student slides will identify additional specific requirements for each case.
Each group of 2 will also compose a 5-7 minute video presentation to discuss the key points of
their case synopsis to create a compelling oral-visual argument for the proposed
recommendations. You should imagine that you are being paid as an analyst and this presentation
is for your client. Even if your analysis is great, if you can’t present in a compelling way, your
client may not be satisfied.
The exams are based mainly on the material focussed on in the instructor videos and recorded
lectures. Financial calculators (as specified by the School of Accounting and Finance) are
permitted.
Mid-term grades may be appealed in writing only, within 7 days of papers having been
made available on Crowdmark. Appealed grades may go up or down.
COURSE POLICIES:
Late Submission Policy
The case assignments must be submitted to the Learn drop box before end of the submission
deadline. Due to the connection to class preparation, late submissions will not be accepted.
Required supporting documentation is uploaded within the Request for Academic Accommodation web
form. Submissions must be complete and accurate. Please refer to the web form for links and additional
information regarding the illness documentation requirements and process. The web form is regularly
updated to guide students in making requests for accommodation as processes change (e.g. COVID-19
documentation requirements). For other requests for accommodations, such as death of a family member,
appropriate documentation should be provided within a reasonable time period.
The SAF Administrative Coordinator and Advisor will co-ordinate the review of all accommodation
requests and will maintain a record of missed exams by student (name, ID #), so that unusual situations can
be identified and addressed. The SAF Administrative Coordinator and Advisor will communicate the
instructor(s) decision, regarding the request for academic accommodation, to the student by e-mail. Any
questions regarding this process can be directed to the SAF Administrative Coordinator and Advisor at
safadvisor@uwaterloo.ca.
If you believe you have extenuating circumstances or have been adversely impacted by COVID-19, which
has affected your academic record, you may wish to speak with your academic advisor.
The University of Waterloo INC grade process will be followed, where all course requirements are not
completed during the term. Note: Please check the uWaterloo website for:
https://uwaterloo.ca/coronavirus/academic-information for up-to-date information regarding the INC rules.
Recording of Lectures
A majority of Fall 2021 courses will be delivered as remote teaching. Most, if not all, courses will record
lectures. The use of all course recordings is strictly limited to the purpose of private/personal study and for
no other reason (e.g., loaning the recording or reproducing a copy for another student, contesting grading,
posting in whole or part online, etc.). Any failure to abide by these requirements is a violation of the
university's academic integrity requirements and is subject to proceedings under Policy 71, Student
Discipline.
UNIVERSITY POLICIES:
Academic Integrity
In order to maintain a culture of academic integrity, members of the University of Waterloo are expected to
promote honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. Check the Office of Academic Integrity website
for more information.
Grievance
A student who believes that a decision affecting some aspect of his/her university life has been unfair or
unreasonable may have grounds for initiating a grievance. Read Policy 70, Student Petitions and
Grievances, Section 4. When in doubt, please be certain to contact the department’s administrative assistant
who will provide further assistance.
Discipline
A student is expected to know what constitutes academic integrity to avoid committing an academic
offence, and to take responsibility for his/her actions. [Check the Office of Academic Integrity for more
information.] A student who is unsure whether an action constitutes an offence, or who needs help in
learning how to avoid offences (e.g., plagiarism, cheating) or about “rules” for group work/collaboration
should seek guidance from the course instructor, academic advisor, or the undergraduate associate dean. For
information on categories of offences and types of penalties, students should refer to Policy 71, Student
Discipline. For typical penalties, check Guidelines for the Assessment of Penalties.
Appeals
A decision made or penalty imposed under Policy 70, Student Petitions and Grievances (other than a
petition) or Policy 71, Student Discipline may be appealed if there is a ground. A student who believes
he/she has a ground for an appeal should refer to Policy 72, Student Appeals.
Note for students with disabilities: AccessAbility Services, located in Needles Hall, Room 1401,
collaborates with all academic departments to arrange appropriate accommodations for students with
disabilities without compromising the academic integrity of the curriculum. If you require academic
accommodations to lessen the impact of your disability, please register with AccessAbility Services at the
beginning of each academic term.
I-clickers
It is considered an academic offence for any individual to allow someone else to use their I-clicker and both
the individual who has allowed their I-clicker to be used by another and the individual using it will be
considered to have engaged in an academic offence. The potential penalties for an offense in this regard
will normally include academic suspension.
On Campus
Due to COVID-19 and campus closures, services are available only online or by phone.
Counselling Services: counselling.services@uwaterloo.ca / 519-888-4567 ext. 32655
MATES: one-to-one peer support program offered by the Waterloo Undergraduate Student
Association (WUSA) and Counselling Services
Territorial Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that we are living and working on the traditional territory of the Attawandaron (also
known as Neutral), Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples. The University of Waterloo is situated on the
Haldimand Tract, the land promised to the Six Nations that includes ten kilometres on each side of the
Grand River.
For more information about the purpose of territorial acknowledgements, please see the CAUT Guide to
Acknowledging Traditional Territory (PDF).
Why? Starting in Winter 2020, your chosen/preferred first name listed in WatIAM will be used broadly
across campus (e.g., LEARN, Quest, WaterlooWorks, WatCard, etc). Note: Your legal first name will
always be used on certain official documents. For more details, visit Updating Personal Information.
Important notes
If you included a preferred name on your OUAC application, it will be used as your
chosen/preferred name unless you make a change now.
If you don’t provide a chosen/preferred name, your legal first name will continue to be used.