1. Course Description
A successful investor is one who sees the future before anybody else sees. The subject would help in structured thinking about how surplus capital is invested to generate adequate return by investing in asset markets.
The course would provide understanding of theoretical concepts in the field of investment management and how these theories applied in real life. Students would learn how to use the concepts they have already learned in Accounting, Financial Management, and Macroeconomics courses in investment management. For the purpose of investment management, financial assets can be grouped into major asset classes: Equities, Fixed Income Securities, and Derivatives, Alternative Investments (Real Estate, Venture Capital, Private Equities, and International Investments etc.). In this course we will focus mostly on Equities.
We will cover the following topics in the course: asset allocation, portfolio optimization, asset pricing, portfolio management, market efficiency and behavioral finance, portfolio performance measurement, valuation of stocks, and equity research.
2. Student Learning Outcomes (typically 3-5 bullet points)
There are few important learning’s one can expect to learn from this course.
1. Measurement of risk for the portfolio, and implications of diversification on the portfolio risk 2. Conceptual framework that would enable us to create an efficient portfolio 3. Measurement of portfolio performance 4. Improving the portfolio performance with help of better security analysis a. Role of externalities on performance of equities i. Applying the learning from economics b. Understanding the business performance from publicly available sources i. Improving your financial intelligence by applying the learning from financial accounting c. Identification of equities to invest with a eye on future performance i. Applying learning from financial management to understand which companies is likely to perform better.
3. Required Text Books and Reading Material
· Investments, Special Indian Edition, 6th Edition, by Bodie, Kane, Marcus and Mohanty, Tata McGraw Hill, 2006. (BKMM hereafter). · Modern Portfolio Theory and Investment Analysis, by Elton and Gruber (EG hereafter) · Financial Intelligence, Harvard Business School Press, by Karen Berman and Joe Knight · The Intelligent Investor, Revised Edition, Collins Business Essentials, by Benjamin Graham · Understanding Arbitrage: A Intuitive Approach to Financial Analysis, Wharton School Publishing, by Randall S. Billingsley
4. Tentative Session Plan
Module 1: Portfolio Theory
Session 1: Portfolio Risk-Return Measurement, Asset Allocation between Risky and Risk-free assets and Markowitz Model
In this session we will study how measurement of risk and return of an individual asset is different from risk and return of a portfolio. Once we would introduce these measurement matrices, we would prove how diversification helps to reduce over all risk of the portfolio. In this session we will study the problem of asset allocation and how investor uses the risk-return matrices to make that choice. We would derive the Capital Allocation Line and discuss the separation principle which would be used in our latter sessions.
Reading Material: Chapters 4 of EG and Chapters 7 of BKMM
Session 2&3: Choosing the Optimal Risky Portfolio & Index Model
In this session we would study how an investor chooses the risky portfolio. We would study the Markowitz portfolio theory and derive the efficient frontier which helps the investor to make an optimal choice. Once we derive the optimal portfolio we would study the index model to price the risk for the efficient portfolio.
Reading Material: Chapters 8 of BKMM and Chapter 5 of EG
Session 4&5: Equilibrium Asset Pricing Model: CAPM and Enhancement to CAPM
In this session we would study one of the most popular asset pricing models and its enhancements. In these two sessions we would study the usefulness of the CAPM in details.
Reading Material: Chapters 9 of BKMM and Chapter 13 of EG
Session 6: Other Asset Pricing Models Though academicians and practitioners often use CAPM, there are alternative models to CAPM. These models include models like consumption-based CAPM, Conditional CAPM, APT, multi-factor models, single index models, etc. In these two sessions, we will study the basics of some of those alternative asset-pricing models.
Reading Material: Chapters 10 and 11 of BKMM
Session 7: Portfolio Performance Measurement In this session, we will study the different tools that are used to assess the performance of the portfolios.
Reading Material: Chapter 24 of BKMM
Session 8: Understanding Arbitrage, Market Efficiency: Both Informational and Operational Efficiency
In this session we would understand the process of arbitrage and its implications on theory of one price and how arbitragers play a role in price discovery process. Besides role of he market efficient hypothesis on investment decision making process would be discussed.
Reading Material: Chapters 12, and 13 of BKMM
Module 2: Security Analysis
Session 9&10: Macroeconomics and Industry Analysis for Investment Decisions
In these two sessions, we will study some of learning from macro economics that can be used while making investment decisions. We will study the effects of fiscal, monetary policies on over all investment scenarios. In addition to macro economics factor we would discuss the industry structure and its implications for the company’s future prospects. Besides we would discuss the implication of business cycle on investment decisions.
Reading Material: Chapters 17 of BKMM
Days 11&12: Basic Principles of Stock Valuation
In these two sessions, we will study some of the stock valuation model. Some of the model we would discuss in details are, Dividend Discount Model, P/E multiple model, and Free Cash Flow Models.
Reading Material: Chapters 18 of BKMM
Session 13&14: Financial Intelligent: Interpreting the Publicly Available Information to Make an Intelligent Investment Decision
In these two sessions, we will how investor and fund manager should look at the financial statement in a microscope to understand what numbers are speaking, and how the numbers can be leveraged to manage the money.
Reading Material: Chapters 19 of BKMM
Session 15: Class exercise and presentation
The class will be divided into groups and each group will be given a company to study in detail. Each individual should do their own analysis; it would be nice if the group members share their thoughts to enrich each others understanding. Two/Three students (randomly chosen by my self) will be asked to share the analysis with the class, where as other group members can participate in the discussion. Name of the companies would be given in the class.
5. Evaluation
This course would be quantitative and qualitative in nature and develop on the concepts that are being taught in FM and other finance courses. Therefore I would suggest that the students who are good in QM and FM should take the course.
The following table is self-explanatory.
The company analysis should use the concepts that are discussed during the security analysis module of the course. I would expect use of data, and original writing of the findings and conclusions. The deadline for submitting the company analysis would be discussed in the class and finalized and under no circumstances those deadlines would be extended. Those who will not submit the report by the deadline would get zero on the component.
6. Academic Integrity
You must demonstrate high order of academic integrity being attentive in the class and regularly read the prescribed reading material. In case of group assignment, all members of the group should contribute to the preparation of the report and you are expected to write the report in your own style and language. Your basic purpose should be to learn, without resorting to any unfair means for getting a higher score/grade.
Created By: Alora Kar on 05/25/2015 at 09:52 AM Category: PT-13 T-VIII Doctype: Document