Business Commons^™

Exploring The Viability Of Gold Jewelry As A Diversifying And Safe-Haven Investment, Monica Pydipati

Honors Scholar Theses

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the potential benefits of the inclusion of gold jewelry in a traditional investment portfolio. A popular commodity investment choice, gold has been lauded for its various diversification and safe-haven characteristics. Popular investment forms include paper gold, gold bars and gold coins. However, gold jewelry, although officially categorized as a retail purchase, is often bought with the intention of investment as well. This paper examines the diversification benefits of gold jewelry by measuring the performance of a portfolio in which gold jewelry is present, using multiple performance measures to determine its risk and …

A Case For Improved Financial Literacy Education In The United States, Nicholas Kinsella

Honors Scholar Theses

The purpose of this paper was to analyze what financial literacy is and explain in detail the shortfalls that the United States is currently facing in their financial literacy education. This paper will lay out the movement of states and colleges including more personal finance curriculum in their graduation requirements, why a financial literate population is important to topics such as managing student loan debt, retirement planning, professional development, and mental health among others. It will then conclude covering ways to improve current financial literacy education strategies with technology, experiential learning, and transparency.

The Impact Of Crises On The Shift In Capital Flows From Active To Passive Investment Strategies, Jordan Wang

Honors Scholar Theses

The study investigates the plausibility of an active to passive transition, the impact of crises on the potential transition, and the performance-flow relationship of both active and passive investment products, which includes US equity, open-end and ETF, funds. The analysis compares active and passive funds through the lens of fund flows, absolute returns, and risk-adjusted returns. The study shows that there seemed to be an active to passive transition from 2007 – 2019 and that 2020 – 2021 exhibits measures that could describe changes in the active to passive narrative. A performance-flow relationship exists across both active and passive funds. …

Assessing Leadership In Business – Finance: A Critical Investigation Of Jamie Dimon, Kelly Finn

Honors Scholar Theses

Jamie Dimon became the CEO of J.P. Morgan Chase over a decade ago at age 49. Since, Jamie has earned his place as the world’s top, longest-reigning Wall Street leader. That said, Jamie Dimon was not always as successful as his title and reputation might suggest. In 1998, he was fired from his position as CEO of Citigroup by his own decade-long mentor, Sandy Weill (Dealbook, 2014). It is precisely Jamie’s ability to overcome this major career obstacle that threatened his reputation and career success. The way he handled his own firing with professionalism, strategy, and resiliency enabled his rebound …

Exploring An Alternative To Ipos: Special-Purpose Acquisition Companies (Spacs), Vaishali Kanamalla

Honors Scholar Theses

The purpose of this research paper is to provide an overview of Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) which has gained popularity relatively recently. First, an introduction to SPACs will be provided including its historical roots, structure, and investment process. Thereafter, the paper will walk through the current landscape of SPACs, criticisms, and comparisons with traditional IPOs. The paper will conclude with discussions on the future outlook of the investment vehicle along with a study on SPAC returns vs. those of traditional IPOs.

Analyzing Competitive Balance In Professional Sport, Kevin Alwell

Honors Scholar Theses

In this paper we review several measures to statistically analyze competitive balance and report which leagues have a wider variance of performance amongst its competitors. Each league seeks to maintain high levels of parity, making matches and overall season more unpredictable and appealing to the general audience. Here we quantify competitive advantage across major sports leagues in numbers using several statistical methods in order for leagues to optimize their revenue.

Understanding Volatility: An Analysis Of The Stock Market Return-Variance Correlation, Richard Traub

Honors Scholar Theses

This paper attempts to explain the negative correlation between stock market returns in the United States (measured by the risk premium of the S&P 500 Index) and the respective volatility of these returns. The academic research regarding two primary schools of thought on this issue, the volatility feedback effect and the leverage effect, is furthered as potential explanations for this phenomenon. A tertiary explanation relating to investor behavior is also explored as a viable cause. In order to empirically study this relationship, I examine the risk premium quintiles and the corresponding CBOE Volatility Index levels for the time-series dating from …

An Analysis Of The Business Structures And Performance Of Traditional Vs. "Freemium" Applications, Daztar Pagdiwala

Honors Scholar Theses

This thesis will examine the rationale and financial success of “freemium” applications versus traditional applications. I define what the “freemium” model is, and how it compares to the traditional (premium) and “free trial” models. In addition, I discuss the value proposition of the business structure, and how it is fully dependent on the consumer’s ability to perceive an increase in value through the purchase of additional features. I also analyze the major positive and negative aspects of the “freemium structure.

Overall trends that I note in the paper include a general shift towards “freemium” and “subscription” based products; within the …

Mathematical Modeling Of Financial Derivative Pricing, Kelly L. Cosgrove

Honors Scholar Theses

The binomial asset-pricing model is used to price financial derivative securities. This text will begin by going over the probability concepts necessary to understand this discrete-time model. It then develops the theory behind the binomial model and different properties that arise. It shows how to use the binomial model to predict future stock prices, and then uses this information to price derivative securities. It initially focuses on the European call option, but goes on to provide a pricing method for the American put option. However, many of the theorems developed are applicable to all derivative securities. The text wraps up …

A Changing Industry: An Analysis Of The Effects Of Direct-To-Consumer Advertising On The Insurance Industry, James Bonvicini

Honors Scholar Theses

Direct-to-consumer selling is a shift in the strategies of many companies. As technology continues to play a prominent role in business, companies need to adapt to accommodate, and take advantage of, new opportunities that become available. Many insurance companies are now focusing on improving their direct-to-consumer selling efforts and attracting consumers with new online selling platforms. This thesis looks at the changes inside and outside of the industry that led to this direct method of selling and the impact that this has on the intermediaries in the industry, with a focus on property and casualty businesses. Additionally, this thesis takes …

Shareholder Activism And Its Long Term Effects, Louis Beck

Honors Scholar Theses

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the current climate in the activist shareholder space, with a primary focus on activist hedge funds aiming to financially benefit from their endeavors. It begins with a written timeline of the history of activist investing throughout the twentieth century and follows with a transition into the current climate. The current landscape of activist investing is then discussed, which includes both criticisms and compliments. This analysis of the current landscape includes a case study of eight well-known hedge funds, some of which operate as pure activist funds while others contain …

My Experience With Fundamental Analysis, Nicolas Chapman

Honors Scholar Theses

In finance, there are several overarching schools of thought when viewing equity prices in the stock market, such as technical and fundamental analysis. I find the most enjoyment in quantitative matters, so naturally most of my experience with the stock market includes fundamental analysis. Proponents of this methodology purport that there is a true value of a security based on its financials, and that it will trade around that number eventually. Perhaps the most successful investor who uses fundamental analysis is Warren Buffett. Specifically, he believes in valuing a company’s equity by gauging their cash flows and projecting how they …

Investment Strategies Amongst Property And Casualty Insurance Companies, Ryan J. Conforti

Honors Scholar Theses

The purpose of this work is to take an in-depth look into the investment side of property and casualty insurance. Many P&C companies have thrived over the past century, and much of this success can be attributed to investment income. This thesis will examine how investment philosophy changes from firm to firm, while also looking at how strategies have changed over time. It will also look into the insurance “float,” and examine how investors such as Warren Buffett have utilized this instrument to their favor. Investing is a huge aspect of property and casualty insurance, and this piece will give …

Impact Of The Ceo Effect On Premiums In Mergers And Acquisitions, Caitlin Duncan

Honors Scholar Theses

The rationale behind a merger or acquisition is to improve the financial performance of the acquiring firm. Many factors go into the the valuation of a company and consequently the premium paid.

This paper will examine what impact upper management, specifically the CEO, has on the valuation of a company during mergers and acquisitions. This impact, called the CEO effect, will be central to the paper. Different valuation methods of this effect, as well as firm valuations, will be analyzed and considered. Specifically, how the CEO effect affects the premium paid by the acquiring firm will be the main focus. …

Usage Of Derivatives In Business Today, Duston J. Hodgkins

Honors Scholar Theses

Derivatives were created as a method of hedging risks. Yet in today's society, derivatives have taken on many new roles, and with it have systemically changed the way the financial industry operates. Warren Buffett called these powerful tools "financial weapons of mass destruction." No longer do these tools simply mitigate risks; instead, they are creating new and potentially lethal risks. How did their usage shift from risk management? This thesis delves into what actions occurred over the past half century that drove derivatives usage to what is facing the market today. Through the exploration of major successes and failures of …

Too Small To Forget: An Analysis Of The Changing Banking Industry And The Continuing Importance Of Smaller Institutions, Michael A. Flaherty

Honors Scholar Theses

Since the early 1980s, the United States banking industry has undergone a variety of structural changes. In 1980, there were over 14,000 banking institutions; now, there are about 6,000 institutions remaining. In addition to the declining number of institutions, industry assets have become more highly concentrated in several very large institutions. For example, the percentage of industry assets held by banks with $10 billion or more in assets (adjusted for inflation) has increased from about 46% in 1992 to 80% in 2012.

Many of the structural changes came in response to a changing regulatory environment. Banking regulations began to shift …

Financial Regulation And The Crisis Of 2008, Aniello Franzese

Honors Scholar Theses

The effects of the global financial crisis that began in the United States during the year 2008 are still being felt today, and the full long term impact of the crisis remains unknown. However, causes of the crisis and strategies for reform of the global financial regulatory system have already been analyzed in depth by various scholars and institutions. By studying the existing literature this paper examines the regulatory and economic environment present in the United States at the onset of the crisis, the regulatory response of the United States government presented within the Dodd-Frank Act, and discusses possibilities for …

The Financial Crisis Of 2008: The Greatest Downturn In The U.S. Economy Since The Great Depression, Eric Vaheb

Honors Scholar Theses

An in-depth look into the housing bubble and financial meltdown of the U.S. economy during the years from 2007-2009. This paper deep dives into the historical issues beneath the surface that helped exacerbate the market conditions during the late 2000s.

Foreign Investment And Equity Valuation Differences In Emerging Markets, Daniel N. Beardsley

Honors Scholar Theses

This paper will focus on emerging markets, with an emphasis on Brazil, Russia, India, and China (i.e, the BRIC countries). Specifically, I will explore foreign investment trends related to these economies.

I will also explore valuation trends for emerging market-based equities. For instance, are valuation differences between emerging market-based and developed market-based equities statistically significant? What role does country risk play in the valuation of equities based in certain emerging markets? The discussion of these topics will include the use of relevant examples and effective statistical testing.

Monte Carlo Simulation And Risk Assessment In Capital Bugeting, Caitlin Gallagher

Honors Scholar Theses

A capital budgeting case study involving determination of relevant cash flows over a projects life then the calculation of a number of decision criteria to determine if project should be accepted. Then risk will be incorporated using two methods of risk adjustment: scenario and sensitivity analysis. The findings will guide the state of the art Monte Carlo simulation using continuous and discrete probability distributions to model the risk of cash flow inputs. Using @Risk software as an Excel add in simulations will be run to determine a large number of decision variables. A comparison of cost of capital from each …

Accounting For Goodwill Pre&Post Sfas 142 And The Implications For Earnings Management, Liang Jian Wu

Honors Scholar Theses

This thesis explores how impairment charges driven by management assessment have led to the possibility of earnings management under the SFAS 142 standard. The goal of carrying out this research is to help the user understand the implications behind allowing management to judge impairment charges (US GAAP) versus pre SFAS 142 when intangibles such as a goodwill were amortized (currently IFRS).

How has SFAS 142 opened the door for earnings management? If there is evidence to prove this assumption, then what factors drive management's impairment decisions. This information is pertinent to investors when analyzing a potential investment as goodwill can …

The Greek Sovereign Debt Crisis And Potential Implications For Other Sovereign Nations, Gregory Gambill

Honors Scholar Theses

At least four countries in the Eurozone are in poor economic shape, and Greece has already defaulted on its loans, sending the country into a state of disarray while it works on implementing fiscal austerity measures. Meanwhile, Portugal, Ireland, and Spain are next in line for a possible default. Using Portugal, Ireland, Greece, and Spain as examples of countries that are on the verge of economic collapse, this paper contains an analysis of what other countries need to do in order to avoid this situation.

The Role Of Emerging Market In Investment Portfolios, Kelly Hallinan

Honors Scholar Theses

This thesis explores the role of emerging markets in investment portfolios. Could an investment portfolio consisting of emerging market securities have outperformed similar portfolios that did not contain emerging markets over recent years? Gathering data from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2010, mean-variance efficiency and the efficient frontier were used to compare the risk-return tradeoff for six constructed portfolios comprised of emerging markets, developed markets, and the risk-free asset. Brazil, Russia, India, and China were chosen to represent the emerging market allocation of the portfolios, accomplished by working with a BRIC Exchange Traded Fund (ETF). The S&P 500 was …

Examining Capm In Today's Markets, David R. Knox

Honors Scholar Theses

The purpose of this work is to empirically assess the validity of the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) in terms of how can it model an equity’s return. The goal of this work is not to challenge the theory behind CAPM, nor compare it to alternatives, but simply to test whether or not it is applicable in the real world. This is an exploratory research study: rather than testing a specific hypothesis, my goal is to let the data speak for itself.

The main difficulty with assessing CAPM is that there is no consensus on how much data we ought …

Carbon Finance & Cattle Externalities In The Brazilian Amazon: Pricing Reforestation In Terms Of Restoration Ecology, Christian T. Hofer

Honors Scholar Theses

This paper evaluates land-use conflict between cattle pasture and tropical rainforest in the Brazilian Amazon and attempts to reconcile negative production externalities within the framework of carbon finance. Specifically, it analyzes the price per metric ton of CO2e that would make reforestation projects, in terms of restoration ecology, a viable land-use alternative. Regional information on opportunity, implementation, and transaction costs is used to develop a partial equilibrium cost-benefit analysis, in which carbon sequestration is the only benefit. Financing is employed through Kyoto’s Clean Development Mechanism and long-term certified emission reductions (lCERs) are the carbon financial instrument modeled. Results indicate that …

Operations Analysis Of Commercial Campgrounds In Connecticut, Marvin Kottke

Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station

No abstract provided.