Most Recent CFA Institute CFA-Level-II Exam Dumps

George Armor, CFA, is a new stock analyst for Pedad Investments. One tool that Pedad uses to compare stock valuations is the dividend discount model (DOM). In particular, the firm evaluates stocks in terms of "justified" multiples of sales and book value. These multiples are based on algebraic manipulation of the DDM. Over time, these multiples seem to provide a good check on the market valuation of a stock relative to the company's fundamentals. Any stock which is currently priced below its value based on a justified multiple of sales or book value is considered attractive for purchase by Pedad portfolio managers. Exhibit 1 contains financial information from the year just ended for three stable companies in the meat-packing industry: Able Corp, Baker, Inc., and Charles Company, from which Armor will derive his valuation estimates.

One of Pedad's other equity analysts, Marie Swift, CFA, recently held a meeting with Armor to discuss a relatively new model the firm is implementing to determine the P/E ratios of companies that Pedad researches. Swift explains that the model utilizes a cross-sectional regression using the previous year-end data of a group of comparable companies' P/E ratios against their dividend payout ratios (r), sustainable growth rates (g), and returns on equity (ROE). The resulting regression equation is used to determine a predicted P/E ratio for the subject company using the subject company's most recent year-end data. Swift has developed the following model, which has an R-squared of 81%, for the meat packing industry (16 companies):

Predicted P/E = 2.74 + 8.21(r) + 14.21(g) + 2.81(ROE)

(STD error) (2.11) (6.52) (9.24) (2.10)

After Swift presents the model to Armor, she points out that models of this nature are subject to limitations. In particular, multicollinearity, which appears to be present in the meat packing industry model, can create great difficulty in interpreting the effects of the individual coefficients of the model. Swift continues by stating that in spite of this limitation, models of this nature generally have known and significant predictive power across different time periods although not across different stocks.

If valuation is based on the justified price-to-sales ratio. Armor should conclude that Able Corp is:

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Barton Wilson, a junior analyst, is a new hire at a money center bank. He has been assigned to help Juanita Chevas, CFA, in the currency trading department. Together, Wilson and Chevas are working on the development of new trading software designed to detect profitable opportunities in the foreign exchange market. Obviously, they are interested in risk-free arbitrage opportunities. However, they have also been instructed to investigate the possibility of longer-term currency exposures that are not necessarily risk-free. To test the logic of their new software, Wilson gathers the following market data:

* Spot JPY/USD exchange rate = 120.

* Spot EUR/USD exchange rate = 0.7224.

* U .S . risk-free interest rate = 7%.

* Eurozone risk-free rate = 9.08%.

* Japanese risk-free rate = 3.88%.

* Yield curves in all three currencies are flat.

In addition to in-house currency transactions, the new software program is also intended to provide insight into currency exposure and hedging needs for the bank's major customers. These customers typically include large multinational firms. Essentially, the bank wants to provide consulting services to its clients concerning which currency exposures offer the greatest possibility of appreciation. In this process, the bank will rely on deviations from international parity conditions as an indicator of long-term currency movements.

Wilson obtains the following data from the econometrics department:

* JPY/USD spot rate one year ago =116.

* EUR/USD spot rate one year ago = 0.7200.

* Anticipated and historical U .S . annual inflation = 3%.

* Anticipated and historical Japanese annual inflation = 0%.

* Anticipated and historical Eurozone annual inflation = 5%.

One of the bank's major customers has significant portions of its business in Japan, and the Eurozone and has long exposure to both currencies. The customer has traditionally hedged all currency risk. However, the customer's new risk manager has decided to leave some currency exposure unhedged in an attempt to profit from long-term currency exposure.

Wilson wants to approximate the forward discount/premium for the JPY against the USD 12 months from now. According to the approximate version of interest rate parity, the JPY would most likely trade at a:

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Charles Connor, CFA, is a portfolio manager at Apple Investments, LLC . Apple is a U .S .-based firm offering a wide spectrum of investment products and services. Connor manages the Biogene Fund, a domestic equity fund specializing in small capitalization growth stocks. The Biogene Fund generally takes significant positions in stocks, commonly owning 4.5-5% of the outstanding shares. The fund's prospectus limits positions to a maximum of 5% of the shares outstanding. The performance of the Biogene Fund has been superior over the last few years, but for the last two quarters the fund has underperformed its benchmark by a wide margin. Connor is determined to improve his performance numbers going forward.

The Biogene prospectus allows Connor to use derivative instruments in his investment strategy. Connor frequently uses options to hedge his fund's exposure as he builds or liquidates positions in his portfolio since Biogene's large positions often take several weeks to acquire. For example, when he identifies a stock to buy, he often buys call options to gain exposure to the stock. As he buys the stock, he sells off the options or allows them to expire. Connor has noticed that the increased volume in the call options often drives the stock price higher for a few days. He has seen a similar negative effect on stock prices when he buys large amounts of put options.

The end of the quarter is just a few days away, and Connor is considering three transactions:

Transaction A: Buying Put Options on Stock A

The Biogene Fund owns 4,9% of the outstanding stock of Company A, but Connor believes the stock is fully valued and plans to sell the entire position. He anticipates that it will take approximately 45 trading days to liquidate the entire Biogene position in Stock A

The Biogene Fund owns 5% of the outstanding stock of Company B . Connor believes there is significant appreciation potential for Stock B, but the stock price has dropped in recent weeks. Connor is hoping that by taking an option position, there will be a carryover effect on ihe stock price before quarter end.

Transaction C: Selling the Biogene Fund's Entire Position in .Stock C

Connor believes that Stock C is still attractive, but he is selling the stock with the idea that he will repurchase the position next month. The motivation for the transaction is to capture a capital loss that will reduce the Biogene Fund's tax expense for the year.

Apple has an investment banking department that is active in initial public offerings (IPOs). George Arnold, CFA, is the senior manager of the IPO department. Arnold approached Connor about Stock D, a new IPO being offered by Apple. Stock D will open trading in two days. Apple had offered the IPO to all of its clients, but approximately 20% of the deal remained unsold. Having read the prospectus, Connor thinks Stock D would be a good fit for his fund, and he expects Stock D to improve his performance in both the short and long term. Connor is not aware of any information related to Stock D beyond that provided in the prospectus. Connor asked to purchase 5% of the IPO, but Arnold limited Biogene's share to 2%, explaining:

"With Biogene's reputation, any participation will make the unsold shares highly marketable. Further, we may need Biogene to acquire more Stock D shares at a later date if the price does not hold up."

Connor is disappointed in being limited to 2% of the offering and suggests to Arnold in an e-mail that, given the 2% limitation, Biogene will not participate in the IPO . Arnold responded a few hours later with the following message:

"I have just spoken with Ms. D, the CFO of Stock D . Although it is too late to alter the prospectus, management believes they will receive a large contract from a foreign government that will boost next year's sales by 20% or more. I urge you to accept the 2%---you won't be sorry!"

After reviewing Arnold's e-mail, Connor agrees to the 2% offer.

By executing Transaction A, Connor is:

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MediSoft Inc. develops and distributes high-tech medical software used in hospitals and clinics across the United States and Canada. The firm's software provides an integrated solution to monitoring, analyzing, and managing output from a variety of diagnostic medical equipment including MRls, CT scans, and EKG machines. MediSoft has grown rapidly since its inception ten years ago, averaging 25% growth in sales over the last decade. The company went public three years ago. Twelve months after their IPO, MediSoft made two semiannual coupon bond offerings, the first of which was a convertible bond. At the time of issuance, the convertible bond had a coupon rate of 7.25%, par value of $1,000, a conversion price of $55.56, and ten years until maturity. Two years after issuance, the bond became callable at 102% of par value. Soon after the issuance of the convertible bond, the company issued another series of bonds which were putable, but contained no conversion or call features. The putable bonds were issued with a coupon of 8.0%, par value of $1,000, and 15 years until maturity. One year after their issuance, the put feature of the putable bonds became active, allowing the bonds to be put at a price of 95% of par value, and increasing linearly over five years to 100% of par value. MediSoft's convertible bonds are now trading in the market for a price of $947 with an estimated straight value of $917. The company's putable bonds are trading at a price of $1,052. Volatility in the price of MediSoft's common stock has been relatively high over the last few months. Currently the stock is priced at $50 on the New York Stock Exchange and is expected to continue its annual dividend in the amount of $1.80 per share.

High-tech industry analysts for Brown & Associates, a money management firm specializing in fixed-income investments, have been closely following MediSoft ever since it went public three years ago. In general, portfolio managers at Brown & Associates do not participate in initial offerings of debt investments, preferring instead to see how the issue trades before considering taking a position in the issue. Since MediSoft's bonds have had ample time to trade in the marketplace, analysts and portfolio managers have taken an interest in the company's bonds. At a meeting to discuss the merits of MediSofVs bonds, the following comments were made by various portfolio managers and analysts at Brown & Associates:

"Choosing to invest in MediSoft's convertible bond would benefit our portfolios in many ways, but the primary benefit is the limited downside risk associated with the bond. Since the straight value will provide a floor for the value of the convertible bond, downside risk is limited to the difference between the market price of the bond and the straight value."

"Decreasing volatility in the price of MediSoft's common stock as well as increasing volatility in the level of interest rates are expected in the near future. The combined effects of these changes in volatility will be a decrease in the price of MediSoft's putable bonds and an increase in the price of the convertible bonds. Therefore, only the convertible bonds would be a suitable purchase."

Evaluate the portfolio managers' comments regarding the changes in the values of MediSoft's bonds resulting from changes in the volatility of the company's common stock and the volatility of interest rates. The managers were:

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Pat Wilson, CFA, is the chief compliance officer for Excess Investments, a global asset management and investment banking services company. Wilson is reviewing two investment reports written by Peter Holly, CFA, an analyst and portfolio manager who has worked for Excess for four years. Holly's first report under compliance review is a strong buy recommendation for BlueNote Inc., a musical instrument manufacturer. The report states that the buy recommendation is applicable for the next 6 to 12 months with an average level of risk and a sustainable price target of $24 for the entire time period. At the bottom of the report, an e-mail address is given for investors who wish to obtain a complete description of the firm's rating system. Among other reasons supporting the recommendation, Holly's report states that expected increases in profitability as well as increased supply chain efficiency provide compelling support for purchasing BlueNote.

Holly informs Wilson that he determined his conclusions primarily from an intensive review of BlueNote's filings with the SEC but also from a call to one of BlueNote's suppliers who informed Holly that their new inventory processing system would allow for more efficiency in supplying BlueNote with raw materials. Holly explains to Wilson that he is the only analyst covering BlueNote who is aware of this information and that he believes the new inventory processing system will allow BlueNote to reduce costs and increase overall profitability for several years to come.

Wilson must also review Holly's report on BigTirae Inc., a musical promotions and distribution company. In the report, Holly provides a very optimistic analysis of BigTime's fundamentals. The analysis supports a buy recommendation for the company. Wilson finds one problem with Holly's report on BigTime related to Holly's former business relationship with BigTime Inc. Two years before joining Excess, Holly worked as an investment banker and received 1,000 restricted shares of BigTime as a result of his participation in taking the company public. These facts are not disclosed in the report but are disclosed on Excess Investment's Web site. Wilson decides, however, that the timeliness of the information in the report warrants overlooking this issue so that the report can be distributed.

Just before the report is issued. Holly mentions to Wilson that BigTime unknowingly disclosed to him and a few other analysts who were wailing for a conference call to begin that the company is planning to restructure both its sales staff and sales strategy and may sell one of its poorly performing business units next year.

Three days after issuing his report on BigTime, which caused a substantial rise in the price of BigTime shares, Holly sells all of the BigTirne shares out of both his performance fee-based accounts and asset-based accounts and then proceeds to sell all of the BigTime shares out of his own account on the following day. Holly obtained approval from Wilson before making the trades.

Just after selling his shares in BigTime, Holly receives a call from the CEO of BlueNote who wants to see if Holly received the desk pen engraved with the BlueNote company logo that he sent last week and also to offer two front row tickets plus limousine service to a sold-out concert for a popular band that uses BlueNote's instruments. Holly confirms that the desk pen arrived and thanks the CEO for the gift and tells him that before he accepts the concert tickets, he will have to check his calendar to see if he will be able to attend. Holly declines the use of the limousine service should he decide to attend the concert.

After speaking with the CEO of BlucNote, Holly constructs a letter that he plans to send by e-mail to all of his clients and prospects with e-mail addresses and by regular mail to all of his clients and prospects without e-mail addresses. The letter details changes to an equity valuation model that Holly and several other analysts at Excess use to analyze potential investment recommendations. Holly's letter explains that the new model, which will be put into use next month, will utilize Monte Carlo simulations to create a distribution of stock values, a sharp contrast to the existing model which uses static valuations combined with sensitivity analysis. Relevant details of the new model are included in the letter, but similar details about the existing model are not included. The letter also explains that management at Excess has decided to exclude alcohol and tobacco company securities from the research coverage universe. Holly's letter concludes by stating that no other significant changes that would affect the investment recommendation process have occurred or are expected to occur in the near future.

Did Holly violate any CFA Institute Standards of Professional Conduct with respect to his report on BlueNote or BigTime, as it relates to potential use of material nonpublic information?

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