F3 Exam Dumps : Financial Strategy

Company issues new shares and uses proceeds to repay high-interest debt.

Effects:

Cost of equity (A): financial risk falls as gearing falls → cost of equity is more likely to decrease, not increase.

Number of shares (B): new share issue → increases.

Corporate tax payment (C): interest expense falls, taxable profit rises → tax paid increases.

Gearing (D): debt falls and equity rises → gearing decreases, not increases.

Interest cover (E): operating profit unchanged, interest lower → interest cover increases.

Answer: B, C and E

CIMA F3 emphasises that shareholders expect directors to focus on value creation after an acquisition, particularly in the areas that protect and enhance the cash flows and synergies that justified the deal. Following an all-cash acquisition, the target’s former shareholders have exited, so the acquirer’s shareholders will not prioritise tailoring dividends to meet the target shareholders’ preferences (B is not relevant). Also, the question states the acquisition has just been completed, so regulatory approval needed to complete the acquisition (C) is no longer a priority stage item. What matters immediately is executing post-deal integration to secure the expected benefits. First, directors must ensure integration and retention of key employees from the acquired firm (A), especially in service/knowledge businesses where people drive client relationships and operational capability. Second, they must protect revenues by retaining the acquired firm’s key customers (D); losing customers can destroy acquisition value quickly. Third, they must deliver the deal logic by realising anticipated post-acquisition synergies (E), such as cost savings, higher capacity utilisation, cross-selling, and process improvements. These priorities align with F3’s post-merger integration focus: preserve the earnings base, then convert strategic fit into measurable synergy cash flows.

Answer: D. Discounted cash flow analysis based on forecast future free cash flows.

Because the company is unlisted, growing faster than the industry, and pays only a fixed dividend (not linked to performance), dividend or simple P/E methods won’t capture its value properly. A DCF based on future free cash flows is most suitable.