The Practice of Investment Appraisal

This case study examines the capital budgeting practices of four companies operating in different industry. The findings indicate that most companies follow decentralised project decision-making. Despite the use of DCF techniques, there is a tendency to combine with the newly crafted value management tools, which shows a trend shift in the capital budgeting methods. In addition, firms are found trying to modify the original DFC tools so as to accommodate their needs. However, firms don't use the same technique from project inception to completion.DCF methods;project;shareholder value analysis;value management techniques;Investment appraisal

Risk Analysis in Investment Appraisal

This paper was prepared for the purpose of presenting the methodology and uses of the Monte Carlo simulation technique as applied in the evaluation of investment projects to analyse and assess risk. The first part of the paper highlights the importance of risk analysis in investment appraisal. The second part presents the various stages in the application of the risk analysis process. The third part examines the interpretation of the results generated by a risk analysis application including investment decision criteria and various measures of risk based on the expected value concept. The final part draws some conclusions regarding the usefulness and limitations of risk analysis in investment appraisal.Risk Analysis; Monte Carlo simulation; Investment appraisal; Project analysis; Forecasting and simulation; Business administration

Developing a frame of reference for ex-ante IT/IS investment evaluation

Investment appraisal techniques are an integral part of many traditional capital budgeting processes. However, the adoption of Information Systems (IS) and the development of resulting infrastructures are being increasingly viewed on the basis of consumption. Consequently, decision-makers are now moving away from the confines of rigid capital budgeting processes, which have traditionally compared IS with non-IS-related investments. With this in mind, the authors seek to dissect investment appraisal from the broader capital budgeting process to allow a deeper understanding of the mechanics involved with IS justification. This analysis presents conflicting perspectives surrounding the scope and sensitivity of traditional appraisal methods. In contributing to this debate, the authors present taxonomies of IS benefit types and associated natures, and discuss the resulting implications of using traditional appraisal techniques during the IS planning and decision-making process. A frame of reference that can be used to navigate through the variety of appraisal methods available to decision-makers is presented and discussed. Taxonomies of appraisal techniques that are classified by their respective characteristics are also presented. Perspectives surrounding the degree of involvement that financial appraisal should play during decision making and the limitations surrounding investment appraisal techniques are identifie

Investment Appraisal Process in the Banking & Finance Industry

We have studied how the banking and finance industry performs investment appraisal, measures subsequent follow-up and designates project success or failure. Furthermore, the authors looked into the extent of use of the new generation value management models. The result shows that firms are not using the same measurement scale in all stages of a project. Moreover, there is a tendency to shift from traditional appraisal methods to the new generation value management models.DCF methods;project;investment appraisal;shareholder value analysis;value management techniques

Influence of Investment Appraisal on Efficient Portfolio Selection in the Soft Drink Industry in Kenya

Investment appraisal tools rank investments according to their efficiency and optimality of returns. Portfolio return is thought as a linear function of asset weights and its volatility as a non- linear function indicating that portfolio volatility is less than weighted average of individual asset volatility. Past studies concentrated on simple accept-or- reject investments decisions with conventional cash flows without taking into account firms with complex investment situations and problems. Companies in the soft drink industry in Kenya have adopted performance optimization strategies on various investments in order to compete in new and turbulent business environment and mostly use projected cash flows for investment appraisal, it is clear that an image of investment alternative is not the same in the real world and these investment alternatives in a set can either be efficient or inefficient. This study focused on the contribution of investment appraisal on efficient portfolio selection. The research adopted a survey design with a target population of 250 respondents selected by census technique. Primary data was collected using an interview schedule and secondary data was collected from respondent’s records relating to real and financial assets. Study results indicate a strong correlation between investment appraisal techniques and investment alternatives (F= 293.094, R=0.926; R2=0.857; p = 0.000 < 0.05) and investment appraisal account for 85.7% of investments alternatives,  their ranking is influenced by the type of investment appraisal tools applied,  a significant relationship exist between investment appraisal techniques and portfolio efficiency (F= 259.64; R2 = 0.842;  p 0.000 < 0.05);therefore investments appraisal techniques application influence efficient portfolio selection in the soft drink industry; Part analyses of the investment appraisal techniques on portfolio efficiency show that  PBP has  a higher significant relationship with portfolio efficiency(F=1037.205; p 0.000< 0.05). Study results suggest the need for firms to maximize the application of net present value and payback period to enhance portfolio efficiency to realize optimal performance. Keywords: Kenya, Soft Drink Industry, Investment Appraisal, Diversification, Efficient Portfoli

The Practice of Investment Appraisal

This case study examines the capital budgeting practices of four companies operating in different industry. The findings indicate that most companies follow decentralised project decision-making. Despite the use of DCF techniques, there is a tendency to combine with the newly crafted value management tools, which shows a trend shift in the capital budgeting methods. In addition, firms are found trying to modify the original DFC tools so as to accommodate their needs. However, firms don't use the same technique from project inception to completion

The Development of a Common Investment Appraisal for Urban Transport Projects.

In December 1990 we were invited by Birmingham City Council and Centro to submit a proposal for an introductory study of the development of a common investment appraisal for urban transport projects. Many of the issues had arisen during the Birmingham Integrated Transport Study (BITS) in which we were involved, and in the subsequent assessment of light rail schemes of which we have considerable experience. In subsequent discussion, the objectives were identified as being:- (i) to identify, briefly, the weaknesses with existing appraisal techniques; (ii) to develop proposals for common methods for the social cost-benefit appraisal of both urban road and rail schemes which overcome these weaknesses; (iii) to develop complementary and consistent proposals for common methods of financial appraisal of such projects; (iv) to develop proposals for variants of the methods in (ii) and (iii) which are appropriate to schemes of differing complexity and cost; (v) to consider briefly methods of treating externalities, and performance against other public sector goals, which are consistent with those developed under (ii) to (iv) above; (vi) to recommend work to be done in the second phase of the study (beyond March 1991) on the provision of input to such evaluation methods from strategic and mode-specific models, and on the testing of the proposed evaluation methods. Such issues are particularly topical at present, and we have been able to draw, in our study, on experience of:- (i) evaluation methods developed for BITS and subsequent integrated transport studies (MVA) (ii) evaluation of individual light rail and heavy rail investment projects (ITS,MVA); (iii) the recommendations of AMA in "Changing Gear" (iv) advice to IPPR on appraisal methodology (ITS); (v) submissions to the House of Commons enquiry into "Roads for the Future" (ITS); (vi) advice to the National Audit Office (ITS) (vii) involvement in the SACTRA study of urban road appraisal (MVA, ITS

An intelligent system for risk classification of stock investment projects

The proposed paper demonstrates that a hybrid fuzzy neural network can serve as a risk classifier of stock investment projects. The training algorithm for the regular part of the network is based on bidirectional incremental evolution proving more efficient than direct evolution. The approach is compared with other crisp and soft investment appraisal and trading techniques, while building a multimodel domain representation for an intelligent decision support system. Thus the advantages of each model are utilised while looking at the investment problem from different perspectives. The empirical results are based on UK companies traded on the London Stock Exchange