This paper examines alternative accrual accounting rules from an incentive and control perspective. For a range of common production, financing and investment decisions we consider alternative asset valuation rules. The criterion for distinguishing among these rules is that the corresponding...

We show that project evaluation should be based on free cash flows at nominal prices. We present a case where the results from the constant price method are biased upwards and there is a risk to accept bad projects. It is a widespread practice to evaluate projects at constant prices. With an...

Surprisingly there is a wide range of interpretations on how to calculate the cash flows for valuation purposes. This ample definition of what the cash flows are is shared by academicians and practitioners. Some of the definitions openly contradict the essential and basic concepts of cash flow...

In the financial appraisal of a project, the cashflow statements are constructed from two points of view: The Total Investment (TI) Point of View and Equity Point of View. One of the most important issues is the estimation of the correct financial discount rates for the two points of view. In...

The use of fixed capital budgets is an empirically well-documented phenomenon in business practice. Whensoever some profitable investment opportunities cannot be realized, managers have to make investment decisions between mutually exclusive investment opportunities. In a multiperiod agency...

In February and March of 1999, we surveyed 392 CFOs about the cost of capital, capital budgeting, and capital structure. The survey consisted of 14 main questions, most with subparts - over 100 questions in total. Although the survey was anonymous, we also collected information on 12...

It is widely accepted that the correct discount rate for the tax shield depends on whether the value of the debt is a fixed amount or is a proportion of the value of the firm. In this pedagogical note, using a simple two period numerical example, I assume a fixed amount of debt and demonstrate...

In Velez-Pareja, (1999b and 1999c), some difficulties of EVA as an approach for the measurement of economic added value were considered. In those papers, the use of real economic value added based on the real free cash flow was suggested. This means the real cash flow calculated from the...

This paper examines a multiperiod principal-agent model in which a divisional manager has superior information regarding the profitability of an investment project available to his division. The manager also contributes to the periodic operating cash flows of his division through personally...

In this paper, we quantify shareholder value creation for 276 American companies. We provide the created shareholder value for each and every company for years 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001. The market value of the 276 companies was 8,716 billion dollars in 2001 and 9,729 billion dollars in 2000. We...