Answer these essay questions:

1. Go to finance.yahoo.com and find the current stock prices for Southwest Airlines (LUV), Harley Davidson (HUG) and Starwood Resorts and Hotels (HOT). Get a quote for American Express (AXP) and follow the "Key Statistics" link. What information is available on this link? What do mrq, ify, yoy and ttm mean?

2. Recently the social networking site Facebook had a successful Initial Public Offering (IPO) of its business. Write a report on the financial coverage of the financial securities. Is an IPO a primary market transaction or a secondary market transaction? Post IPO, what actions did the senior management take to maximize the shareholders' interests? Give reasons.

3. As you may know, many companies incorporate in Delaware for a variety of reasons. Visit the website at www.bizfilings.com to find out why. Which state has the highest fee for incorporation? For an LLC? While at the site, look at the FAQ section regarding corporations and LLCs and write your report.

4. In the reading assignment for this module you learned about some of the factors that affect stock prices. Consider the company you're working for or some company that interests you and determine what is the most important driver of stock price for that company (considering only factors that are under management's control)? Explain your answer.