Question: School Versus Work
A. The school you would like to attend costs $100,000. To help finance your education, you need to choose whether or not to sell your 1,000 shares of Apple stock, 1,000 EE Savings Bonds (with $100 denominations and 4.25% coupon rate) that are five years from their 30-year maturity date, or a combination of both. Provide the appropriate data and calculations that you would perform to make this decision.
B. What are the advantages and disadvantages of selling a combination of stocks and bonds? Be sure to support your answers.
C. Suppose that you choose to sell your stocks, bonds, or a combination of both. What is your choice, and what is your financial reasoning behind this choice? Consider supporting your answer with quantitative data.
D. Suppose that you choose to accept the job. What is your financial reasoning behind this choice? Be sure to support your answer with quantitative data.
II. Bonus Versus Stock
A. The company has offered you a $5,000 bonus, which you may receive today, or 100 shares of the company's stock, which has a current stock price of $50 per share. Mathematically, what is the best choice? Why?
B. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each option? Be sure to support your answers.
C. What would you ultimately choose to do? What is your financial reasoning behind this choice? Consider supporting your answer with quantitative data.
III. Compliance
A. While investigating the shares offered to you by your potential boss, you discover that the company you are considering working for is not registered as required under the Securities Act of 1933. How does this influence you as a potential employee and as a potential shareholder? Be sure to reference any applicable statutes or laws.
B. You know that accepting this job may eventually lead to a promotion into the role of the financial manager. As the potential financial manager, what federal and shareholder requirements would you need to be familiar with in order to ensure that you are being completely compliant?