1. Investment Banking Internship Class
The Company Write-up
Or Getting your best ideas on paper
Or You have to know it--to do it!

2. Objectives A. Know the importance of the company write-up process
B. Understand the process on how to write a good company report
C. Understand the format that I require for this internship

3. The Importance of the Company Report
What is the company report write-up?
It is the final document that will be read by your readers
It may be your only chance to convince your reader of the validity of your recommendation. Do it well!
Will it differ depending on your audience?
Yes. Write accordingly!

4. The Company Report (continued)
How much will most portfolio managers actually read of a normal report?
Generally only the first paragraph or page, and the rest only if you can pique their interest. Keep it clear and succinct!
How important is a good summary?
Very important. Your summary must stand out to get read!

5. Questions
Any questions as to the importance of the company write-up process?

6. Know How to Write up a Good Company Report?
Follow the process
Understand the global and country economic framework in which the company operates
Understand the global and country industrial framework in which the company operates
Understand the type of company and the key factors which drive value or profitability

7. Use the Global Analysis Framework
Global Economic and Political Analysis
(You know what is the world doing!)
Country Economic and Political Analysis
(You know what’s happening in your main markets!)
Global Industry Analysis
(You know what the global industry is doing!)
Country Industry Analysis
(You know what’s happening in your main industry!)
Company Analysis
(Here’s where you should be now!)

8. Find your key information
Economic information
Multilateral institutions, global publications, general financial and economic magazines (I will provide this!)
Industry information
Key data providers (Bloomberg, Reuters, etc.)
Company and competitor reports
Company information
Discussions with management, suppliers, etc. This is the really valuable work comes in!
Financial press and industry and related sources
Financial reports (10-K, 10-Q, and other reports)

9. Categorize your company
Each of these general types of firms possess different characteristics, so investors need to focus on different firm attributes to determine if the firm is attractive or not. We will use Peter Lynch’s same six categories that we used with the industry reports (review the Industry PowerPoint's for details):
Slow Growers
Stalwarts
Fast Growers
Cyclicals
Turnarounds
Asset Plays

10. Gather Your Information
Do your homework
Know the company like you owned it. You may.
Document major positive and negative factors
Keep these in a specific place as you read and study the company. That way you will not forget anything
Prioritize your positive and negative factors
Emphasize those that support your recommendation

11. Write up the Report Finalize your analysis and make a recommendation
Come to a conclusion as soon as possible. Support it!
Update, review, and finalize your report
Update your financials, review your recommendations after any market moves, and finalize your report the day before you turn it in.

12. Update your Report
Finally, just before you present to company management, update your report a final time:
Update your:
Stock Price
Market Index Price
Industry Index Price
Company Earnings Estimates and date
Reprint your relative return graphs, and
Review your major recommendations and intrinsic value

13. Note:
When you present to company management, they are not just concerned about your financials, but everything that has happened with your company. You must know:
Any recent announcements that would impact your company, i.e.:
Changes in the company: purchases, management changes, earnings reports, profitability
Changes in the industry: technology, consolidation/acquisitions, leadership changes
Prepare accordingly

14. Questions
Any questions on how to write up a good company report?

15. C. How to Write your Company Report in “My” Report Format
Remember:
Note that every analyst, portfolio manager, or director of research will have their own preferred way of writing up a company
Learn to do it their way, but don’t hesitate to add the key areas you think are important after you have put it in “their” format!

16. Why this Framework? Efficient
There is lots of information in one place
Effective (but more difficult)
It is harder to write a one-page report than a 20 page report, but it is easier to get others to read it
Consistent
We will be sending out your research to asset management/buy-side companies as examples of BYU students analysis
Up-to-date
We are seeing more of this type of research in industry

17. Key Areas of the Framework
Key areas of information
Company and Market related information
Summary
Background
Positive Factors
Negative Factors
Things to Watch
Earnings Estimates

18. Investments Write-up Format
1. Key Stock/
Market Information
7. Earnings
Estimates
2. Summary
6. Things
to Watch
The Company
Report
3. Background
4-5. Positive/Negative Factors

19. 1. Key Stock and Market Information
Key general pieces of information
Company, country, industry
Key specifics (and source of the data) for the forecast year
Current Price (from Exhibit 4 section 5, i.e.,E4-5)
Current Market value (from E4-2)
Prospective Price earnings (from E4-2)
Prospective Market PE (from E4-17)
Company type (discussed earlier)
Relative fair value (from Intrinsic Value section 8)
Intrinsic value (from IV-7)
Recommendation (your view, but consistent with your Intrinsic Value-8)

20. Summary What is the summary?
This is the key piece of information for the analysis
If you have no recommendation, you are just learning about the company
The purpose of financial analysis is to make a decision about the company that can make the reader money
Write it well. It may be the only part read by your audience
It should be a summary of your most important key points supporting your decision

21. 3. Background Why is the background important?
This gives the historical framework on which your analysis is built
It includes specific information that is important to the analysis, including when founded, listed, key divisions, sales/profits by division, sales/profits by region, major shareholders/groups, percentage float, etc.
Help the reader to understand which divisions are most important and profitable
Include those areas which you think most relevant to the investment decision

22. 4. Positive Factors What are positive factors?
These are factors which will enhance the profitability of the company to the investor. These could relate to:
Valuation
Earnings growth
Financial condition
Economic positioning
Market/industry competitiveness
Management
Cost structures
Asset utilization (PP&E)
Accounting aspects

23. Negative Factors What are negative factors? Key caution:
These are factors which detract from the attractiveness of the company to the investor. These could include the same factors discussed before
Key caution:
Regardless of your recommendation, your positive and negative factors should overall support that recommendation, i.e. don’t have all positives and a sell recommendation
You want to show you have analyzed the key areas for analysis, yet your key goal is to support our recommendation

24. 6. Things to Watch Why a Things to Watch area?
Portfolio managers/analysts cannot spend all their time watching a single stock when they have stocks in their portfolios
Here you are stating the most important areas for the Portfolio Manager to watch.
Pick 2-3 critical items to watch
That way, if these events or items happen, it’s a flag for the portfolio manager to go back and re-evaluate what is going on

25. Earnings Per Share Estimates
Why Earnings per Share estimates?
1. It shows you the forecasts and directions that the other analysts are going
2. It gives a mean and standard deviation to tell you how close or how far away you are from the mean forecast of the other analysts
3. It lets you know if, perhaps, others are seeing things you aren’t, or perhaps, you are seeing things others aren’t
Note: You will rarely make money on forecasts where your forecasts are in line with what everyone else is saying. You make money when your forecasts are different from others--and when you are right!

26. Suggestion
As you finalize your report, I would recommend that you go to the HBL Library and read a couple of Wall Street reports on your company to get a sense of the things other analysts are writing.
Read what they are saying
Read what items they find most critical
See if you have included all pertinent data

27. Review of Objectives
A. Do you recognize the the importance of the company write-up?
B. Do you understand the process on how to write up a good company report?
C. Do you understand the format that I require for this class for the company write-up?