Darden University of Virginia (USA)
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Embraer S.A.
Simko, Paul J.; Green, RickCase DARDEN-C-2345-EAccounting and ControlMaria Rodriguez has secured an interview for a senior-management position with Embraer S.A. (Embraer), based in São Paulo. In preparation, she investigates Embraer’s business model and reviews the company’s financial statements to make sure she understands each of the important balance sheet and income statement accounts. She feels prepared to discuss the performance of the world’s fourth-largest aircraft manufacturer and one of Brazil’s most suc...Starting at €8.20
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Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.
Sihler, William W.; Green, RickCase DARDEN-F-1678-EFinanceThe senior managers of the Hartford have been challenged by an activist investor (John Paulson) to alter the company's strategy as a way to enhance shareholder value - the company's market price not being revealed from its 2008 fall. Management must decide how to respond.Starting at €8.20
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Fake News and the News Feed
Parmar; Bidhan L.; Leiner; Benjamin; Mead; JennyCase DARDEN-E-0429-EBusiness Ethics and Corporate Social ResponsibilityTessa Lyons was a rising star at Facebook. She had been the project manager in charge of news feed integrity for a little over a year; stationed at the front lines in the battle against misinformation and “fake news.” However; in early 2019; she faced an ethical dilemma that could define her tenure at the company and perhaps her career: whether to ban Alex Jones and the content from his platform; Infowars; from the Facebook news feed.Starting at €8.20
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The AES Corporation
Simko, Paul J.; Green, RickCase DARDEN-C-2347-EAccounting and ControlThe power generation and distribution company AES operated throughout the world. Its business was capital intensive and required a commitment to long-term investments under difficult-to-navigate regulatory hurdles. The case highlights various financial disclosures related to some of the company’s important investment and obligation accounts along with interesting descriptions of various causes of asset impairments that occurred during 2011. AES e...Starting at €8.20
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The Chubb Corporation: An Analysis of 2004-2012 Return on Equity
Simko, Paul J.; Green, RickCase DARDEN-C-2356-EAccounting and ControlIn March 2012, a buy-side analyst with a midsize (more than $5 billion in managed assets) investment management firm was asked by one of its portfolio managers to help him evaluate the Chubb Corporation (Chubb) as a potential investment candidate to diversify his portfolio to include a property casualty insurer. Chubb’s stock performance was inspiring, tripling in value since 2004. But an initial screening indicated weakness on some key financial...Starting at €8.20
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J&L Railroad: The Board Meeting
Eades, Kenneth M.; Lehman, Jeannine; Green, RickCase DARDEN-F-1605-EFinanceThis short case could be handed out at the end of class discussion on “J&L Railroad” [UVA-F-1053] in preparation for the following class, or if students are more experienced with hedging and option pricing, the instructor may choose to cover both cases in a single class period. It is the companion case to “J&L Railroad" [UVA-F-1053], and presents more technical issues regarding the hedging problem by requiring students to understand option-pricin...Starting at €8.20
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Research Affiliates
Evans, Richard B.; Green, RickCase DARDEN-F-1662-EFinanceTowers Watson (TW) has always conducted its own research into alternative approaches to market cap investing. A senior investment consultant with TW, impressed by a recent presentation by the CIO of Research Affiliates (RA) about an innovative investing concept called the “Fundamental Index methodology,” thinks it might be an important innovation in applying nonmarket cap approaches. But he has some concerns about the approach and whether or not ...Starting at €8.20
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Catalyst Health Solutions: A Script for Success?
Harris, Robert S.; Green, RickCase DARDEN-F-1666-EFinanceIn February 2011, David Blair, CEO of Catalyst Health Solutions, was considering another acquisition. Catalyst was already the fastest-growing pharmacy benefit management company in the United States, and Blair had his eye on a subsidiary of Walgreen Co., the second-largest retail drugstore chain in the country. Walgreen Co. was focusing its corporate strategy on the retail business and had just purchased 258 Duane Reade pharmacies in New York fo...Starting at €8.20
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Darden Investment Sales
Parmar; Bidhan L.; Morales; MattCase DARDEN-E-0432-EBusiness Ethics and Corporate Social ResponsibilityTJ, a manager at an investment company, is alarmed when, during an evening out with Leslie, his female colleague, and five male prospective clients, the men behave in an overly familiar way with her. Although Leslie assures TJ that she can handle this type of attention, TJ nonetheless is very uncomfortable with the situation. What should he do?Starting at €8.20
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Cardinal Foods: Sweet Sourcing
Weiss; Elliott N.; Parmar; Bidhan L.; Mead; JennyCase DARDEN-OM-1591-EService and Operations ManagementAs part of a biennial supplier review; Jennifer Schramm; a purchasing manager in the cocoa and chocolate division at Cardinal Foods; had been considering several different cocoa cooperatives. She wanted to (1) source high-quality cocoa in the proper particle sizes; (2) source cocoa from environmentally and socially conscious producers; (3) keep the cost of cocoa sourcing as low as possible; and (4) not increase any reputational risks to the compa...Starting at €8.20