Darden University of Virginia (USA)
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AB InBev’s Dividend Decision
Loutskina, Elena; Bickwit, GrantCase DARDEN-F-1907-EFinanceIn 2018, AB InBev faced a difficult decision: whether to keep its $8 billion dividend program or cut dividends either partially or in full. This case facilitates a theoretical discussion and practical application of dividend policies and their role in value creation for firm stakeholders. Students gain experience formulating a dividend policy and understanding its effects on debt, cost of capital, and company valuation. A widely recognized globa...Starting at €8.20
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Union Pacific Corporation
Loutskina, Elena; Yuhas, KacyCase DARDEN-F-1987-EFinanceThe leadership of Union Pacific Corporation (UPC), the largest public railroad transportation company in the United States, needed to decide whether the company should reestablish its share-buyback program. The freight recession of 2019 and the decline in shipping volumes caused by the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 had not been gentle on the freight industry overall, and UPC had been no exception. The company had been able to maintain ...Starting at €8.20
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AB InBev’s Dividend Decision - Teaching note
Loutskina, Elena; Adkins, ThomasTeaching Note DARDEN-F-1907TN-EFinanceTeaching note for product F-1907Starting at €0.00
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Citrix Systems, Inc.: A Fight Worth Fighting?
Loutskina, Elena; Shah, JigarCase DARDEN-F-2049-EFinanceIn December 2021, Valiant Capital Partners (VCP) is in the middle of bidding for Citrix Systems, Inc. (Citrix), to take the company private via a leveraged buyout (LBO). The auction of the renowned desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) company had attracted a number of bidders. VCP's initial bid of $15 billion ($92 per share) had allowed the fund to move to the final bidding round. Now with broader access to the company and its management, VCP has to revis...Starting at €8.20
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Williams-Sonoma, Inc., LBO: Let's Get Cooking
Loutskina, Elena; Rayaji, AbanikashCase DARDEN-F-2051-EFinanceIn May 2023, partners from a private equity (PE) fund, Jefferson Capital, and a private (mezzanine) debt fund, Cavalier Capital, need to join forces to design their bid for Williams-Sonoma, Inc., to take the company private. May 2023's market environment looked unfriendly for LBOs: interest rates were steadily climbing as the Federal Reserve was trying to rein in inflation, the risk of the economy entering a recession was high, and banks themselv...Starting at €8.20
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Going to a Gym to Bring Healthy Returns
Loutskina, Elena; Brown, Matt; Bard, DavidCase DARDEN-F-2020FinanceKevin Robbins, a partner in District Capital Partners (DCP), had spent months researching an opportunity to invest in Blue Steel, Inc. (Blue Steel), one of the largest operators of Planet Fitness gyms in the country. What had started as a single franchisee investment quickly grew into something more. DCP's Investment Committee (IC) had given Robbins the green light to consider future investment in the Planet Fitness franchisee base. For DCP, Blu...Starting at €8.20
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Citrix Systems, Inc.: A Fight Worth Fighting?
Loutskina, Elena; Shah, JigarCase DARDEN-F-2049FinanceIn December 2021, Valiant Capital Partners (VCP) is in the middle of bidding for Citrix Systems, Inc. (Citrix), to take the company private via a leveraged buyout (LBO). The auction of the renowned desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) company had attracted a number of bidders. VCP's initial bid of $15 billion ($92 per share) had allowed the fund to move to the final bidding round. Now with broader access to the company and its management, VCP has to revis...Starting at €8.20
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Should udu a Convertible Note?
Loutskina, Elena; DeVito, DamonCase DARDEN-F-2025-EFinanceIn this field-based case, the founders of udu, Inc. (udu—pronounced "you-do"), a company whose proprietary technology helped private equity clients source deals by identifying target companies and overlooked opportunities, and by shortening the business-development cycle. Clients who had found success with udu's help raved about the technology, but despite their product's promise, the founders were still struggling to find a scalable and profitab...Starting at €8.20
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A Community for Change: B Lab and Certified B Corps
Frank, Mary Margaret; Loutskina, Elena; Yemen, GerryTechnical Note DARDEN-F-1878-EFinanceFounded in 2006, the B Lab, a nonprofit organization, created the certified B Corporations (B Corps). B Corps are businesses that satisfy a set of standards and benchmarks defined by social and environmental impact. B Corps and their supply chains are assessed on their policies and procedures around governance, workers, community, environment, and disclosures to the public. Certification means the company is a "purpose-driven" business that creat...Starting at €8.20
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Charter Communications: Ensuring the Right Path Forward - Teaching Note
Loutskina, ElenaTeaching Note DARDEN-F-1814TN-EFinanceTeaching Note for product F-1814Starting at €0.00