Information for Tasks 1 and 2

You work in the corporate finance department of a major investment bank. One of your clients has expressed an interest in investing in either ASOS (ASC:LSE) or Marks and Spencer (MKS:LSE).

You have collected the following information about the two companies:

Statement of financial position as at:	31 August			1st April
	ASOS			Marks and Spencer
	2017	2016		2017	2016
	£m	£m		£m	£m
Non-Current assets
Property plant and equipment	137.4	77.2		4,837.8	5,027.1
Intangible assets	178.0	113.5		709.0	802.8
Other	10.5	13.3		1,022.4	1,185.1
	325.9	204.0		6,569.2	7,015.0
Current assets
Inventories	323.3	257.7		758.5	799.9
Trade and other receivables	28.6	15.0		318.6	321.1
Other	0.0	0.0		177.6	92.8
Cash and cash equivalent	162.6	173.3		468.6	247.6
	514.5	446.0		1,723.3	1,461.4
Total assets	840.4	650.0		8,292.5	8,476.4
Equity	£m	£m		£m	£m
Issued Called	2.9	2.9		406.2	405.8
Share premium	6.9	6.9		416.4	411.3
Retained earnings	327.2	254.7		6,648.1	6,927.5
Other	(49.9)	(64.1)		(4,320.3)	(4,301.2)
Total equity	287.1	200.4		3,150.4	3,443.4
Non-current liabilities	9.1	21.0		2,774.1	2,928.2
Current liabilities
Trade and other payables	480.7	370.7		1,553.8	1,617.7
Current tax liabilities	5.8	2.9		66.6	75.2
Other	57.7	55.0		747.6	411.9
	544.2	428.6		2,368.0	2,104.8
Total liabilities	553.3	449.6		5,142.1	5,033.0
Total equity and liabilities	840.4	650.0		8,292.5	8,476.4

Statement of comprehensive income for year ending:	31st August			1st April
	ASOS			M&S
	2017	2016		2017	2016
Revenue	1,923.6	1,444.9		10,622.0	10,555.4
Cost of sales	(965.3)	(722.7)		(6,534.2)	(6,427.0)
Gross profit	958.3	722.2		4,087.8	4,128.4
Distribution expenses	(299.2)	(216.0)		(3,460.4)	(3,412.9)
Administration expenses	(579.5)	(464.1)		(437.4)	(200.8)
Other operating income	0.0	0.0		63.2	69.4
Operating profit	79.6	42.1		253.2	584.1
Finance income/(Costs) – Net	0.4	0.7		(76.8)	(95.3)
Profit before tax	80.0	42.8		176.4	488.8
Income tax expense	(15.9)	(8.1)		(60.7)	(84.4)
Profit from continuing operations	64.1	34.7		115.7	404.4
Discontinued operations	0.0	(10.3)		0.0	0.0
Profit attributable to owners of equity	64.1	24.4		115.7	404.4
Other comprehensive income	12.2	(67.5)		(44.9)	268.1
Total compincome/(loss) for year	76.3	(43.1)		70.8	672.5

Other information:
Nominal value per share (£)	0.035	0.035		0.250	0.250
No. of Shares (Million)	82.9	82.9		1,624.7	1,623.0
Earnings per share (pence)	76.6	29.3		30.2	34.9
Dividends per share (pence)	nil	nil		23.3	18.4
Share price at year end (pence)	5,667.0	4,530.0		334.6	410.4
Value of equity (£m)	4,695.5	3,753.4		5,436.2	6,660.8
Price earnings ratio	74.0	154.6		11.1	11.8
Average p/e ratio for sector	17
Share price 30 November 2017(pence)	6,069.0			313.2
Equity value at 30 November 2017 (£m)	5,028.6			5,088.6

NB: Above figures will be updated before the assignment is issued

Notes on the above information:

Asset valuations  These have been reviewed for the most recent year and it is thought the figures should be adjusted follows: ASOS M&S Adjust for inventories (£m) 20.0 (45.0) Adjust for receivables (£m) (3.0) 6.0

The Capital Asset Pricing Model  Assume the risk free rate of return is 3% and the expected return on the market is 6% per cent. Beta has been estimated as follows using two analysts and they have arrived at the following estimates: ASOS M&S Analyst 1 1.6 1.1 Analyst 2 1.2 0.9

Non-Current liabilities  ASOS M&S Coupon rate 5% 6% The current price per £100 £95 £102.5 Assume non-current liabilities are shown in the statement of financial position at par value and are non-redeemable.

The relative share price movements of the two companies are below

Required:

Task 1: Calculate Value of Asos plc and Marks and Spencer plc for the latest year (Use only the information contained in this assignment)

a) Net asset value

• Calculate the Net asset value per share.

b) Cost of capital

• Calculate the cost of equity capital using the Capital Asset Pricing Model.
• Calculate the cost of debt capital (assume a taxation rate of 20%).
• Calculate the weighted average cost of capital (WACC) using the share price as at 31 Dec 2017 for the value of equity.

c) Dividend growth model

• Basing your calculations on the dividend for 2017, use the dividend growth model to calculate the theoretical price of a share under the following assumptions:
  g = 0%
  g = 2%

Task 2 Comment on the value of ASOS plc and Marks and Spencer plc Required:

• Use the information from your calculations above and any other information you deem appropriate to arrive at the valuation per share of the two companies.

In doing so critically evaluate the Price-Earnings ratio, Dividend Growth, and the dividend policy.

• You should also relate your calculations to current and historic share price information as appropriate.
• Discuss which company you would advise your client to purchase shares in