Prompt:
Textbook: Ross, Westerfield and Jordan (2022).Fundamentals of Corporate Finance .13th ed. New
York, NY: McGraw Hill.
ISBN: 9781260772395
Below are some examples of starting points for possible term papers. Your paper should be between 5
and 7 pages, double-spaced. This should be content (not counting title page, references, etc.). You
should use at least three sources in your paper, one of which can come from the textbook, the other
two can come from a combination of reputable periodicals (i.e., Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, etc.)
and/or academic journal articles. You may select one of the three topics listed below, or you can write
shorter papers on all three topics as long as the requirements noted above are met. In total you need 5-
7 pages of content (for example, if you chose to write shorter papers on all three topics you would need
approximately 2 pages per topic (vs. 5-7 if you select only one).
1. Paper Topic 1: Overview of Corporate Finance Principles (Chapters 1-2)
a. Introduction: Provide an overview of the key principles and concepts discussed in the
first two chapters of the textbook.
b. Content Areas:
i. Explain the goal of financial management, whether it’s maximizing shareholder
wealth or something else.
ii. Discuss the importance of cash flows and the time value of money in financial
decision-making.
iii. Describe the main financial markets and their roles in corporate finance.
c. Case Study: Analyze a real-life company’s financial decisions in light of the principles
discussed in chapters 1 and 2.
2. Paper Topic 2: Financial Statements and Ratio Analysis (Chapters 3-4)
a. Introduction: Introduce the importance of financial statements in corporate finance and
the tools for analyzing a company’s performance.
b. Content Areas:
i. Explain the purpose and contents of financial statements (balance sheet,
income statement, and cash flow statement).
ii. Describe the various financial ratios used for performance evaluation, liquidity,
solvency, and profitability.
iii. Discuss the limitations of financial ratios and potential issues with financial
statement analysis.
c. Case Study: Select a company and perform a comprehensive financial ratio analysis
using data from its financial statements.
3. Paper Topic 3: Time Value of Money and Valuation (Chapters 5-10)
a. Introduction: Introduce the concepts of time value of money and valuation methods in
corporate finance.
b. Content Areas:
i. Explain the concept of time value of money, including present value, future
value, and compounding.
ii. Discuss valuation methods for bonds, stocks, and other financial instruments.
iii. Explore the principles of risk and return, including the Capital Asset Pricing
Model (CAPM).