Dennis Hightower: Walt Disney's Transnational Manager, Spanish Version Net Present Value (NPV) / MBA Resources

Introduction to Net Present Value (NPV) - What is Net Present Value (NPV) ? How it impacts financial decisions regarding project management?

NPV solution for Dennis Hightower: Walt Disney's Transnational Manager, Spanish Version case study

At Oak Spring University, we provide corporate level professional Net Present Value (NPV) case study solution. Dennis Hightower: Walt Disney's Transnational Manager, Spanish Version case study is a Harvard Business School (HBR) case study written by Ashish Nanda. The Dennis Hightower: Walt Disney's Transnational Manager, Spanish Version (referred as “Hightower Dennis” from here on) case study provides evaluation & decision scenario in field of Leadership & Managing People. It also touches upon business topics such as - Value proposition, Competitive strategy, Corporate governance, International business, Leadership, Marketing.

The net present value (NPV) of an investment proposal is the present value of the proposal’s net cash flows less the proposal’s initial cash outflow. If a project’s NPV is greater than or equal to zero, the project should be accepted.

NPV = Present Value of Future Cash Flows LESS Project’s Initial Investment

---

Case Description of Dennis Hightower: Walt Disney's Transnational Manager, Spanish Version Case Study

Describes the actions taken by Dennis Hightower as president of Disney Consumer Products in Europe and the Middle East from 1988 to 1994. Focuses on how he has established a regional office and knit local operations closer together, the benefits that the process has generated, but also the tensions it has created within the organization. The case ends with Hightower contemplating whether he should be changing directions, given the emerging strategic and organizational challenges.

Case Authors : Ashish Nanda

Topic : Leadership & Managing People

Related Areas : Competitive strategy, Corporate governance, International business, Leadership, Marketing

---

Calculating Net Present Value (NPV) at 6% for Dennis Hightower: Walt Disney's Transnational Manager, Spanish Version Case Study

Years	Cash Flow	Net Cash Flow	Cumulative     Cash Flow	Discount Rate @ 6 %	Discounted Cash Flows
Year 0	(10006119)	-10006119	-	-
Year 1	3447310	-6558809	3447310	0.9434	3252179
Year 2	3962654	-2596155	7409964	0.89	3526748
Year 3	3952162	1356007	11362126	0.8396	3318311
Year 4	3224858	4580865	14586984	0.7921	2554390
TOTAL			14586984		12651628

The Net Present Value at 6% discount rate is 2645509

In isolation the NPV number doesn't mean much but put in right context then it is one of the best method to evaluate project returns. In this article we will cover -

Different methods of capital budgeting

What is NPV & Formula of NPV,
How it is calculated,
How to use NPV number for project evaluation, and
Scenario Planning given risks and management priorities.

---

Capital Budgeting Approaches

Methods of Capital Budgeting

There are four types of capital budgeting techniques that are widely used in the corporate world –

1. Profitability Index
2. Internal Rate of Return
3. Net Present Value
4. Payback Period

Apart from the Payback period method which is an additive method, rest of the methods are based on Discounted Cash Flow technique. Even though cash flow can be calculated based on the nature of the project, for the simplicity of the article we are assuming that all the expected cash flows are realized at the end of the year.

Discounted Cash Flow approaches provide a more objective basis for evaluating and selecting investment projects. They take into consideration both –

1. Magnitude of both incoming and outgoing cash flows – Projects can be capital intensive, time intensive, or both. Hightower Dennis shareholders have preference for diversified projects investment rather than prospective high income from a single capital intensive project.
2. Timing of the expected cash flows – stockholders of Hightower Dennis have higher preference for cash returns over 4-5 years rather than 10-15 years given the nature of the volatility in the industry.

---

Formula and Steps to Calculate Net Present Value (NPV) of Dennis Hightower: Walt Disney's Transnational Manager, Spanish Version

NPV = Net Cash In Flowt1 / (1+r)t1 + Net Cash In Flowt2 / (1+r)t2 + … Net Cash In Flowtn / (1+r)tn
Less Net Cash Out Flowt0 / (1+r)t0

Where t = time period, in this case year 1, year 2 and so on.
r = discount rate or return that could be earned using other safe proposition such as fixed deposit or treasury bond rate. Net Cash In Flow – What the firm will get each year.
Net Cash Out Flow – What the firm needs to invest initially in the project.

Step 1 – Understand the nature of the project and calculate cash flow for each year.
Step 2 – Discount those cash flow based on the discount rate.
Step 3 – Add all the discounted cash flow.
Step 4 – Selection of the project

Why Leadership & Managing People Managers need to know Financial Tools such as Net Present Value (NPV)?

In our daily workplace we often come across people and colleagues who are just focused on their core competency and targets they have to deliver. For example marketing managers at Hightower Dennis often design programs whose objective is to drive brand awareness and customer reach. But how that 30 point increase in brand awareness or 10 point increase in customer touch points will result into shareholders’ value is not specified.

To overcome such scenarios managers at Hightower Dennis needs to not only know the financial aspect of project management but also needs to have tools to integrate them into part of the project development and monitoring plan.

Calculating Net Present Value (NPV) at 15%

After working through various assumptions we reached a conclusion that risk is far higher than 6%. In a reasonably stable industry with weak competition - 15% discount rate can be a good benchmark.

Years	Cash Flow	Net Cash Flow	Cumulative     Cash Flow	Discount Rate @ 15 %	Discounted Cash Flows
Year 0	(10006119)	-10006119	-	-
Year 1	3447310	-6558809	3447310	0.8696	2997661
Year 2	3962654	-2596155	7409964	0.7561	2996336
Year 3	3952162	1356007	11362126	0.6575	2598611
Year 4	3224858	4580865	14586984	0.5718	1843823
TOTAL					10436430

The Net NPV after 4 years is 430311

(10436430 - 10006119 )

---

Calculating Net Present Value (NPV) at 20%

If the risk component is high in the industry then we should go for a higher hurdle rate / discount rate of 20%.

Years	Cash Flow	Net Cash Flow	Cumulative     Cash Flow	Discount Rate @ 20 %	Discounted Cash Flows
Year 0	(10006119)	-10006119	-	-
Year 1	3447310	-6558809	3447310	0.8333	2872758
Year 2	3962654	-2596155	7409964	0.6944	2751843
Year 3	3952162	1356007	11362126	0.5787	2287131
Year 4	3224858	4580865	14586984	0.4823	1555198
TOTAL					9466930

The Net NPV after 4 years is -539189

At 20% discount rate the NPV is negative (9466930 - 10006119 ) so ideally we can't select the project if macro and micro factors don't allow financial managers of Hightower Dennis to discount cash flow at lower discount rates such as 15%.

Acceptance Criteria of a Project based on NPV

Simplest Approach – If the investment project of Hightower Dennis has a NPV value higher than Zero then finance managers at Hightower Dennis can ACCEPT the project, otherwise they can reject the project. This means that project will deliver higher returns over the period of time than any alternate investment strategy.

In theory if the required rate of return or discount rate is chosen correctly by finance managers at Hightower Dennis, then the stock price of the Hightower Dennis should change by same amount of the NPV. In real world we know that share price also reflects various other factors that can be related to both macro and micro environment.

In the same vein – accepting the project with zero NPV should result in stagnant share price. Finance managers use discount rates as a measure of risk components in the project execution process.

Sensitivity Analysis

Project selection is often a far more complex decision than just choosing it based on the NPV number. Finance managers at Hightower Dennis should conduct a sensitivity analysis to better understand not only the inherent risk of the projects but also how those risks can be either factored in or mitigated during the project execution. Sensitivity analysis helps in –

Understanding of risks involved in the project.

What can impact the cash flow of the project.

What are the key aspects of the projects that need to be monitored, refined, and retuned for continuous delivery of projected cash flows.

What are the uncertainties surrounding the project Initial Cash Outlay (ICO’s). ICO’s often have several different components such as land, machinery, building, and other equipment.

What will be a multi year spillover effect of various taxation regulations.

Some of the assumptions while using the Discounted Cash Flow Methods –

Projects are assumed to be Mutually Exclusive – This is seldom the came in modern day giant organizations where projects are often inter-related and rejecting a project solely based on NPV can result in sunk cost from a related project.

Independent projects have independent cash flows – As explained in the marketing project – though the project may look independent but in reality it is not as the brand awareness project can be closely associated with the spending on sales promotions and product specific advertising.

---

Negotiation Strategy of Dennis Hightower: Walt Disney's Transnational Manager, Spanish Version

References & Further Readings

Ashish Nanda (2018), "Dennis Hightower: Walt Disney's Transnational Manager, Spanish Version Harvard Business Review Case Study. Published by HBR Publications.