DaimlerChrysler: Organizing the Post-Merger Integration 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 DaimlerChrysler: Organizing the Post-Merger Integration case study

At Oak Spring University, we provide corporate level professional Net Present Value (NPV) case study solution. DaimlerChrysler: Organizing the Post-Merger Integration case study is a Harvard Business School (HBR) case study written by Piero Morosini, George Radler. The DaimlerChrysler: Organizing the Post-Merger Integration (referred as “Merger Integration” from here on) case study provides evaluation & decision scenario in field of Organizational Development. It also touches upon business topics such as - Value proposition, Cross-cultural management, Globalization, Mergers & acquisitions, Strategy execution.

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

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Case Description of DaimlerChrysler: Organizing the Post-Merger Integration Case Study

Provides an inside view of how the former Daimler-Benz and Chrysler companies organized their integration efforts following their May 1998 merger, the first truly transatlantic merger in history and, at the time, the largest ever. As such, this merger presents an unusually broad array of management issues that were both unprecedented in scope and rather unique, ranging from cross-cultural management and global strategy and implementation to international M&A alliances and change management. Describes how DaimlerChrysler actually organized and moved to implement the post-merger integration process, raising a set of issues around structural risks, cultural aspects, and execution skills in a high-stakes, global context of a major post-merger integration effort.

Case Authors : Piero Morosini, George Radler

Topic : Organizational Development

Related Areas : Cross-cultural management, Globalization, Mergers & acquisitions, Strategy execution

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Calculating Net Present Value (NPV) at 6% for DaimlerChrysler: Organizing the Post-Merger Integration Case Study

Years	Cash Flow	Net Cash Flow	Cumulative     Cash Flow	Discount Rate @ 6 %	Discounted Cash Flows
Year 0	(10029032)	-10029032	-	-
Year 1	3461300	-6567732	3461300	0.9434	3265377
Year 2	3973309	-2594423	7434609	0.89	3536231
Year 3	3961529	1367106	11396138	0.8396	3326176
Year 4	3231773	4598879	14627911	0.7921	2559867
TOTAL			14627911		12687651

The Net Present Value at 6% discount rate is 2658619

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.

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Capital Budgeting Approaches

Methods of Capital Budgeting

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

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

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

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Formula and Steps to Calculate Net Present Value (NPV) of DaimlerChrysler: Organizing the Post-Merger Integration

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 Organizational Development 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 Merger Integration 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 Merger Integration 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	(10029032)	-10029032	-	-
Year 1	3461300	-6567732	3461300	0.8696	3009826
Year 2	3973309	-2594423	7434609	0.7561	3004392
Year 3	3961529	1367106	11396138	0.6575	2604770
Year 4	3231773	4598879	14627911	0.5718	1847777
TOTAL					10466765

The Net NPV after 4 years is 437733

(10466765 - 10029032 )

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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	(10029032)	-10029032	-	-
Year 1	3461300	-6567732	3461300	0.8333	2884417
Year 2	3973309	-2594423	7434609	0.6944	2759242
Year 3	3961529	1367106	11396138	0.5787	2292552
Year 4	3231773	4598879	14627911	0.4823	1558533
TOTAL					9494743

The Net NPV after 4 years is -534289

At 20% discount rate the NPV is negative (9494743 - 10029032 ) so ideally we can't select the project if macro and micro factors don't allow financial managers of Merger Integration 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 Merger Integration has a NPV value higher than Zero then finance managers at Merger Integration 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 Merger Integration, then the stock price of the Merger Integration 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 Merger Integration 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 –

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.

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

Understanding of risks involved in the project.

What can impact the cash flow of the project.

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.

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Negotiation Strategy of DaimlerChrysler: Organizing the Post-Merger Integration

References & Further Readings

Piero Morosini, George Radler (2018), "DaimlerChrysler: Organizing the Post-Merger Integration Harvard Business Review Case Study. Published by HBR Publications.