The capital asset pricing model (CAPM) has for half a century been considered a pillar of modern finance in describing the relationship that is deemed to exist between the risk of owning an asset and the expected future returns from that asset. The model has however been subject to criticisms and attacks in the literature and some doubt remains about the validity and successful application of the model. This research builds on previous empirical testing of the CAPM with a specific focus on the cost of equity of companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. The approach of this research was to use market values, as indicated by the share price of a listed company and discounted free cash-flow valuations to determine both an estimated and implied cost of equity. The aim was to test the validity of the CAPM empirically and potentially find an accurate, implied cost of equity for the South African equity market, by comparing the different rates and looking for statistical correlation between them. While no correlation could be found, this study did provide evidence that the cost of equity and the market risk premium in South Africa is potentially higher than previously thought. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / ccgibs2014 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / MBA / Unrestricted

M.Comm. (Financial Management) / Our planet is getting smaller and older because the population is growing by the second and our resources and means of sustaining life are getting depleted. Companies need to rethink their strategy and business models to do no harm to the environment and society. The board of directors, as custodians of corporate governance, are responsible to direct their corporations towards sustainability performance. This has implications for the manner in which the board act and organise themselves. This study explores whether the board characteristics of sustainability performing companies differs from non-performing companies in terms of the gender; ethnicity; age; affiliation and the background of the directors at specified points in time namely 2004, 2007 and 2010 and how these board characteristics evolved over the specified period. The results should contribute to obtaining an understanding of how boards in South Africa are organising themselves in practice to enhance the sustainability performance of their companies. A comparative analysis using cross sectional data found that companies embracing sustainability performance have significantly more directors with non-traditional backgrounds on their board. A trend analysis using longitudinal data found that sustainability performing as well as nonperforming companies is becoming more diverse. Findings from this study provides practical guidance to companies wishing to integrate sustainability into their governance structures in that companies should consider recruiting directors with non-traditional backgrounds.

This study attempts to measure the effects on the share price of companies entering and exiting four FTSE/JSE indices; the J200, J210, J213 and J260. While results showed only weak statistical significance, systematic patterns were observed during the event window. Share prices of companies entering and exiting value weighted indices responded consistently with the investor awareness hypothesis. Share prices of companies entering and exiting indices weighted by fundamental factors responded consistently with the information hypothesis. The cumulative average abnormal returns (CAARs) were permanent and did not reverse within the first 200 days after the index change for all indices. Abnormal returns were calculated by using the market model and a one factor CAPM model. The market model was a superior benchmark in this study. This study found that the CAARs for index changes became positive only after the date of the index change. This implies that either the effect of passive index funds on the JSE is not significant, or that passive funds are allowed to incur tracking errors in order to trade strategically to secure the best price for a reconstituted portfolio. This conclusion is supported by the fact that there was no observable change in the index premium over time. The findings of this study may indicate market inefficiency, which means that arbitrage opportunities may exist around index changes. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Recent media reports surrounding the 2010 Soccer World Cup infrastructure, and the fines imposed by the Competition Commission drew the public’s attention to the impact that regulatory fines have on the returns earned by shareholders in these convicted companies. The purpose of the research was to establish if any significant impact on shareholder returns can be identified as a result of regulatory fines. By using event study methodology, the researcher aimed to establish if an impact can be identified at the various stages of the regulatory process. Statistical tests were conducted via the implementation of Monte Carlo Simulations at the various stages of the process, to ensure that the findings were significant. The studies revealed that shareholder returns were neutrally affected at the initiation and payment stages of the process, but that the returns were positively affected at the conviction stage. A style analysis (longitudinal study) was undertaken to determine if a portfolio consisting of stocks of convicted companies would out-perform the market over certain determined timeframes. As a baseline test, a portfolio was constructed of stocks of companies which have never been fined. The results revealed that both portfolios out-performed the market (ALL160) over a 24-year period, but that the portfolio consisting of convicted companies did not out-perform the portfolio of companies which have never been fined. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2014 / zkgibs2015 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / MBA / Unrestricted

Tobin’s q ratio employs a fundamental principle that enterprise values cannot deviate excessively from, namely the replacement value of the assets required to generate the future cashflow of the business. This ratio formed the cornerstone of this research that investigated whether an index based on the ratio would indicate time periods of market missed valuations; determined whether the q effect exists and the probability of its persistence over a 24 year period across different ranked quintile portfolios. Finally the research examined a new supply approach valuation technique that altered the q ratio, and could improve the spread in the q effect to improve investment yields. The Tobin’s q index was compiled using the most recent estimate and the index included the top 160 shares by market capitalisation, excluding the resources and financial sector for firms listed from 1990, to create a representative index for the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Tobin’s q long term average was 1,83 at December 2013, indicating a consistent upward bias mainly due to share valuations. A time serious approach was followed to compare cumulative returns between different ranked quintile portfolios, ranked by Tobin’s q to analyse for style effects. Tobin’s q displayed style characteristics, although it was not as prominent as other value indicators. The adjustment from the supply approach could not improve investment yields. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / zkgibs2015 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / Unrestricted

This research investigated the ability of current earnings and cash flows to predict future cash flows and future share prices. The investigation was conducted used financial information of JSE listed companies over a period between 2001 and 2011. The objectives of the research were to establish the predictive ability of current earnings and cash flows on future cash flows and share prices. This study was motivated by the findings of Kim and Kross (2005) where they consolidated the earlier findings by Collins et al. (1997) and Dechow et al. (1998).It was predetermined that the study would add to the body of knowledge in financial statements analysis and the application of earnings and cash flows as the predictive financial variables, Earnings are regarded as an essential measure of company of company‘s performance and cash flows from operations as a measure of the company‘s ability to generate cash flows from their operations. It was noted that investors do study and analyse these financial elements when investment decisions are made (Higgins, 2009; De Fond and Hung, 2003).It was found that earnings did not have the predictive ability on future cash flows but proved to possess high predictive power over future share prices. The results were not in agreement with the previous studied on the same subject. The average of R-square on current earnings ability to predict future cash flows were R2=0.27 and 0.38 in the long run and short run, respectively. The predictive ability on future share prices were R2=0.44 and 0.54 in the long and short run, respectively. Current cash flows on the hand indicated low predictive ability on future share price where the average R2=0.24 and 0.33 in the long and short run respectively. The predictive ability on current cash flows over future cash flows proved to be higher, which was not consistent with the previous researchers. The average R2 were 0.44 and 0.46 in the long and short run. It was noted that these financial elements proved to possess higher predictive abilities in the short run. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Financial market anomalies are constant subjects of debate because of their devotion form the foundational financial theories. Fama and French (2008) referred to the momentum effect as the premier anomaly. Thus, this study sought to apply the concept of momentum to examine three investment strategies. The first strategy was price momentum, an existing investment strategy but which was used as a comparison to the returns of the second and third strategies. The second strategy applied momentum to return on equity, operating cash flow and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation, whilst the third strategy combined stocks with momentum in both stock price and respective fundamental variable.Using a non-probability sampling method, a total of 109 stock listed on the JSE over the period 1999-2010 were tested. Momentum in stock price and respective fundamentals was used to rank stocks into quintiles. The viability of each investment strategy was measured by comparing its average and risk adjusted returns to the market.The results revealed that fundamental momentum can beat market returns, with the highest amount of significant differences found using momentum in return on equity. The combination strategy also reported results of beating the market, with the higest amount of significant differences found using the 12 month fundamental momentum combined with 6 month price momentum. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

This research investigated whether earnings management of listed companies, have increased or decreased since the implementation of King II in 2003. This study assessed the extent of earnings management for certain sectors and for large and mid cap companies. The discretionary component of total accruals was used as proxy for earnings management – calculated by using the Modified Jones Model. The top-100 JSE-listed firms by market capitalisation were assessed, excluding the Financial, Mining and Resource Sectors. It was found that discretionary accruals has increased since 1996 and peaked in 2005 (see graph Figure 13). It was concluded with 89% certainty that discretionary accruals during “2003-2009” were higher than during “1996-2002”. Hence, the research suggests that accrual based earnings management is likely to have increased since 2003. However, the results were not statistically significant. Also, the cause of this increase could be due to many factors (not necessarily due to King II). Discretionary accruals were found to be higher for mid cap companies and for the retail sector. However, the analysis was not statistically significant. Discretionary accruals have fluctuated significantly over time and amongst companies. In order to identify which companies and sectors manage earnings the most, a more detailed micro-level investigation, using multiple detection models, is required. Copyright / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

The ANC government has implemented various mechanisms to promote inclusivity of all economic citizens over the past 15 years. The main objectives of all the policies was to promote economic transformation in order to enable meaningful participation of black people in the economy and to change the racial composition of ownership and management structures of existing and new enterprises. The purpose of the research was to determine the contribution of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) to the financial performance of companies on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) during the economic recession. The underlying assumption was that companies with greater overall BBBEE compliance rating should outperform companies with a lower overall BEE compliance rating. The top BBBEE rated companies on the JSE were analysed to determine whether these companies outperformed that sector indices. Market-to-book-value, Price-Earnings Ratio and Annual Return were used as financial performance measures. The results showed that there was a positive correlation between the companies’ BBBEE rating and the financial performance. On further investigation it was revealed that on average the companies with greater BBBEE ratings did not outperform companies with lower BBBEE ratings nor did they outperform the sector indices Copyright 2011, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Van Heerden, JH 2011, Contribution of broad-based black economic empowerment to the financial performance of companies listed on the JSE during a recession, MBA dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-03202012-121101 / > F12/4/211/gm / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

This analyses the impact of unexpected changes in monetary policy on the South African equity market over the period 2005 -2018. In an attempt to understand this relationship, two main views have emerged. The wealth effect suggests that monetary policy changes have an indirect effect on the stock market, via changes in the value of private portfolios. On the other hand, it has been argued that the stock market is an independent source of macroeconomic volatility to which policy makers may wish to consider. This paper applies an event study approach to examine the stock market reaction to monetary policy. Furthermore, to understand the economic sources underpinning that reaction a Vector autoregressive model is estimated. The results suggest that on average, a surprise rate hike of 100 basis points causes short term JSE All Share index total returns to decline by 2.71%. We also find that the stock market reacts positively (negatively) to expansionary (contractionary) unexpected monetary policy actions due to revised market expectations about future dividends, excess premiums and the discount rate. The findings are crucial for central bank policy makers and JSE stock market investors.