Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Every investor that invests in JSE Securities Exchange listed shares wants to achieve optimum profits. Numerous tools are used to help investors and analysts to analyse buy signals, standard deviations, risk-adjusted returns and every possible piece of information that may lead to perfect recommendations. Despite all the problems and issues involved to make perfect recommendations, it seems as if some individuals achieve well above average results. There are no obvious reasons for the success they achieve. Often it may be ascribed to a combination of detailed technical analysis, market intelligence as well as gut-feel. This study evaluates the recommendations made by the analysts and quantifies the accuracy. Different scoring systems are used to evaluate the accuracy of the recommendations and a ranking of the analysts is compiled. Risk-adjusted returns are investigated in detail and are used in the calculations. The results of this study show that some analysts outperformed the rest by substantial margins. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Elke belegger wat in aandele op die JSE Sekuriteitebeurs belê, wil die maksimum moontlike wins maak. Verskeie modelle word gebruik om beleggers te help om koopseine, standaardafwykings, risiko-aangepaste winste en enige andere moontlike inligting te ontleed om sodoende betroubare aanbevelings te maak. Ten spyte van al die probleme wat dit moeilik maak om akkurate vooruitskatlings te maak, wil dit voorkom asof sekere individue heelwat beter vaar as die gemiddeld. Die sukses kan nie aan ooglopende aspekte toegeskryf word nie en dit berus meestal by 'n kombinasie van gedetaileerde tegniese analise, markintelligensie en "gut-feel". Hierdie studie is daarop toegespits om vooruitskattings van analiste te evalueer en die akkuraatheid van die aanbevelings te kwantifiseer. Verskeie punte stelsels word gebruik om die akkuraatheid van die aanbevelings te evalueer en 'n ranglys word opgestel na aanleiding van die resullate. Risiko aangepaste resultate word in detail ondersoek en word gebruik in die berekeninge. Die resultate van die navorsing dui daarop dat sekere ontleders aansienlik beter vaar as ander.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates the relationship between dividends and stock returns on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). In this mini study project a regression model is used to investigate the relationship between dividend yield portfolios and stock returns. Each of these dividend yield portfolios are further subdivided into dividend stability portfolios which together with a regression model are used to investigate the relationship between dividend stability and stock returns on the JSE. It follows from this study that there is a non-linear relationship between the risk-adjusted returns and dividend yields. A significant finding of this study is the fact that there is an inverse linear relationship between the dividend yield and average stock returns for dividend paying portfolios on the JSE. Investors on the JSE appear to place a premium on capital gains as opposed to dividends. It follows from this study that there is an inverse correlation between dividend stability and the risk-adjusted return with the beta coefficient increasing as dividend stability decreases. Within a particular yield portfolio, it is evident that higher systematic risk is associated with shares with unstable dividend yielding histories. It is clear from the results that this dividend signalling is not limited to high yielding stocks alone. As dividends are not entirely controlled by managers, a low stable dividend yield could signal a low exposure to systematic risk to outsiders. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie studie word die verband tussen dividende en aandeelopbrengste op die Johannesburgse Effektebeurs ondersoek. 'n Regressiemodel is in hierdie mini werkstuk gebruik om die verwantskap tussen dividend opbrengsportfolios en aandeelopbrengs te ondersoek. Elk van hierdie opbrengsportfolios is vervolgens verder verdeel in dividendstabiliteitsportfolios wat tesame met 'n regressiemodel gebruik is om die verband tussen dividendstabiliteit en aandeelopbrengs te bepaal. Dit volg uit hierdie studie dat daar 'n nie-lineêre verband tussen risiko aangepaste aandeelopbrengs en dividendopbrengs bestaan. 'n Noemenswaardige bevinding is die inverse lineêre verwantskap tussen dividend en gemiddelde aandeelopbrengs vir dividend betalende aandele op die Johannesburgse Effektebeurs. Dit blyk asof beleggers op die Johannesburgse Effektebeurs 'n premie plaas op kapitaalgroei ten koste van dividendopbrengs. Dit volg ook uit hierdie studie dat daar 'n inverse korrelasie is tussen dividendstabiliteit en risiko aangepaste aandeelopbrengs met die beta koëffissiënte wat toeneem soos dividendstabiliteit afneem. Binne 'n spesifieke dividendopbrengsportfolio is dit duidelik dat hoër sistematiese risiko geassosieer word met onstabiele historiese dividendopbrengste. Dit volg uit die resultate dat hierdie inligtingoordrag deur middel van dividende, nie beperk is tot hoë dividendopbrengs aandele nie. Aangesien dividende nie uitsluitlik deur bestuurders beheer word nie, kan 'n aandeel met lae maar stabiele dividendopbrengs, 'n boodskap van lae blootstelling aan sistematiese risiko aan die mark oordra.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The objective of this mini study project is to examine whether data that has been entered into the databank of the Graduate School of Business of the University of Stellenbosch is correctly recorded. This mini study project forms part of a larger research project undertaken by the USB to keep a databank of listed South African industrial companies. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van die mini studieprojek is om data wat in die databank van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch se Besigheidsskool ingevoer is, vir korrektheid na te gaan. Die mini studieprojek is deel van 'n groter navorsingsprojek van die Besigheidsskool om 'n databank van genoteerde Suid- Afrikaanse industriële maatskappye daar te stel.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Increased uncertainty in global markets has compelled modern investment and portfolio management to tailor specific financial outcomes. Investors can incorporate derivative instruments into their portfolios to hedge their positions against uncertainty, obtain exposure to virtually any risk or obtain current exposure for future income. Warrants are such instruments; it tracks its underlying asset as options and are tailored for smaller and private investors. It could, however, also be dangerous to one's financial health if the finer intricacies are not understood. Warrants take the investment industry to a new level, because it is essentially a retail product. Warrant issuers hedge a position in assets or on derivative exchanges at a 'wholesale' price and then short the position in small contracts on the stock exchange at a 'retail' price. The price difference presents itself in the volatility parameter used to calculate the issuing price of the warrant. Once issued, the issuer maintains influence on the price by exerting either supply or demand through maintaining a bid and offer in the market. Often, issuers use this 'market-making' to steer the instrument price towards a lower volatility parameter at the expiry of the warrant when it is neutralised, thus securing profit to the issuer. Traditionally financial institutions would market their services in managing assets. They now flex muscles in marketing a retail product through issuing warrants as well. Fierce competition exists among issuers with low cost and differentiated strategies identifiable. These strategies could persuade an investor towards a particular warrant, which might not necessarily be the best investment from the investor's viewpoint. This erodes the efficiency of the market. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Toenemende onsekerheid op wêreldmarkte noodsaak hedendaagse beleggingsbestuur om spesifieke finansiele resultate te verseker. Beleggers kan afgeleide instrumente in portefeuljes gebruik om teen onsekerheid te verskans of blootstelling te verkry. Sekuriteitsregte is 'n populêre instrument vir private beleggers. Dit word uitgereik deur finansiele instellings en volg die pad van 'n onderliggende bate, soos 'n opsie. Vanweë die intrede van 'n middelman, hou hierdie instrumente egter addisionele risiko in. Sekuriteitsregte kan beskryf word as 'n kleinhandelsproduk. Kontrakskrywers neem lang posisies in bates of op die afgeleide beurs in, teen groothandel pryse en verkans kort posisies in klein kontrakte op die sekuriteitsbeurs om sodoende 'n neutrale posisie te handhaaf. Die prysverskil manifisteer as 'n volatiliteits maatstaf van die onderliggende bate. Na uitreiking beïnvloed die onderskrywers die prys deur die vraag en aanbod op die mark te manipileer. Hierdie invloed kan gebruik word om die kontrakprys na 'n laer volatiliteitsvlak te stuur voor die kontrak verstryk, sodat addisionele wins gewin kan word. Finansiële instellings bemark hul dienste tradisioneel as batebestuurders. Hul besigheid word egter nou uitgebrei deur handelsprodukte ook te bemark. Sterk kompetisie bestaan tussen onderskrywers met lae koste of gedifferensieerde strategieë identifiseerbaar. Beleggers se keuses word dikwels deur hierdie strategiese bemarking beïnvloed, eerder as om op finansiele toepaslikheid te fokus. Dit lei tot die gevolgtrekking dat die mark nie volkome voltreffend is nie.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The dream of finding the ultimate tool for forecasting market instruments like share prices has long eluded investors throughout the world. Various forecasting techniques have been examined with a view to helping the investor or analyst to gain a better understanding of price behaviour in the open market. These techniques have been based mainly on traditional statistical analysis of data to forecast price behaviour. Though used by almost all serious investors, these techniques have yielded limited success as investment instruments. The reason for this is that most of these methods explored linear relationships between variables in the forecasting model, while in fact, most relationships found between variables in the share market are non-linear. Neural networks present a unique opportunity for the investor to overcome this problem. Neural networks are mathematical models of the human brain and have the ability to map complex nonlinear relationships between data sets. This study focuses on developing a neural network model to predict the price changes of the ALSI index on the JSE one and five days into the future. The results of the neural network model were then compared to forecasting results obtained by using a traditional statistical forecasting technique namely ARIMA modelling. The study found that the neural network models did not significantly perform better than the ARIMA models. A further test was done to determine the performance of the five-day forecasting model when analysing different time windows within the given data set. The test indicated that the model did perform better when using the inputs of certain time frames. This indicates that the neural network model needs to be updated regularly to ensure optimum model performance. The results of the neural network models were also used in a trading simulation to determine whether these results could be applied successfully to trading the ALSI index on the JSE. Unfortunately, the results of the trading simulation showed that using the neural network results as trading strategy yielded poorer results than using a buy/hold investment strategy. It can therefore be concluded that, although the neural network models performed relatively well relative to traditional forecasting techniques in forecasting the ALSI index, the forecasts were still not accurate enough to be useful as inputs in a trading strategy. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die droom om die perfekte vooruitskattingsinstrument te vind om die prysgedrag van verskillende markinstrumente vooruit te skat, ontwyk al generasies lank die meeste beleggers. Verskillende tegnieke is al ondersoek om die belegger te help om ’n beter gevoel van prysveranderinge in die vrye mark te verkry. Die meeste van hierdie tegnieke het gefokus op tradisionele statistiese vooruitskattingstegnieke. Alhoewel hierdie tegnieke wêreldwyd deur investeerders gebruik word, was hierdie metodes se sukses as investeringsinstrument beperk. Die rede vir hierdie beperkte sukses lê in die feit dat hierdie tegnieke slegs die lineêre verwantskappe tussen veranderlikes gebruik het om voorspellings te maak, terwyl die meeste verwantskappe wat tussen veranderlikes in die vrye mark bestaan, nie-lineêr is. Neurale netwerke bied ’n unieke geleentheid vir beleggers om bogenoemde probleme te oorkom. Neurale netwerke is wiskundige modelle wat op die werking van die menslike brein gebaseer is en besit die vermoë om komplekse nie-lineêre verwantskappe tussen datastelle te herken. Hierdie studie fokus op die ontwikkeling van ’n neurale netwerk(e) om die prysverandering van die ALSI indeks op die JEB een en vyf dae in die toekoms vooruit te skat. Die resultate van die neurale netwerk model is verder vergelyk met die resultate van tradisionele statistiese vooruitskattingstegnieke soos byvoorbeeld ARIMA tegnieke. Die studie het gevind dat die neurale netwerk modelle nie beduidend beter gevaar het as die ARIMA modelle in die vooruitskatting van die ALSI indeks in beide die een- en vyfdag vooruitskattings nie. ’n Verdere toets is gedoen om die toepaslikheid van die gekose vyfdagmodel op verskillende tydvensters van die tydreeks te bepaal. Die toets het aangetoon dat die model baie meer akkuraat is vir sekere tydvensters as vir ander tydvensters. Dit dui dus daarop dat die neurale netwerk model gereeld heropgelei behoort te word om seker te maak dat die model optimaal presteer gegewe die spesifieke insetdata. Die resultate van die neurale netwerk model is ook gebruik in ’n simulasie om te bepaal of die resultate die belegger kan help om beter investeringsbesluite rakende die ALSI indeks op die JEB te maak. Ongelukkig het die simulasie resultate gewys dat ’n beleggingstrategie gebaseer op die neurale netwerk resultate swakker opbrengste gerealiseer het as ’n koop/hou beleggingstrategie. Ten slotte het die studie getoon dat alhoewel die neurale netwerk modelle relatief goed in vergelyking met tradisionele statistiese modelle gevaar het in die vooruitskatting van die ALSI indeks, hierdie vooruitskattings nie akkuraat genoeg is om as inset tot ’n investeringstrategie gebruik te word nie.

This research report examines the cost and benefits of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX) on South African companies who have had to comply due to them or their holding companies being listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as well as voluntary adaptors of the code. This report further seeks to identify best practices implemented by these companies.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. Johannesburg, 5 June 2017. / Environmental reporting is largely voluntary for companies, unlike financial reporting which has well set standards for measurement, reporting, auditing and governing laws based on IFRS and GAAP. A driver such as a stock exchange is able to act as a “regulating body” that requires a minimum reporting standard for companies listed on the stock exchange. Stock exchanges have an ethical responsibility to encourage companies listed with them to be environmental stewards to provide investors with responsible investment opportunities. This study provides an understanding of the quality of environmental guidelines presented by international stock exchanges compared to key global environmental concerns. The aim of this dissertation was to assess and compare sustainability guidelines provided by selected stock exchanges, with specific focus on key global environmental concerns. The objectives were (1) to assess the existing environmental reporting requirements of 19 stock exchanges across all continents, (2) to determine how the JSE environmental reporting guidelines compared to those of other stock exchanges, (3) to compare 20 JSE listed companies’ environmental reports based on the presence and quality of data, (4) to compare what companies reported to what the JSE required and (5) to identify possible differences in reporting between the impact levels and industries of companies. A Sustainability Balanced Scorecard (SBSC) was developed by identifying seven key global environmental concerns (resources; biodiversity; water; energy; emissions, pollution and waste; products and services; and supply chain management) that were common themes from the MEA (2005) and UNEP Ecosystem Management policy (2010). A five tier scoring system specific to assessing reporting guidelines and another five tier scoring system specific to assessing company environmental reports were used. Nineteen stock exchange guidelines were assessed to represent both developing and developed countries and all regions (Africa, America, Australasia and Europe). Overall, the stock exchange guidelines addressed the key global environmental concerns rather poorly. There were no differences in the quality of guidelines for stock exchanges that recommended guidelines in developing or developed countries. There were no differences found in the guidelines of stock exchanges operating in different regions. There were differences in the focus on key global environmental concerns by the guidelines. The environmental information reported by twenty companies spanning three impact levels and seven industries was also assessed. The companies in the high and medium impact levels iv reported similarly and better than the companies in the low impact levels. There were differences found in the way companies reported according to the different industries as well as differences in the way companies addressed the key global environmental concerns. Even though the JSE’s developed guidelines did not account for resources and biodiversity, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) reporting guidelines that the JSE recommended to their listed companies covered these categories. Companies reported voluntarily on the categories because they may understand the importance of managing resources and biodiversity for the sustainability of their business. Stock exchanges are faced with a variety of companies at different impact levels representing different industries, making it difficult to provide a minimum set of environmental reporting guidelines. Stock exchanges should require companies to report on all key global environmental concerns identified in this study, but should not dictate how the companies report on them. Global environmental reporting standards may be better suited with a global sustainability body like the Global Sustainability Standards Board (GSSB) that is able to provide global standards for all companies. Companies need to change the way that they do business, the benefits of reporting on environmental performance outweigh the risks of not reporting and managing these impacts. Sustainability reporting and best practise today may be the compliance of the future. Stakeholders are increasingly expecting companies to contribute more to environmental sustainability. Companies are essential in building a resilient planet that will be able to feed a growing population that will increase from seven to nine billion people by 2050. Key words: Environmental Sustainability; Johannesburg Stock Exchange; Millennium Ecosystem Assessment; Sustainability Balanced Score Card Approach; United Nations Environment Programme Ecosystem Management Policy / GR2018

This dissertation relates to the study of valuing a business. Edcon, a well known listed retailer, was found its market values to be lower than its net asset value at 2002 financial year-end, while all of the major competitors of Edcon had a market value considerably in excess of net asset value. It was possible that Edcon's share was underpriced at year-end recently, as it was known that Edcon was a well-managed company with sound fundamentals. The "true" value of Edcon was investigated in this dissertation. Two valuation models, Discounted Free Cash Flow and Economic Profit model, were used and simple assumptions had to be made in order to arrive at a consensus valuation in this dissertation. Finally, all valuation performed in this case revealed that the share of Edcon was underpriced at year-end, and it was concluded that investors using these fundamental valuation methods and buying the shares could have made a profit. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

An ongoing debate in the corporate finance world concerns the question of a firm's optimal capital structure. More specifically, is there a way of dividing a firm's capital into debt and equity so as to maximize the value of the firm? From a practical standpoint, this question is of utmost importance for corporate financial officers. Yet, the academic literature has not been very helpful to provide clear guidance on practical issues. Except for a few theoretical models, there is a lack of literature concernmg how companies should decide their leverage ratios in practice. These models are unfortunately not applicable in real practice because of their inability to provide managers with a precise optimal leverage level. The purpose of this study concerns the practical matter of deciding the appropriate capital structure and the possibility of improvement for the companies. Specifically: How do the case companies decide their capital structure? Are their current capital stmctures optimal or is there room for improvement? To be able to examine these questions it was necessary to investigate companies that are as comparable as possible within the same industry. Different industries were identified based on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange industry classification and were analyzed for comparability issues. The real estate industry was found to experiences very similar business and has an opportunity to take more debt due to the nature of its asset structure. Three companies were selected from the property segment of the real estate industry based on their leverage ratios and companies with highest, medium, and lowest leverages in the industry were selected. Gold-edge was found to be the highest levered company in the industry, while Samrand and Putprop were found to be average and least levered in the industry respectively. The findings indicate that none of the companies uses capital structure models when deciding their capital structure. The case companies' capital structure indicates that Gold-edge's current capital structure is considered as close to optimal as possible while Putprop and Samrand current capital structure are not optimal and there is room for improvement. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

Thesis (MScEng (Industrial Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Applying the Industrial Engineering systems approach, this dissertation utilised the theories and propositions of previous studies to argue (model) the cause of financial herd behaviour and the subsequent momentum effect. From this, a hypothesis was postulated to test: whether momentum is a common attribute amongst top performing shares, whether technical analysis indicators can better identify the phenomenon, and whether the return from these shares would justify momentum as a viable investment strategy. A unique experiment derived from previous academic studies was adapted to explore the degree of the momentum phenomenon. This was done by ranking shares according to both technical analysis as well as pure price performance momentum criteria. Returns were translated as a rank in relation to the market as a whole, thereby minimising any effects that different market periods could have on a momentum return relationship. The degree of the relationship was evaluated by applying the alternative Spearman Rank Order Correlation Co-efficient in conjunction with a permutation test to determine the statistical significance of any trends. The viability of the phenomenon as an investment strategy was gauged by comparing annualised average returns against both the market capitalisation weighted JSE All Share Index as well as against an un-weighted representation of the market. The results revealed a seemingly unambiguous co-dependence between momentum and return with statistically significant trends being ever present. Applying the maximum taxes and trading costs revealed that the highest ranked momentum shares did indeed outperform both market benchmarks from the period of January 1990 to August 2009, suggesting the validity of the philosophy as an investment strategy. The outcome of the study in part rejected the null hypothesis, as technical indicators were unable to identify future top performing shares better, with price performance momentum measures delivering the superior returns. Future studies may include optimising the various technical indicators towards the JSE rather than using generic settings. Other interesting topics could include combining momentum with other investment strategies to investigate synergy and further pinpointing the source of the phenomenon. Over the past number of years, tighter controls and monitoring of investments has resulted in the documentation of the individual number of shareholders who are buying and selling shares. Utilising this data over the next number of years, an experiment could attempt to relate the number of individual investors trading in a particular share to herd behaviour and the subsequent momentum effect. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die verhandeling, binne die bedryfsingenieursstelsels benadering, gebruik teorieë en voorstelle van vorige studies om die gevolge van finansiële gedrag en die gevolglike momentum effek te bespreek. Uit die analise is ‘n voorstel saamgestel om die volgende te toets:Is momentum ‘n algemene verskynsel by aandele wat goed presteer, en kan tegniese analitiese indikatore die verskynsel beter verklaar, en dui die opbrengs van die aandele daarop dat momentum ‘n bruikbare beleggingsstrategie is. ‘n Unieke eksperiment uit vorige studies is aangepas om die aard van die momentum verskynsel te ondersoek. Dit was gedoen deur aandele volgens beide tegniese analise asook suiwer prestasie momentum kriteria te klassifiseer. Opbrengste is met die hele mark in konteks geplaas om sodoende enige impak van verskillende mark tye op die momentum opbrengs verhouding te elimineer. Die verband is opgestel deur die alternatiewe “Spearman Rank Order Correlation koëffisiënt” saam met permutasie toetse te gebruik om die statistiese belangrikheid van enige neigings uit te wys. Die geldigheid van die verskynsel as ‘n beleggingsstrategie is gemeet deur jaarlikse gemiddelde opbrengste teen beide die markkapitalisasie geweeg teen die JSE Alle Aandele Indeks sowel as ‘n ongeweegde verteenwoordiging van die mark te bepaal. Die resultate dui op ‘n interafhanklikheid tussen momentum en opbrengste met statistiese neigings altyd teenwoordig. Deur die maksimum belasting en verhandelingskoste toe te pas wys dit dat die hoogste momentum uitgewyste aandele die markriglyne uitpresteer het van Januarie 1990 tot Augustus 2009 wat die geldigheid van die benadering as ‘n beleggingsstrategie bevestig. Die studie verwerp die nul hipotese gedeeltelik in die sin dat dit nie toekomstige top presterende aandele kan uitwys nie, maar aan die ander kant gee prysprestasie momentum meting wel buitegewone opbrengs. Toekomstige studies mag die optimisering van verskeie tegniese indikatore van die JSE insluit, ‘n kombinasie van momentum met ander beleggingsstrategieë gebruik, en verder die bron van die verskynsel vas pen. Oor die afgelope aantal jare het beter beheer en die monitoring van beleggings die dokumentasie van individuele aandeelhouers moontlik gemaak. Hieride data sou kon gebruik word as ‘n toets om die korrelasie tussendie aantal aandeelhouers wat ‘n spesifieke aandeel verhandel en tropgedrag te bepaal en om dit te gebruik om die momentum effek beter te verklaar.