Vid användning av metoden contingent valuation erhålls ofta olika resultat beroende på sättet respondenterna frågas på. Tidigare studier har visat att binära frågor leder till en högre estimering av betalningsviljan än öppna frågor, samt att skillnaden mellan dem är lägre vid användning av privata varor än vid kollektiva varor. Uppsatsens undersökning är ett steg för att förbättra förståelsen inom detta område. Syftet är att undersöka om de estimerade betalningsviljorna, härledda från uppsatsens experiment, inte skiljer sig signifikant åt då man använder sig av öppna och binära frågor vid utvalda privata varor. Resultat av t-test, där de binära svaren är justerade från anomalier, visar att de estimerade betalningsviljorna inte skiljer sig signifikant åt för sju av uppsatsens varor. Resultatet visar vidare att de estimerade betalningsviljorna skiljer sig signifikant åt för fem av uppsatsens varor. Vid dessa är den estimerade betalningsviljan högre vid de öppna frågorna. Detta anses bero på problem med bias.

I modern tid, andra världskriget och framåt, har finansanalytikerns roll vuxit markant och dess inverkan på börsen diskuteras numera flitigt. Forskning har bedrivits flitigt utomlands om hur dem arbetar inom yrket men materialet I Sverige är dessvärre väldigt tunt. Det finns en studie från 1992 av Lars Olbert där han kartlägger svenska finansanalytikers informationsanvändning och vilka värderingsmodeller som används i praktiken och inte bara i teorin. Denna kartläggning skulle vara intressant, och releveant, att uppdatera. Därav denna studie. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka vilken information och värderingsmodeller som svenska finansanalytiker använder vid företagsvärdering 2011 samt att kartlägga om det finns skillnader i informationsanvändning mellan 1992 och 2011. Studien utgår ifrån en kvantitativ metod där empirin samlades in genom en webenkät. En pilot-intervju samt en pilot-enkät genomfördes innan den slutgilta enkäten skickades ut. Hypoteserna grundade sig i förändringar mot Olbert där även intressanta teoretiska samband testades av dessa förändringar. Studiens resultat visar att det skett förändringar i användandet av information och värderingsmodeller men vi finner även att visa modeller och viss information är oförändrad. Precis som tidigare är fundamental analys den vanligaste metod även 2011. Inom teknisk analys ser vi mindre förändringar medan i beta analysen ser vi en större förändring. Den enskilt största förändringen är en ökad användning av kassaflödesanalyser. P/E-talsvärdering däremot används marginellt mer idag än 1992. / In modern times, the Second World War and onwards, the role of the financial analysts has grown significantly and it’s influence and impact on the stock exchange is now widely discussed. Research has been conducted extensively abroad in their profession and how they work but the material in Sweden is very thin. There is a study by Lars Olbert from 1992 in hich he indentifies information use and the valuation models used in practice by swedish analysts and not just in theory. This study would be interesting, and relevant, to update. Hence this study. The purpose of the study is to examine the information and valuation models that Swedish financial analysts use 2011 and to identify whether there are differences in information usage between 1992 and 2011. The study is based on a quantitative method where empirical data were gathered through a web-based survey. An interview and a test-survey was issued before the actual survey was sent out. The hypothesis’ were based on the changes from Olbert and also interesting theoretical relationships were tested. Our results demonstrate that there are changes in the usage of information and valuation models, but we also find that the usage of some models and information is unchanged. As before, the fundamental analysis, is the most common valuation method in 2011. In technical analysis, we find minor changes while in beta analysis, we find a major change. The single biggest change is the increased use of cash flow. P/E-valuation is also used more today than in 1992.

The deregulation of energy markets around the world, including power markets has changed the way operating assets in these markets are managed. Independent power asset owners and even utilities operating in these markets no longer operate their assets based on the cost of service approach that prevailed under regulation. Just as in other competitive markets, the objectives of asset owners in power markets revolve around maximizing profit for their shareholders. To this end, financial valuation of physical assets in power markets should incorporate different strategies that are used by asset operators to maximize profit. A lot of observed strategies in power markets are driven by a number of factors, the key among which are: • asset operators are no longer obligated to supply service or manage their assets in certain prescribed ways, rather they have rights to operate, within applicable market rules, using techniques that maximize their profits, • revenues are driven by uncertain market factors, including power price, cost and/or availability of fuel stock and technical uncertainties, and • power assets have physical operating and equipment constraints and limits. Having flexibilties (“options”) to optimize their assets (inline with shareholders’ objectives), rational asset managers react strategically to gradual arrival of information , given applicable equipment constraints, by revising previous decisions in such a way that only optimal (or near optimal) decisions are implemented. As a result, the appropriate approach to valuing power assets in competitive markets must account for managerial flexibilities or “real options” in the presence of uncertainties and technical constraints. The focus of this work is to develop a robust valuation framework for physical power assets operating in competitive markets such as peaking or mid-merit thermal power plants and baseload power plants. The goal is to develop a modeling framework that can be adapted to different energy assets with different types of operating flexibilities and technical constraints and which can be employed for various purposes such as capital budgeting, business planning, risk management and strategic bidding planning among others. The valuation framework must also be able to capture the reality of power market rules and opportunities, as well as technical constraints of different assets. The modeling framework developed conceptualizes operating flexibilities of power assets as “switching options’ whereby the asset operator decides at every decision point whether to switch from one operating mode to another mutually exclusive mode, within the limits of the equipment constraints of the asset. As a current decision to switch operating modes (in the face of current realization of relevant uncertainty factors) may affect future operating flexibilities of the asset and hence cash flows , a dynamic optimization framework is employed. The developed framework accounts for the uncertain nature of key value drivers by representing them with appropriate stochastic processes. Specifically, the framework developed conceptualizes the operation of a power asset as a multi-stage decision making problem where the operator has to make a decision at every stage to alter operating mode given currently available information about key value drivers. The problem is then solved dynamically by decomposing it into a series of two-stage sub-problems according to Bellman’s optimality principle. The solution algorithm employed is the Least Squares Monte Carlo (LSM) method. The developed valuation framework was adapted for a gas-fired thermal power plant, a peaking hydroelectric power plant and a baseload power plant. This work built on previously published real options valuation methodologies for gas-fired thermal power plants by factoring in uncertainty from gas supply/consumption imbalance which is usually faced by gas-fired power generators. This source of uncertainty which has yet to be addressed in the literature, in the context of real options valuation, arises because of mismatch between natural gas and electricity wholesale markets. Natural gas markets in North America operate on a day-ahead basis while power plants are dispatched in real time. Inability of a power generator to match its gas supply and consumption in real time, leading to unauthorized gas over-run or under-run, attracts penalty charges from the gas supplier to the extent that the generator can not manage the imbalance through other means. A savvy gas-fired power plant operator will factor in the potential costs of gas imbalance into its operating strategies resulting in optimal operating decisions that may be different from when gas-imbalance is not considered. By considering an illustrative power plant operating in Ontario, we show effects of gas-imbalance on dispatch strategies on a daily cycling operation basis and the resulting impact on net revenue. Results show that a gas-fired power plant is over-valued by ignoring the impacts of gas imbalance on valuation. Similarly, we employ the developed valuation framework to value a peaking hydroelectric power plant. This application also builds on previous real options valuation work for peaking hydroelectric power plants by considering their operations in a joint energy and ancillary services market. Specifically, the valuation model is developed to capture the value of a peaking power plant whose owner has the flexibility to participate in a joint operating reserve market and an energy market, which is currently the case in the Ontario wholesale power market. The model factors in water inflow uncertainty into the reservoir forebay of a hydroelectric facility and also considers uncertain energy and operating reserve prices. The switching options considered include (i) a joint energy and operating reserve bid (ii) an energy only bid and (iii) a do nothing (idle) strategy. Being an energy limited power plant, by doing nothing at a decision interval, the power asset operator is able to time-shift scarce water for use at a future period when market situations are expected to be better. An illustrative example considered shows the impact of the different value drivers on the plant’s value and dispatch strategies. Results show that by ignoring the flexibility of the asset owner to participate in an operating reserve market, a peaking hydroelectric power plant is undervalued. Finally, the developed valuation framework was employed to optimize life-cycle management decisions of a baseload power plant, such as a nuclear power plant. The applicability of real-options framework to the operations of baseload power plants has not attracted much attention in the literature given their inflexibility with respect to short-term operation. However, owners of baseload power plants, such as nuclear plants, have the right to optimize scheduling and spending of life cycle management projects such as preventative maintenance and equipment inspection. Given uncertainty of long-term value drivers, including power prices, equipment performance and the relationship between current life cycle spending and future equipment degradation, optimization is carried out with the objective of minimizing overall life-cycle related costs. These life-cycle costs include (i) lost revenue during planned and unplanned outages (ii) potential costs of future equipment degradation due to inadequate preventative maintenance and (iii) the direct costs of implementing the life-cycle projects. The switching options in this context include the option to shutdown the power plant in order to execute a given preventative maintenance and inspection project and the option to keep the option “alive” by choosing to delay a planned life-cycle activity. Results of an illustrative example analyzed show that the flexibility of the asset owner to delay spending or to suspend it entirely affects the asset’s value accordingly and should be factored into valuation. Applications can be found for the developed framework and models in different areas important to firms operating in competitive energy markets. These areas include capital budgeting, trading, risk management, business planning and strategic/tactitcal bidding among others.

Public recognition of the value of wetlands has risen quickly over the past 25 years and numerous policies and programs have been developed to address threats to the quantity and quality of wetlands. However, management of wetland resources located on private land often involves a perceived conflict between social and private interests since landowners usually cannot benefit economically from keeping wetlands on site unless they convert them to alternative uses such as agricultural crops. In order to avoid further degradation and ensure the various environmental benefits wetlands provide, there is a need for government intervention by delivering effective policies. This will be realized through an effective economic valuation process for wetland benefits.<p> This thesis investigates wetland and riparian zones management, with greater emphasis placed on the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of Saskatchewan where the majority of the land is privately owned. Using data from a survey of landowners, the perceived cost of conserving wetland and associated riparian zones is quantified through their willingness to accept (WTA) compensation for a proposed 10-year economic incentive-based program. In addition, the role of landowner and farm characteristics on this perceived cost of conservation has also been assessed. As indicated by the results from two probit models that were developed, per acre payment has a significant positive effect on the probability a landowner will accept the program offer; the average payment respondents required being $32.58/acre. Other factors such as the landowners previous experience dealing with the wetland, personal preferences correlated with economic benefits and landowners who have an heir to take over the farm are also found to have significant impact on their participation decision. For those respondents who did not complete the WTA question, past relative experience, knowledge about wetlands, age, and the agricultural region the farm is located are revealed to be factors that affect to the provision of an explicit answer.

The price difference of the Chinese dual-listed companies is a interesting issue. The price of the same asset should be consistent after risk-adjusted, but there is an obvious difference between A-share and H-share which the same company¡¦s shares listed in the Shanghai or Shenzhen Stock Exchange and Hong Kong Stock Exchange. This study found that not only liquidity, demand, required risk premium, and information asymmetry can lead to the price difference, but also manipulation, investor¡¦s preference, and the market emotion. This also verified the investors are more speculative in China than the investors in Hong Kong. Besides, this research analysis the price difference ratio form the viewpoint of valuation, the difference ratio provides a way to understand whether the stock is undervaluation or overvaluation. Finally, this study discussed the Taiwan Depository Receipts. The result indicated that most of the factors which influence the price difference between A-share and H-share also affected the price difference between TDR and the original share. The difference ratio between TDR and original share can also provide some information about the stocks are undervaluation or overvaluation.

An Asian option is a path-dependent option whose payoff depends on the average of the underlying asset price over a certain time interval. It can be European or American. The time interval can be the entire interval of the option's life from the initiation to the expiration, or beginning from some time later than the initiation until the option's expiration. The average can be arithmetic or geometric. This paper derives a closed-form solution for the valuation of European Geometric average fixed strike Asian call option and a closed-form solution for the valuation of a forward-starting Asian call option with arithmetic average floating strike. The valuation formula is obtained by relying upon a slight linear approximation. And the valuation formula of Asian call option with arithmetic average floating strike we have derived is different from that of L. Bouaziz, E. Briys and M. Crouhy (1994). We believe that our argument here is correct, and theirs is wrong.

This paper investigates the impact of accounting earnings on Chief Executive Officer (CEO) compensation by examining how the valuation role and the contracting role of accounting earnings jointly determine the value of CEO total compensation. Current earnings are informative about the firms future cash flows and hence affect stock price, and the resulting price movement affects the value of CEO equity-based compensation. Thus, accounting earnings not only have a direct impact on CEO cash compensation, but also an indirect impact on CEO equity-based compensation due to earnings valuation role. To my knowledge, this paper is the first to provide empirical evidence that because of earnings valuation role, accounting earnings are an economically significant determinant of CEO total compensation. Prior accounting research testing predictions of agent theory has focused on CEO cash compensation even though total compensation is a more relevant measure. Thus, the significant result of earnings in CEO total compensation enables re-examination of agency predictions. I provide evidence that earnings (but not stock returns) are used in CEO total compensation consistent with the sensitivity vs. precision hypothesis. That is, accounting earnings receive less weight when earnings are relatively more volatile and when firms have significant growth opportunities.

Since the financial markets keep developing, the way of off-balance-sheet financing weeds through the old to bring forth the new, Accounting information frequently cannot promptly and faithfully responds the real finance condition of a company. Those activities, such as operating leases, sale of receivables with the right of recourse, asset-backed securitization (ABS), joint ventures and investment in affiliates, finance subsidiaries, take-or-pay contracts, throughput arrangements, hedging activities, pensions and other employee benefits, have insufficient expression in financial reports that may let investors neglect the influence on the company behind these activities. This research namely wants to discuss how off-balance-sheet financing activities influence the value of the stockholder equity. Because the types of off-balance-sheet financing activities are many, and the correlative information obtains not easily, this research only chooses available information ¡§off-balance-sheet pensions financing¡¨ as the proxy variable of off-balance-sheet financing. It is found that, the equity book value and abnormal earnings as Ohlson (1995) says, have significant positive influence on stock price. It is also found that preceding-period off-balance-sheet pensions financing can be used to forecast current stock price, this may attribute to that investors only can obtain the preceding -period off-balance-sheet pensions financing, but unable to obtain current pensions information. Among the related theories that affect the funding policy, the findings suggest that: (1) Financial slack theory is tenable. (2) The debt covenant effect theory has not obtained the uniform conclusion. (3) Tax effect theory isn¡¦t supported.

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This study focuses on the feasibilities of Marine Recreational Fishing at Hsiao- Liu-Chiu Island by presenting its resource distribution and discussing the current fishing business conditions around the island. The current situations of local re- creational fishing businesses are evaluated by SWOT analysis. Tourists who visit the island are surveyed as research subject. Through questionnaires and field recreation activity investigation, this study demonstrates various possible development of re- creational fishing. The conceptual framework of this study is based on a non- marketing method - Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) - to analyze collected data. The method has estimated the economical value of Hsiao-Liu-Chiu Island for future recreation activities with the willingness-to-pay (WTP) among the visiting tourists. A proper managerial and administrative system is also suggested in order to bring optimal performance in terms of economical value and resource application for the island's fishermen and tourists. According to the data collected: 70% of tourists are willingly to participate sport fishing; 90% would like to try recreational cage. And under CVM estimation, the WTP for sport fishing is about NT$896 per person, and NT$738 per person for recreational cage. Considering the total annual tourist population visiting Hsiao-Liu- Chiu Island, sport fishing may generates about NT$93,000,000 economical value annually, and about NT$98,000,000 for recreational cage. At the end, this research also provide suggestions on related management strategies and directions for the fishermen, cage owners, and local fishery organization