Common wisdom dictates that because payment of dividends decreases funds available for investment, a high payout ratio is to be associated with low earnings growth. This notion has been challenged in recent years by empirical research that has found a positive relationship between payout ratio and future earnings growth, both on the aggregated market level and the company level in different countries. This study investigated the aforementioned relationship on the Swedish market by statistically analyzing future earnings growth as a function of payout ratio on a large sample of publicly listed companies over the period 1980 to 2011. The results are in line with those found in previous research and indicate that companies with high dividend payout ratio tend to experience strong future earnings growth. The results are robust to the presence of mean reversion, the use of an alternative accounting measure of earnings, non-symmetrical earnings growth cycles and alternative practices for dealing with outliers..

Biogas mainly consists of methane and carbon dioxide, where methane is theenergy-rich gas, and is naturally created when organic matter breaks down in absenceof oxygen, also known as anaerobic digestion. A biogas plant re-creates the anaerobicconditions inside a digester where the organic substrate is fed into and digests toproduce biogas. The gas is then used to produce energy by combustion and can beseen as a completely renewable fuel.Today, energy from biogas is used primarily by major stakeholders such asmunicipalities and thus the plants become very large with high investment- andconstruction costs. There are currently few small plants in Sweden, even though thepotential for agriculture and medium-sized to smaller farms to become self-sufficientin terms of electricity and heat is great. Farms have a natural stock of digestibleorganic material in form of manure or crops for example, which are constantlyavailable.

ABSTRACTSeminar date: 2008-06-04Subject: Bachelor thesis in Business AdministrationAuthors: Charlotta Lind Therese LundinBorn: 1982 Born: 1982Västerås VästeråsTutor: Ulla PetterssonTitle: Company valuation- A study in which valuation methods that areused in determining the value of producing companies and servicecompanies.Problem: According to the theory there are a number of different valuation methods which can be used to determine the value of producing companies and service companies. The thesis research problem is:- Which valuation methods does a valuator use in practice todetermine the value of producing companies and servicecompanies?- Does the valuator take different types of information andkey ratios in consideration when valuating producingcompanies and service companies?Purpose: The purpose is to examine and describe which valuation methods a valuator uses to valuate producing companies and servicecompanies in an acquisition.Method: In order to achieve the purpose of the thesis a quantitative survey and three qualitative interviews, made by email, has been carried out.Conclusion: The conclusion of the thesis is that discounted cash flow and relative valuation are used to determine the value of producingcompanies and service companies. The valuators choice ofvaluation method is not generally affected by the nature of thecompany?s operations.Keywords: Company valuation, valuation methods, producing companies,service companies, relative valuation, discounted cash flow.

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine whether companies listed at Nasdaq OMX Stockholm (Stockholmsbörsen) sanctioned by the legal unit Nasdaq OMX Disciplinary Committee (Disciplinnämnden), could be distinguished from the remaining companies that have not been sanctioned. As Stockholmsbörsen is the most influential unit when trading shares in Sweden, listed companies need to behave in legal aspects. Actions and decisions that affect investors do also influence the listed companies and their performance. Some companies might be tempted to manipulate financial statements and public information to retain stakeholders; other miss to report properly without being fraudulent. To control this, the legal unit Disciplinnämden is introduced.

The purpose of this study is to look at the line extensions of the Swedish dairy company Skånemejerier. We have chosen to focus on how trends in ecological products and Functional Food influence the line extensions. The competition in the food sector have made it harder for companies to be seen in the market area and the companies have to make their brands more visible. That is one of the reasons why companies work with line extensions. The study is based on a qualitative approach because we wanted to come closer to our subject in order to establish a greater understanding for the case itself.

This study describes how a larger investment by a private company in the northern interior can affect a municipality?s economy. The mobility to the municipality is expected to increase and some of the direct and indirect effects that this investment can implicate on their economy are discussed. The method for this study is qualitative. Interviews have been made with the initiative owner of the company LHG Learning Center and with civil servants in the municipality of Lycksele. The conclusions drawn in this study are that the establishment of LHG Learning Centers in Lycksele will include both opportunities and risks for the municipality?s future.

Sten Jonsson wants to start a production of an advertising catalogue for small companies in Sweden. Acatalogue where the advertisingcost is so low that most of the companies can afford to participate. Thecompanies who will advertise should be manufacturing companies in trades of carpentry, sheet metalworkshops, forging workshops and engineering workshops.The catalogue will facilitate for the manufacturer to reach the costumer without any middleman.Without a middleman creates a possibility for an opinion about the product at the same time as theprice can be held low. A catalogue of this type would benefit the marketing of the companies at the sametime as it would generate an occasion for innovations.The possible target groups are property companies, construct companies and farmers.A market research has been carried out contained a postal interview and a phone interview. Themarket research carried out to get an understanding in what the companies think about the idea butalso to see if the companies are in interest of advertise in the catalogue.

Through this study we want to enlighten how different companies work with their internal branding and how well they succeed in this process. We also want to examine if there are any differences in this work depending on the companies market position. Following question is used to investigate this process;- In what way and how well are companies working, depending on market position to implement and maintain their work with the internal brand?For the study a theoretical model was created based on our existing theory. The model contains three main variables; create, communicate and uphold; i.e.

This thesis calculates and compares the values of improved environmental quality due to future possible investment alternatives in biogas production facilities at Käppalaförbundets Reningsverk (Käppala Sewage Treatment Works) in an attempt to determine which alternative yields the highest such value. Käppala faces three investment alternatives for the usage of biogas. The alternatives are production of vehicle fuel, district heating and thirdly, heat and power production. Estimates of the value of environmental change are calculated for each of the three investment alternatives, and these estimates are then compared. The environmental change in question is the change in discharge levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and particle matter.

This thesis describes and examines a new line of business, CleanTech. CleanTech comprises a wide range of different types of companies and is not yet well defined. In this thesis only the Swedish market is considered, and a variety of players on the market are included to give the most extensive picture of the current situation. Recent research shows that a gap has arisen between governmental financing and private equity-investments in CleanTech-companies. This gap occurs mainly in companies in expansive phases and causes problems both for the companies and for the line of business as a whole. To investigate this gap the Swedish CleanTech-business is described in terms of earlier and existing financing, age and size of the companies and their turnover and profit.

For a long time economic tax equalization system in Sweden has been creating dispute between Swedish communities. Despite the main purpose of the system - to reduce disparities and create equal economic opportunities for all communities ? some regions were not satisfied.The main purpose of this study is to determine what extant has equalization tax on investment spending of Danderyd municipality during 2000-2010 year period. The study is based on annual reports and personal interviews. The theoretical frame of the investigation is founded on Fjertorp's classification of investments and public choice theory.The investigation shows that there were no significant changes neither in investment spending or equalization tax during 2000-2010 period, even after the last changes of economic tax equalizations system in 2005.

The purpose of this thesis is to achieve an increased understanding of factors and considerations of importance to larger companies? purchases of tax consultancy services. Based on a qualitative case study, the thesis more specifically analyzes purchasing companies? perception of quality in tax consultancy services, how the companies organize their purchases of such services and the relationship between purchasing companies and tax consultants. The study suggests that tax consultancy services constitute a heterogeneous group of services which are normally purchased by people in charge of either accounting or tax matters in the purchasing company.

Those companies that have taken a stand in corporate social responsibility and work with these issues often experience difficulties orienting themselves in these areas. There is a picture of how companies want to be in their CSR commitment on corporate websites and a different reality which is reflected in the media. These different images are not in harmony with each other.The purpose of this study is to revise the CSR work of Sweden?s largest clothing companies.To answer the problem of this study a qualitative method has been used. The choice to explore a few clothing companies resulted in a multi-case study.

Direct marketing is an area within marketing that is growing rapidly. Many companies has realised the benefits of using direct marketing, such as receiving direct response from customers and gaining a better customer relation. The growth within direct marketing means that traditional mass marketing today face harder competition than ever. This thesis examines and look in to three well recognised Swedish companies use of direct marketing. Our main purpose is to establish how companies spend their marketing budget between direct marketing and traditional marketing activities.

This study deals with the technical and economic feasibility of replacing the nuclear power plant reactor Ringhals 3 with a biofuel power plant. A technical investigation has been executed to determine which of the systems and components that could be reused and which ones would need to be replaced. The investment costs of the reconstruction have also been estimated. The cost of the electricity production has been calculated as well as the emissions of the new biofuel power plant. Based on the established rate of return, the lowest average spot price of electricity that makes the investment profitable has been calculated.