This thesis investigates the effect of profit growth and profitability on market capitalization amongst Nordic companies during the turbulent period 1997-2005. Our results suggest that profitability have a significant impact on market capitalization for six of the nine years studied, whereas profit growth does not seem to affect market capitalization. Consequently, our results imply that the effect of other factors on share price performance may be greater than previously suggested. These findings are only partly in line with theories on corporate valuation which suggest that market capitalizations are to a great extent driven by both profit growth and capital returns, regardless of whether the stock market is particularly unstable..

 Problem   Are there any abnormal changes in the parent company's share price at the news of a spin?off.ObjectiveThe main purpose of the study is to investigate how the news of a spin-off affects the parent company's share price. In other words if the news of the Spin-off gives an abnormal return on the Stockholm Stock Exchange during the specific period of 1998?2008. In addressing this, the paper will also investigate the following sub sections: are there any differences in the abnormal returns in various sectors and what the reasons to perform a spin?off in the Swedish market are.MethodAn event study in which market data is used to measure specific events? impact on the value of the company and on the effects on the stock market.

In recent time Hemnet has faced an intensified criticism because of the latest introduction of ad-fees, and not least because of the take-over regarding Swedbank Fastighetsbyrån and Svensk Fastighetsförmedling. There is a growing concern amongst real estate agents about the development for which the Swedish real estate advertising market is taking. Many of the competitors on the market that have previously experienced difficulties in establishing on the market now see their opportunity to make use of the situation that has emerged regarding Hemnet. By offering better and more lucrative terms they could potentially bring in enough real estate agencies to pose a real threat on the advertising market.Hemnet is part-owned by four organizations, Fastighetsbyrån, Svensk Fastighetsförmedling, Mäklarsamfundet and Fastighetsmäklarförbundet. All of which have a 25 percent share in Hemnet.

Title: Pricing of IPO:s on the Swedish stock market Authors: Mikael Gustavsson Martin Kvist Henrik Wannberg Tutor: Anders Hederstierna Problem: There are certain sets of problems for underwriters when they are pricing potential stock-exchange companies. The problem partly consists of estimating the demand at an IPO and also to accurately value the business in comparison to the market. To set the price per share is problematic, since the company carrying out the public offering wants to optimise the amount of capital at the same time as they want the share to be subscribed in full. If the IPO would not be carried out, it could cause harm to the position of the underwriters. Purpose: To investigate whether underpricing exists associated with IPO:s on the Swedish market during the period 1995-1999.

Title: Pricing of IPO:s on the Swedish stock market Authors: Mikael Gustavsson Martin Kvist Henrik Wannberg Tutor: Anders Hederstierna Problem: There are certain sets of problems for underwriters when they are pricing potential stock-exchange companies. The problem partly consists of estimating the demand at an IPO and also to accurately value the business in comparison to the market. To set the price per share is problematic, since the company carrying out the public offering wants to optimise the amount of capital at the same time as they want the share to be subscribed in full. If the IPO would not be carried out, it could cause harm to the position of the underwriters. Purpose: To investigate whether underpricing exists associated with IPO:s on the Swedish market during the period 1995-1999. Method: The collection of data has been achieved by means of: Internet, E-mail and telephone calls. Conclusions: We have reached the conclusion that oversubscribing in comparison to the return at an IPO has an average growth of 3.3 per cent the first day, on every occasion of oversubscribing. For the studied population, including 138 initial public offerings, the average market value rise is 15 per cent the first day. When we made our calculations, adjustments have been made for the general index of Affärsvärlden (AFGX).

The Swedish do-it-yourself (DIY) market has expanded in recent years and is today a SEK90 billion market. Competition is fierce, however, and the DIY retail chains compete over Market Share with extensive marketing campaigns. Advances in computer technology have made it possible to acquire and compile huge quantities of point of sale data. However, due to a lack of economic theories and statistical methods, this data cannot be effectively utilized and the effects of the campaigns are not measured in any detail. In this study a new method was used to examine the effects of marketing campaigns in the DIY consumer market.

This essay which is an event study aims to examine if an announcement of a CEO exchange actually is course-affecting information. The essay study?s if a variation can be detected in the share price in relation to an announcement of a CEO exchange. The study also aims to examine if the characteristics; age, number of years at the post, and compensation to the CEO effects the share price progress. The study embraces 46 companies from eight different line of business.

Thesis purpose The study aims to examine the effects vertical and horizontal line extensions might have on the total parent brand equity in terms of strength and its baseline product regarding of Market Share, loyalty and penetration under an elapsed period of time. The study aims to investigate a number of actual conducted line extensions effect on the above mentioned aspects of Kellers (1993) definition of brand strength as a part of the total brand equity. Methodology The effect of a number of line extensions of the parent brands and the baseline products is being examined in terms of Market Share, loyalty rate, cannibalization and market penetration. The thesis is focused on the correlations between these different parameters during a certain elapsed time ratio in order to test our theoretically routed hypothesizes in a deductive manner. Occasional correlations are derived from an indexation of data collected from the Gfk database. Theoretical perspective The study is derived from Kapferers (2004) definition of brand equity, where he is dividing the concept into three parts. This study is focused on Brand strength in particular, which is one of the parameters in the above-mentioned theory.

Thesis purposeThe study aims to examine the effects vertical and horizontal line extensions might have on the total parent brand equity in terms of strength and its baseline product regarding of Market Share, loyalty and penetration under an elapsed period of time. The study aims to investigate a number of actual conducted line extensions effect on the above mentioned aspects of Kellers (1993) definition of brand strength as a part of the total brand equity. MethodologyThe effect of a number of line extensions of the parent brands and the baseline products is being examined in terms of Market Share, loyalty rate, cannibalization and market penetration. The thesis is focused on the correlations between these different parameters during a certain elapsed time ratio in order to test our theoretically routed hypothesizes in a deductive manner. Occasional correlations are derived from an indexation of data collected from the Gfk database.

Background: What is a share and what determines the value of a company? This is a constant issue that many in the financial world are facing. Many argue that there has been some decoupling between stock valuation and how the company in question is developing operationally after the financial crisis that the world faced during 2008-2009.Problem: It is important to distinguish between the company and the share. A company that is good and well maintained may not be worth buying only because of it. The share is judged by other elements also.

Objective: Our purpose with this study is to demonstrate the impact of natural disasters on banks' share prices.Method: Quantitative survey method, an event study.Conclusion: There is no association or a very weak correlation in this study between natural disasters and the Swedish banks' share prices..

Title: Nordea Life and Pension during financial crisis Subject: Business administration, Candidate thesis 15 p. Authors: Seyithan Öngörur och Adnan Yari Instructor: Peter Lindberg Date: 2010-01-13 Key words: Nordea, the financial crisis, advice, marketing, customer relationship Purpose: The purpose of the study is to provide an understanding of how the financial crisis has affected Nordea Life and Pensions market growth based on Market Share. We also want to give an understanding of what factors may be responsible for the outcome that it may be helpful in future financial crises. Method: A qualitative study was the basis for the study, where three interviews were carried out by the respondents from Nordea Life and Pension.  Theory: In this section we have focused on relevant theory and has divided them into different themes, advice, current legislation, marketing, consumption and buying behavior. Conclusion: The study shows that Nordea Life and Pension had a positive growth during the financial crisis and a number of factors are presented that may be the basis for the outcome.Proposal for further research: Since this study was limited to one company it may be intresting to investigate and examine the consuling industry market as a whole affected by the financial crisis. Contributions: This paper has provided an understanding of how Nordea Life and Pensions affected during a financial crisis, based on Market Share and the factors that may have been the basis for this..

Purpose: To examine how IR-related press releases affect share price for stock companies, and to explore how said companies practice Investor Relations.Methods: The study was conducted using an event study as well as e-interviews. The event study has a quantitative deductive research approach where the market model is used for calculating the abnormal return based on press releases. The e-interviews have a qualitative research approach and follow a semi structured interview guide. The study includes all listed stock companies within the Swedish construction industry and includes press releases from the last decade.Theory: The study is based on the efficient market hypothesis and its semi strong form, theories within Investor Relations and previous research.Results: The event study shows a significant negative abnormal return during a four day period starting the day after the press release event. The negative abnormal return could derive from investor relations being used by companies as damage control, or that the investors? expectations are too high as a result of IR.

We investigate if the size of goodwill compared to total assets has any effect on the shareholders return on companies listed on the Swedish Stock market. We put up two different hypotheses with a foundation from previous research and later dismiss one of them. Our evidence does not show any indicators that the size of goodwill have an effect on the shareholders return, which brings us to believe that there, from a share holders point of view, isn?t any need for concern regarding the standards about accounting for goodwill as stated by IFRS. .

The purpose of this master thesis is to evaluate how the current share price and market consensus affect security analysts target price and if an investor should pay any attention to it. Empirical data is primarily collected from qualitative interviews with ten security analysts but also from a quantitative e-mail survey. Our main finding is that security analysts are indeed affected by each others earnings forecasts as well as the current share price. This is not strange, it is in several aspects rational. Security analysts has often nothing to gain by standing out too much and not either by spending too much time trying to create their own opinions due to lack of time or the complexity of what is analyzed.