Professor Talks

Vladimir Dženopoljac

What would you learn if you could sit in on a strategy professor’s best lectures, minus the exams? Professor Talks covers corporate strategy, mergers and restructuring, intellectual capital, entrepreneurship, and AI in business. Hosted by Vladimir Dženopoljac, PhD, Professor of Strategic Management, the show connects rigorous research to the decisions leaders face every day. See more on www.vladimirdzenopoljac.com

  1. Episode 1

    Why Human Failure Destroys Merger Valuations

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! These educational materials explore corporate mergers and acquisitions, focusing on the critical phases of postmerger integration and cash flow valuation. The texts explain how functional integration and corporate culture determine whether a transaction successfully realizes its projected synergies, using historical examples like the Daimler-Chrysler merger and Takeda's acquisition of Shire. Additionally, the sources detail discounted cash flow techniques, teaching students how to calculate the weighted average cost of capital (WACC) and estimate enterprise value. Through guided exercises and theoretical frameworks, learners examine how risk assessment, free cash flow projections, and structural alignment dictate the true financial worth of business deals. Ultimately, the curriculum emphasizes that careful operational planning and rigorous financial valuation are inseparable components of successful corporate strategy.

    Why Human Failure Destroys Merger Valuations

  2. Episode 2

    Mergers and Acquisitions Valuation and Deal Modeling

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! The provided materials outline a comprehensive corporate valuation and merger and acquisition framework focused on the Falcon Packaging case study. Participants learn how to bridge enterprise value to equity value by incorporating net debt, pension liabilities, and excess cash, while also examining alternative valuation methodologies such as market multiples, asset-oriented approaches, and real-options analysis. The curriculum further explores the mechanics of financial modeling, teaching deal teams how to establish proper pricing boundaries, split estimated synergies, and evaluate post-transaction earnings per share (EPS) impact and credit ratios. Ultimately, the sources emphasize that professionals must combine multiple valuation techniques, respect maximum price thresholds, and rigorously test underlying assumptions before finalizing any corporate transaction.

    Mergers and Acquisitions Valuation and Deal Modeling

  3. Episode 3

    Valuing and Structuring Private M&A Deals

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! Valuing and structuring acquisitions involving privately held companies requires navigating unique challenges such as limited financial transparency, informal governance, and owner-driven earnings adjustments. Because private firms lack public market prices, appraisers must meticulously clean financial statements, apply customized discount rates for undiversified owners, and incorporate appropriate control premiums and illiquidity discounts. Once a baseline valuation is established, negotiators bridge price disagreements and manage uncertainty by utilizing creative payment structures like earn-outs, contingent value rights (CVRs), and stock collars. Furthermore, choosing the correct legal format—such as purchasing assets, buying stock, or executing a merger—directly dictates how tax liabilities, transferred debts, and shareholder voting requirements are handled. Ultimately, every component of a deal structure is deeply interconnected, meaning that shifting risk in one area will inevitably impact another throughout the negotiation process.

    Valuing and Structuring Private M&A Deals

  4. Episode 4

    Tax, Accounting, and Financing Strategies in Mergers and Acquisitions

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! The provided materials outline a comprehensive curriculum on corporate restructuring, focusing specifically on deal structuring, financing strategies, and negotiation tactics. Session 12 explores the complex interplay of tax and accounting considerations in mergers and acquisitions, emphasizing that underlying business economics should always drive transactions rather than immediate tax advantages or accounting goodwill. Chapters 13 and 14 transition into the mechanics of leveraged buyouts and corporate financing, detailing how private equity firms utilize debt to amplify returns while managing financial risk and operational efficiency. Finally, Session 17 applies these theoretical concepts through a practical, graded simulation involving a direct negotiation between rival corporate entities.

    Tax, Accounting, and Financing Strategies in Mergers and Acquisitions
See All Season 1 (4)

About

What would you learn if you could sit in on a strategy professor’s best lectures, minus the exams? Professor Talks covers corporate strategy, mergers and restructuring, intellectual capital, entrepreneurship, and AI in business. Hosted by Vladimir Dženopoljac, PhD, Professor of Strategic Management, the show connects rigorous research to the decisions leaders face every day. See more on www.vladimirdzenopoljac.com

Information

  • Creator
    Vladimir Dženopoljac
  • Episodes
    6
  • Seasons
    1
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Vladimir Dženopoljac
  • Show Website
    Professor Talks