Wacc

Cooper Industries

Substantive Issues

The management of Cooper Industries, Inc., is considering whether to attempt to acquire the Nicholson File Company, a leading manufacturer of hand tools. The Nicholson family and other members of the management group own about 20% of the Nicholson stock; the remainder is publicly held. From the standpoint of Cooper an affirmative decision may involve Cooper in a bidding contest with two other companies, which have already bought up part of the outstanding Nicholson stock and made tender offers in an effort to acquire control of Nicholson. If cooper decides to press forward, it must determine what price it will have to pay in order to acquire control of Nicholson, whether it can reasonably afford to pay this price for Nicholson, and the form in which its offer to Nicholson's shareholders should be made. These decisions must be made in the light of the interest, motivations, and bargaining positions of several widely divergent groups of Nicholson stockholders. After these questions are resolved, the Cooper management must determine its precise acquisition tactics.

Pedagogical Objectives

This case provides an opportunity to analyze an explicit consideration of some the specialized problems incountered in mergers and acquisitions. This is another opportunity to consider capital budgeting and valuation.

Suggested Questions

1. If you were Mr. Cizik of Cooper Industries, would you try to gain control of Nicholson File Company in May 1972?

2. What is the maximum price that Cooper can afford to pay for Nicholson and still keep the acquisition attractive from the standpoint of Cooper? (Treasury bills yielded 5.6% in May 1972.)

3. What are the concerns and