A236
Brandon Gipper, Jaclyn Foroughi
2020
Groupon, a daily deals platform and Uber Technologies, a ride-hailing and delivery platform, faced a common issue related to a new revenue recognition standard (and later amendments) adopted by most public companies in 2018. The amendments were designed…
A233
Anne Beyer, Jaclyn Foroughi
2018
Beginning in fiscal year 2018, a new and relatively unnoticed accounting rule took effect that had the potential for a major impact on the reported earnings of companies holding financial assets or owing financial liabilities. Dubbed the Financial…
A234
Anne Beyer, Jaclyn Foroughi
2018
In July 2017, software and device giant Microsoft [NasdaqGS: MSFT] adopted a new accounting standard that market observers described as one of “the most historic accounting changes to hit the U.S. capital markets in decades.” Twelve years in the making…
A235
Ron Kasznik, Joseph Piotroski, Kweku Fleming, Corinne Augustine
2018
Havilah Merchants Nigeria Ltd. is Nigeria’s leading one-stop shop for outfitting libraries and archives. It serves three primary market segments: (i) public university libraries, (ii) multi-national companies in the oil and gas industry and (iii) banking…
A229
Maureen McNichols, Jaclyn Foroughi
2017
In February 2008, as world markets slid deeper into economic decline, J. Michael Pearson joined Valeant Pharmaceuticals, a specialty pharmaceuticals company, then based in a quiet suburb of southern California. By August 2015, the stock price peaked…
A230
Rebecca Lester, Jaclyn Foroughi
2017
In November 2015, U.S.-based biopharmaceuticals company Pfizer [NYSE: PFE] and Ireland-based pharmaceutical company Allergan [NYSE: AGN] announced a $160 billion merger to move Pfizer’s domicile out of the United States to Ireland in the largest inversion…
A231
Elizabeth Blankespoor, Emily Booth, Jaclyn Foroughi
2017
In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) issued a converged standard on revenue recognition (ASC Topic 606 and IFRS 15, respectively) aimed at ameliorating difficulties associated…
A227
Lisa De Simone, Jeff Hoopes, Rebecca Lester, Sheila Melvin
2016
Etsy was an online craft bazaar founded in 2005 in a loft in Brooklyn, New York. The company was known for its emphasis on social responsibility, transparency, authenticity, and its somewhat nontraditional approach to business. In January 2015, Etsy conv…
A226
Lisa De Simone, Jeff Hoopes, Rebecca Lester, Sheila Melvin
2016
An increasing number of global corporations have experienced negative publicity over complicated tax structures established to minimize their tax burdens. In the case of U.S. companies, there has been a growing outcry over “inversions,” a means of…
SM257
Stefan Reichelstein, Donna Bebb
2016
In 2015, Generation Investment Management celebrated the successful 10-year track record of its flagship Global Equity Fund, which outperformed its benchmark index by over 500 basis points per year. A mainstream investment firm whose founders included…
A222
Elizabeth Blankespoor, Jaclyn Foroughi
2015
Susan Barney, chief financial officer of Parcel Expeditors (Parcel), a thriving same-day package delivery company headquartered in the United States, had to make some decisions. The management of Parcel was planning to take the company public in the…
A220
Elizabeth Blankespoor, C. Gregory Rogers, Jaclyn Foroughi
2015
On April 20, 2010, as BP p.l.c., the third-largest listed oil producer in the world, was preparing to report strong first quarter results, an explosion occurred on its drilling rig Deepwater Horizon, killing 11 workers and injuring 16 others. Over the…
A224
Anne Beyer, Jaclyn Foroughi
2015
As one of the most highly capital-intensive industries, airlines require a substantial investment in physical assets to fund operations. These assets, characterized by property, plant, and equipment (PP&E) on the balance sheet, typically comprise more…
E506B
George Foster, Jason Luther
2014
Alain Chuard and Victoria Ransom reflected on their history as founders of Wildfire Interactive Inc. (Wildfire). Originally called Promotion Builder, Wildfire had evolved from an in-house marketing solution used by the duo’s adventure travel company to a…
E506A
George Foster, Jason Luther
2014
It was June 2011, and Alain Chuard and Victoria Ransom reflected on their history as founders of Wildfire Interactive Inc. (Wildfire). Originally called Promotion Builder, Wildfire had evolved from an in-house marketing solution used by the duo’s…
A217
Madhav Rajan, Anne Beyer, Jaclyn Foroughi
2014
In early December 2013, Jim Madsen, co-founder and owner of The Farm Winery was preparing the company’s current and longer-term financing needs. Madsen needed to develop plans for fiscal year 2014, which included specific goals that were crucial to the…
A216
Madhav Rajan, Anne Beyer, Jaclyn Foroughi
2014
Dr. John Anderson plans to license a technology that will be used to develop a device that would help physicians detect early-stage cancers. Patients would breathe directly into the device, which would analyze a user’s breath for traces of key compounds…
SM234
Stefan Reichelstein, Christos Makridis
2014
This case illustrates the tragedy of the commons through an interactive game to be played by students. At a United Nations world climate conference, students are divided into 10 regional blocs. With less than a day to go and no agreement among the…
SPM53B
George Foster, Norm O’Reilly, Ryan Lippert, Carlos Shimizu, Kyle Udseth
2014
Billy Beane and the Oakland A’s have ‘changed the game’ in terms of talent identification, analytics, and player investment in Major League Baseball (MLB). Cases A and B are designed to provide and inspire learning on these topics by recounting Billy…
SPM53A
George Foster, Norm O’Reilly, Ryan Lippert, Carlos Shimizu, Kyle Udseth
2014
Billy Beane and the Oakland A’s have ‘changed the game’ in terms of talent identification, analytics, and player investment in Major League Baseball (MLB). Cases A and B are designed to provide and inspire learning on these topics by recounting Billy…
