Question

The management of Mitchell Labs decided to go private in 2002 by buying all 2.90 million of its outstanding shares at $24.20 per share. By 2006, management had restructured the company by selling off the petroleum research division for $10.50 million, the fiber technology division for $9.20 million, and the synthetic products division for $19 million. Because these divisions had been only marginally profitable, Mitchell Labs is a stronger company after the restructuring. Mitchell is now able to concentrate exclusively on contract research and will generate earnings per share of $1.30 this year. Investment bankers have contacted the firm and indicated that if it reentered the public market, the 2.90 million shares it purchased to go private could now be reissued to the public at a P/E ratio of 14 times earnings per share.

a. What was the initial cost to Mitchell Labs to go private?

b. What is the total value to the company from (1) the proceeds of the divisions that were sold, as well as (2) the current value of the 2.90 million shares (based on current earnings and an anticipated P/E of 14)?

c. What is the percentage return to the management of Mitchell Labs from the restructuring? Use answers from parts a and b to determine this value.

Answer 1

Solution :

Part A )

The initial cost to Mitchell Labs to go private: The company went private by purchasing all the outstanding share (2.9 million) at a price of $24.20 per share

The cost to purchase = 2.9 million * 24.20 = $70.18 million

Part B)

1. proceeds of the divisions that were sold = Proceeds from selling (Petroleum + Fiber + synthetic ) division

= $10.5 + $9.2 + $19 = $38.7 million

2. EPS = $1.30, P/E = Price per share / EPS= 14 , So price per share = 14*1.3 = 18.2

Total share = 2.9 million , Value = Number of share * price per share = 2.9 * 18.2 = $52.78 million

Part C ) Percentage return? : In order to calculate percentage return, we have to calculate the total return and initial cost.

Initial cost = $70.18 million

Current Value = Value from ( Selling the divisions + shares) = 38.7 + 52.78 = 70.98 million

Return = Current value - Cost = 70.98 - 70.18 = 0.80 million

Percentage return = Return / initial cost = 0.80 / 70.18 = 1.14%