Preface

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For nearly 20 years, since the emergence of PCs, Lotus 1-2-3, and Microsoft Excel in the 1980’s,

spreadsheet models have been the dominant vehicles for finance professionals in the business world to

implement their financial knowledge. Yet even today, most Corporate Finance textbooks rely on

calculators as the primary tool and have little (if any) coverage of how to build spreadsheet models. This

book fills that gap. It teaches students how to build financial models in Excel. It provides step-by-step

instructions so that students can build models themselves (active learning), rather than handing students

canned “templates” (passive learning). It progresses from simple examples to practical, real-world

applications. It spans nearly all quantitative models in corporate finance.

Why I Wrote This Book

My goal is simply to change finance education from being calculator based to being spreadsheet

modeling based. This change will better prepare students for the 21st century business world. This change

will increase student satisfaction in the classroom by allowing more practical, real-world applications and

by enabling a more hands-on, active learning approach.

There are many features which distinguish this book from anything else on the market:

Teach By Example. I believe that the best way to learn spreadsheet modeling is by working through

examples and completing a lot of problems. This book fully develops this hands-on, active learning

approach. Active learning is a well-established way to increase student learning and student

satisfaction with the course / instructor. When students build financial models themselves, they really

“get it.” As I tell my students, “If you build it, you will learn.”

Supplement For All Popular Corporate Finance Textbooks. This book is a supplement to be

combined with a primary textbook. This means that you can keep using whatever textbook you like

best. You don’t have to switch. It also means that you can take an incremental approach to

incorporating spreadsheet modeling. You can start modestly and build up from there. Alternative

notation versions are available that match the notation of all popular corporate finance textbooks.

Plain Vanilla Excel. Other books on the market emphasize teaching students programming using

Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) or using macros. By contrast, this book does everything in plain

vanilla Excel. Although programming is liked by a minority of students, it is seriously disliked by the

majority. Plain vanilla Excel has the advantage of being a very intuitive, user-friendly environment

that is accessible to all. It is fully capable of handling a wide range of applications, including quite

sophisticated ones. Further, your students already know the basics of Excel and nothing more is

assumed. Students are assumed to be able to enter formulas in a cell and to copy formulas from one

cell to another. All other features of Excel (graphing, built-in functions, Solver, etc.) are explained as

they are used.

Build From Simple Examples To Practical, Real-World Applications. The general approach is to

start with a simple example and build up to a practical, real-world application. In many chapters, the

previous spreadsheet model is carried forward to the next more complex model. For example, the

chapter on binomial option pricing carries forward spreadsheet models as follows: (a.) single-period

model with replicating portfolio, (b.) eight-period model with replicating portfolio, (c.) eight-period

model with risk-neutral probabilities, (d.) full-scale, fifty-period model with volatilities estimated

from real returns data. Whenever possible, this book builds up to full-scale, practical applications

using real data. Students are excited to learn practical applications that they can actually use in their

future jobs. Employers are excited to hire students with spreadsheet modeling skills, who can be more

productive faster.

A Change In Content Too. Spreadsheet modeling is not merely a new medium, but an opportunity

to cover some unique content items which require computer support to be feasible. For example, the

full-scale, real data spreadsheet model in Corporate Financial Planning uses three years of historical

10K data on Nike, Inc. (including every line of their income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow

statement), constructs a complete financial system (including linked financial ratios), and projects

these financial statements three years into the future. The spreadsheet model in Life-Cycle Financial

Planning includes a detailed treatment of federal and state tax schedules, social Security taxes and

benefits, etc., which permit the realistic exploration savings, retirement, and investments choices over

a lifetime. The spreadsheet model in US Yield Curve Dynamics shows you 30 years of monthly US

yield curve history in just a few minutes. The spreadsheet model in Three Valuation Techniques

demonstrates the equivalence of the Adjusted Present Value, Flows To Equity, and the Weighted-

Average Cost of Capital methods, not just in the perpetuity case covered by most textbooks, but for a

fully general two-stage project with an arbitrary set of cash flows over an explicit forecast horizon,

followed by a infinite horizon perpetuity. As a practical matter, all of these sophisticated applications

require spreadsheet modeling.

Conventions Used In This Book

This book uses a number of conventions.

Time Goes Across The Columns And Variables Go Down The Rows. When something happens

over time, I let each column represent a period of time. For example in capital budgeting, year 0 is in

column B, year 1 is in column C, year 2 is in column D, etc. Each row represents a different variable,

which is usually a labeled in column A. This manner of organizing spreadsheets is so common

because it is how financial statements are organized.

Color Coding. A standard color scheme is used to clarify the structure of the spreadsheet models.

The printed book uses: (1) light gray shading for input values, (2) no shading (i.e. white) for

throughput formulas, and (3) dark gray shading for final results (“the bottom line”). The

accompanying electronic version of the book (a PDF file) uses: (1) yellow shading for input values,

(2) no shading (i.e. white) for throughput formulas, and (3) green shading for final results ("the

bottom line"). A few spreadsheets include choice variables. Choice variables use medium gray

shading in the printed book and blue shading in the electronic version.

The Time Line Technique. The most natural technique for discounting cash flows in a spreadsheet

model is the time line technique, where each column corresponds to a period of time (as an example

see the figure below).

The time line technique handles the general case of the discount rate changing over time just as easily

as the special case of a constant discount rate. Typically one does have some information about the

time pattern of the riskfree rate from the term structure of interest rates. Even just adding a constant

risk premium, yields a time pattern of discount rates. There is no reason to throw this information

away, when it is just as easy to incorporate it into a spreadsheet. I use the time line technique and the

general case of changing discount rates throughout the capital budgeting spreadsheet models.

Explicit Inflation Rate. A standard error in capital budgeting is to treat the cash flow projections and

discount rate determination as if they came from separate planets with no relationship to each other. If

the implicit inflation rate in the cash flow projection differs from the implicit inflation rate in the

discount rate, then the analysis is inconsistent. The simple fix is to explicitly forecast the inflation rate

and use this forecast in both the cash flow projection and the discount rate determination. The capital

budgeting spreadsheet models teach this good modeling practice.

Dynamic Charts. Dynamic charts allow you to see such things as a “movie” of the Term Structure of

Interest Rates moves over time or an “animated graph” of how increasing the volatility of an

underlying stock increases the value of an option. Dynamic charts are a combination of an up/down

arrow (a “spinner”) to rapidly change an input and a chart to rapidly display the changing output. I

invented dynamic charts back in 1995 and I have included many examples of this useful educational

tool throughout this book.

Craig’s Challenge

I challenge the readers of this book to dramatically improve your finance education by personally

constructing all 53 spreadsheet models in all 20 chapters of this book. This will take you about 27 to 53

hours depending on your current spreadsheet skills. Let me assure you that it will be an excellent

investment. You will:

􀃠gain a practical understanding of the core concepts of Corporate Finance,

􀃠develop hands-on, spreadsheet modeling skills, and

􀃠build an entire suite of finance applications, which you fully understand.

When you complete this challenge, I invite you to send an e-mail to me at cholden@indiana.edu to share

the good news. Please tell me your name, school, (prospective) graduation year, and which spreadsheet

modeling book you completed. I will add you to a web-based honor roll at:

http://www.spreadsheetmodeling.com/honor-roll.php

We can celebrate together!

The Spreadsheet Modeling Series

This book is part a series of book/CDs on Spreadsheet Modeling by Craig W. Holden, published by

Prentice Hall. The series includes:

􀃠Spreadsheet Modeling in Corporate Finance,

􀃠Spreadsheet Modeling in the Fundamentals of Corporate Finance,

􀃠Spreadsheet Modeling in Investments, and

􀃠Spreadsheet Modeling in the Fundamentals of Investments.

Each book teaches value-added skills in constructing financial models in Excel. Complete information

about the Spreadsheet Modeling series is available at my web site:

http://www.spreadsheetmodeling.com

Most of the Spreadsheet Modeling book/CDs can be purchased any time at:

http://www.amazon.com

The Spreadsheet Modeling Community

You can access the worldwide spreadsheet modeling community by clicking on Community (Free

Enhancements) at my web site http://www.spreadsheetmodeling.com. You will find free additions,

extensions, and problems that professors and practitioners from around the world have made available for

you. I will post annual updates of the U.S. yield curve database and occasional new spreadsheet models.

If you would like to make available your own addition, extension, or problem to the worldwide finance

community, just e-mail it to me at cholden@indiana.edu and I will post it on my web site. Your

worldwide finance colleagues thank you.

If you have any suggestions or corrections, please e-mail them to me at cholden@indiana.edu. I will

consider your suggestions and will implement any corrections in future editions.

Suggestions for Faculty Members

There is no single best way to use Spreadsheet Modeling in Corporate Finance. There are as many

different techniques as there are different styles and philosophies of teaching. You need to discover what

works best for you. Let me highlight several possibilities:

1. Out-of-class individual projects with help. This is a technique that I have used and it works well. I

require completion of several short spreadsheet modeling projects of every individual student in the

class. To provide help, I schedule special “help lab” sessions in a computer lab during which time

myself and my graduate assistant are available to answer questions while students do each assignment

in about an hour. Typically about half the questions are spreadsheet questions and half are finance

questions. I have always graded such projects, but an alternative approach would be to treat them as

ungraded homework.

2. Out-of-class individual projects without help. Another technique is to assign spreadsheet modeling

projects for individual students to do on their own out of class. One instructor assigns seven

spreadsheet modeling projects at the beginning of the semester and has individual students turn in all

seven completed spreadsheet models for grading at the end of the semester. At the end of each

chapter are numerous “Skill-Building Problems” and more challenging “Skill-Enhancing Problems”

that can be assigned with or without help. Faculty members can download the completed spreadsheet

models at http://www.prenhall.com/holden. See your local Prentice Hall representative to gain

access.

3. Out-of-class group projects. A technique that I have used for the last seven years is to require

students to do big spreadsheet modeling projects in groups. I assign students to groups based on a

survey of students, where they self-rate their own Excel skills on a scale from 1 to 10. This allows me

to create a mix of Excel skill levels in each group. Thus, group members can help each other. I have

students write a report to a hypothetical boss, which intuitively explains their method of analysis, key

assumptions, and key results.

4. In-class reinforcement of key concepts. This is the direction I have moved in recent years. The class

session is scheduled in a computer lab or equivalently students are required to bring their (required)

laptop computers to a technology classroom, which has a data jack and a power outlet at every

student station. I explain a key concept in words and equations. Then I turn to a 10-15 minute

segment in which I provide students with a spreadsheet that is partially complete (say, 80% complete)

and have them finish the last few lines of the spreadsheet. This provides real-time, hands-on

reinforcement of a key concept. This technique can be done often throughout the semester. At the end

of each chapter are numerous “Live In-class Problems” that can be implemented this way. Faculty

members can download the partially complete spreadsheets at http://www.prenhall.com/holden. See

your local Prentice Hall representative to gain access.

5. In-class demonstration of spreadsheet modeling. The instructor can perform an in-class

demonstration of how to build spreadsheet models. Typically, only a small portion of the total

spreadsheet model would be demonstrated.

6. In-class demonstration of key relationships using Dynamic Charts. The instructor can

dynamically illustrate comparative statics or dynamic properties over time using dynamic charts. For

example, one dynamic chart illustrates 30 years of U.S. term structure dynamics. Another dynamic

chart provides an “animated” illustration of the sensitivity of bond prices to changes in the coupon

rate, yield-to-maturity, number of payments / year, and face value.

I’m sure I haven’t exhausted the list of potential teaching techniques. Feel free to send an e-mail to

cholden@indiana.edu to let me know novel ways in which you use this book / CD.

Alternative Notation Versions

One nice thing about spreadsheets is that you can use long descriptive labels to describe most variables

and their corresponding formulas. However, some finance formulas are complex enough that they really

require mathematical notation. When this happens, I provide alternative notation versions that match the

notation of all popular corporate finance textbooks. The spreadsheet below shows the symbols that are

used in all notation versions. I have selected the notation to fill in any gaps.

Acknowledgements

I thank Mickey Cox, P.J. Boardman, Maureen Riopelle, and Paul Donnelly of Prentice Hall for their

vision, innovativeness, and encouragement of Spreadsheet Modeling in Corporate Finance. I thank

Cheryl Clayton, Josh McClary, Bill Minic, Melanie Olsen, and Lauren Tarino of Prentice Hall for many

useful contributions. I thank Professors Steve Rich (Baylor University), Tim Smaby (Penn State

University), and Charles Trzcinka (Indiana University) for providing detailed and thoughtful comments. I

thank my Graduate Assistant Wannie Park and many individual students for providing helpful comments.

I thank my family, Kathryn, Diana, and Jimmy, for their love and support.

About The Author

CRAIG W. HOLDEN

Craig Holden is the Richard G. Brinkman Faculty Fellow and Associate Professor

of Finance at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. His M.B.A. and

Ph.D. are from the Anderson School at UCLA. He is the winner of multiple

schoolwide teaching awards and multiple schoolwide research awards. He has

written a book/CD series on Spreadsheet Modeling in finance, which is published

by Prentice Hall. His research on security trading and market making (“market

microstructure”) has been published in leading academic journals. He has chaired

nine dissertations, served on the program committee of the Western Finance

Association for three years, and served as an associate editor of the Journal of

Financial Markets for four years. He has chaired a department committee for eight

years and chaired various schoolwide committees for seven years. He has lead several major curriculum

innovations in the finance department. For more details, Craig’s home page is at

www.kelley.iu.edu/cholden.