1. Briefly explain the economic benefits of a share buy-back from the perspective of a company.

2. Gingerbread Ltd is an Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) listed company that is currently undergoing an equal access share buy-back scheme. The market price of Gingerbread Ltd is currently $14.50 per share, while the share price has been appreciating steadily in the past two years by an average of 10 per cent per annum. The off-market buy-back price was announced at $14.00 per share, where the capital component of the offer is $6.00 per share and a fully-franked dividend is $8.00 per share. Corporate tax rate is 30 percent. A hedge fund, Orion LLC, has become a shareholder in Gingerbread Ltd by acquiring a 4.5 percent ownership in Gingerbread Ltd over the past year. Orion LLC has also rejected participating in this buy-back scheme at the current share price. Orion LLC however made a counter offer to Gingerbread Ltd last Monday to tender all its shareholdings in Gingerbread Ltd at the price of $14.60 per share. Orion LLC has then been accused of green mail by Gingerbread Ltd management.

Discuss the following:

1. Outline possible reasons why Gingerbread Ltd management accused Orion LLC of green mail.
2. Advise a domestic retail shareholder (who has a marginal tax rate of 32.5 percent) and a superannuation fund (15 percent tax rate) whether either of them should participate in Gingerbread Ltds Equal Access share buy-back. Assume that shares in Gingerbread Ltd were bought by the retail investor and the superannuation fund several years ago at a price of $9.20 per share.

3. Explain how private equity has contributed to solving the sorting and incentive problems within investment practices.

4. Consider general partners in private equity funds. Briefly explain and discuss:

1. Their role;
2. How general partners and fund managers are remunerated.