Multinational Finance

With the growth in demand for exotic foods, Possum Products CEO, Michael Munger, is considering expanding the geographic footprint of its line of dried and smoked low-fat opossum, ostrich, and venison jerky snack packs. Historically, jerky products have performed well in the southern United States, but there are indications of a growing demand for these unusual delicacies in Europe. Munger recognizes that the expansion carries some risk. Europeans may not be as accepting of opossum jerky as initial research suggests, so the expansion will proceed in steps. The first step will be to set up sales subsidiaries in France and Sweden (the two countries with the highest indicated demand), and the second is to set up a production plant in France with the ultimate goal of product distribution throughout Europe.

Possum Products CFO, Kevin Uram, although enthusiastic about the plan, is nonetheless concerned about how an international expansion and the additional risk that entails will affect the firms financial management process. He has asked you, the firms most recently hired financial analyst, to develop a 1-hour tutorial package that explains the basics of multinational financial management. The tutorial will be presented at the next board of directors meeting. To get you started, Uram has supplied you with the following list of questions:

Euro: 1.66 usd/1 Euro

Krona: 7.921 krona/ 1 usd

Fwd rate: 1.66 usd/ 1 Euro

c. Consider the following illustrative exchange rates.

(1) What is the direct quote for euros?

(2) What is the indirect quotation for kronor (the plural of krona is kronor)?

(3) The euro and British pound usually are quoted as direct quotes. Most other currencies are quoted as indirect quotes. How would you calculate the indirect quote for a euro? How would you calculate the direct quote for a krona?

(4) What is a cross rate? Calculate the two cross rates between euros and kronor.