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MCI Case Analysis Essay

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MCI Case Analysis

INTRODUCTION
MCI is at a critical point in their company history. After going public in 1972 they experienced several years of operating losses. Then in 1974 the FCC ordered MCI's largest competitor AT&T to supply interconnection to MCI and the rest of the long distance market. With a more even playing field the opportunities to increase market share and revenue were significant. In order to maximize this opportunity MCI required capital. Their poor financial performance required them to use less traditional instruments to obtain financing. The capital acquired supported their growth until they reached a level of profitability in 1978. Subsequently they continued to increase their net income and the quality of …show more content…

Essentially, MCI relied heavily on convertible debt. As their stock price rose, the debt was converted to equity. Jeremy Stein (1992) states that a "good firm will use convertibles because the firm's true value will be made known before the debt is due". Following Stein's observations, Jen, Choi, and Lee (1997) conclude that "convertible bond financing is an attractive alternative for companies that have large growth potential but find both conventional debt and equity financing very costly". MCI clearly had a vision for substantial growth. The MCI management saw an opportunity for financing that would result in issuing equity and leave the possibility open to acquiring more debt in the future, if needed.
The advantage to choosing a convertible bond for financing is that "they provide issuers with ‘cheap' debt and allow them to sell equity at a premium over current value". Jen, Choi, Lee (1997).

Subsequent to their initial public offering in 1971 which raised $27,070,000 by

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