December 1996
Background Note
HBS Case Collection

Financial Engineering and Tax Risk: The Case of Times Mirror PEPS

Format:Print
| Pages:9

Abstract

Provides general background on the taxation of corporate securities, and shows how the inconsistent taxation of functionally-similar securities can permit financial engineers to bear tax risk to earn positive returns. Designed to be used with Times Mirror Co. PEPS Proposal Review, so that students can understand and calculate the tax-driven sources of value from Times Mirror's use of a PEPS to monetize its holdings in Netscape.

Keywords

Risk Management; Taxation; Corporate Finance

Citation

Tufano, Peter, Robert Santangelo, and Cameron Poetzscher. "Financial Engineering and Tax Risk: The Case of Times Mirror PEPS." Harvard Business School Background Note 297-056, December 1996.