That risk exposures individually can be difficult to hedge directly using existing financial
instruments is not of course limited to luxury car manufacturers. As mentioned earlier,
Microsoft’s risk profile has a number of significant idiosyncratic risks. Microsoft’s
continued success will depend upon the future evolution of the Internet, on the
technology sector more broadly, and perhaps on the outcome of the government’s
antitrust suit. Hedging each of these type risks individually would be difficult using
traditional derivative instruments. Instead, Microsoft might choose to buy put options on
its own stock to reduce its aggregate risk of loss in stock value from all sources, or
perhaps it might buy insurance to protect just its operating earnings against adverse
events that are beyond management’s control. Although companies do sometimes buy
limited quantities of put options on their own stock, such strategies also have significant
shortcomings in implementation. Firms may find it difficult to buy puts on their own
stock in any size at a fair price, because market participants may view the firm’s decision
to buy puts as negative information, either about the firm’s future prospects, or about its
future volatility.21 How does Microsoft convincingly demonstrate that it is in fact buying
puts only for hedging purposes, and that its actions do not convey any information about
the firm’s future prospects?22 A similar issue arises with earnings-protection insurance.
As noted previously, Reliance Group has announced that it will sell such an insurance
product covering events outside management’s control. Determining what is or is not
21
That risk exposures individually can be difficult to hedge directly using existing financialinstruments is not of course limited to luxury car manufacturers. As mentioned earlier,Microsoft’s risk profile has a number of significant idiosyncratic risks. Microsoft’scontinued success will depend upon the future evolution of the Internet, on thetechnology sector more broadly, and perhaps on the outcome of the government’santitrust suit. Hedging each of these type risks individually would be difficult usingtraditional derivative instruments. Instead, Microsoft might choose to buy put options onits own stock to reduce its aggregate risk of loss in stock value from all sources, orperhaps it might buy insurance to protect just its operating earnings against adverseevents that are beyond management’s control. Although companies do sometimes buylimited quantities of put options on their own stock, such strategies also have significantshortcomings in implementation. Firms may find it difficult to buy puts on their ownstock in any size at a fair price, because market participants may view the firm’s decisionto buy puts as negative information, either about the firm’s future prospects, or about itsfuture volatility.21 How does Microsoft convincingly demonstrate that it is in fact buyingputs only for hedging purposes, and that its actions do not convey any information aboutthe firm’s future prospects?22 A similar issue arises with earnings-protection insurance.As noted previously, Reliance Group has announced that it will sell such an insurance
product covering events outside management’s control. Determining what is or is not
21
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