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Management article
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Reference no. R0402Z
Published by: Harvard Business Publishing
Originally published in: "Harvard Business Review", 2004
Revision date: 19-Feb-2013

Abstract

For teaching purposes, this is the commentary-only version of the HBR case study. It's been only four years since First Rangeway Consulting went public, but to CEO Kenneth Charles, it seems like a lifetime. In the grand old days of its IPO, the company couldn't grow fast enough to meet customer demand; top talent answered the siren call of its options; and the owners gleefully watched their wealth escalate along with the stock. Post-bubble, First Rangeway's stock is down 80% fom its peak value, potential hires are wary, and the company feels beleaguered by Sarbanes-Oxley and SEC requirements. First Rangeway's stock price is on the mend, and there are some extremely tempting opportunities on the horizon that will require a heap of capital. Rangeway's CFO speculates that these opportunities could mean as much as 30% gowth over the next several years. Should First Rangeway remain public or go private? Four experts weigh in on this fictional case study: Tom Copeland, the former chair of UCLA's finance department and managing director of corporate finance at Monitor Group; Chan Suh, the cofounder, CEO, and chairman of Agency.com; Ed Nusbaum, the CEO of Grant Thornton; and John J Mulherin, the president and CEO of the Ziegler Companies.

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Abstract

For teaching purposes, this is the commentary-only version of the HBR case study. It's been only four years since First Rangeway Consulting went public, but to CEO Kenneth Charles, it seems like a lifetime. In the grand old days of its IPO, the company couldn't grow fast enough to meet customer demand; top talent answered the siren call of its options; and the owners gleefully watched their wealth escalate along with the stock. Post-bubble, First Rangeway's stock is down 80% fom its peak value, potential hires are wary, and the company feels beleaguered by Sarbanes-Oxley and SEC requirements. First Rangeway's stock price is on the mend, and there are some extremely tempting opportunities on the horizon that will require a heap of capital. Rangeway's CFO speculates that these opportunities could mean as much as 30% gowth over the next several years. Should First Rangeway remain public or go private? Four experts weigh in on this fictional case study: Tom Copeland, the former chair of UCLA's finance department and managing director of corporate finance at Monitor Group; Chan Suh, the cofounder, CEO, and chairman of Agency.com; Ed Nusbaum, the CEO of Grant Thornton; and John J Mulherin, the president and CEO of the Ziegler Companies.

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