VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HO CHI MINH CITY HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY PHAN THANH THIEN SON DEVELOPING A GAME THEORY APPROACH TO DETERMINE OPTIMAL LOAN-TO-COST RATIOS FOR CONSTRUCTION LOANS Major: Construction Management Major Code: 8580302 MASTER’S THESIS HO CHI MINH CITY, July 2023 THIS RESEARCH IS COMPLETED AT: HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY – VNU-HCM Supervisor 1: Dr. Bui Phuong Trinh Supervisor 2: Assoc. Do Tien Sy Examiner 1: Dr. Nguyen Hoai Nghia Examiner 2: Assoc.
Pham Vu Hong Son This master’s thesis is defended at HCM City University of Technology, VNU- HCM City on 10/07/2023 Master’s Thesis Committee: 1 Assoc. Luong Duc Long Chairman 2 Assoc. Tran Duc Hoc Secretary, Member 3 Dr. Nguyen Hoai Nghia Reviewer 1 4 Assoc.
Pham Vu Hong Son Reviewer 2 5 Dr. Pham Hai Chien Member Approval of the Chairman of Master’s Thesis Committee and Dean of Faculty of Civil Engineering after the thesis is corrected CHAIRMAN OF THE THESIS COMMITTEE DEAN OF FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING Assoc. Luong Duc Long Assoc. Le Anh Tuan i VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HO CHI MINH CITY SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Independence – Freedom - Happiness THE TASK SHEET OF MASTER’S THESIS Full name: Phan Thanh Thien Son Student code: 2192015 Date of birth: 22/09/1998 Place of birth: Ho Chi Minh city Major: Construction management Major code: 858032 I.
THESIS TOPIC: DEVELOPING A GAME THEORY APPROACH TO DETERMINE OPTIMAL LOAN-TO-COST RATIOS FOR CONSTRUCTION LOANS ĐỀ TÀI LUẬN VĂN: XÁC ĐỊNH TỶ LỆ KHOẢN VAY TRÊN CHI PHÍ TỐI ƯU CHO CÁC KHOẢN VAY XÂY DỰNG II. TASKS AND CONTENTS Conduct a literature review of existing models and studies pertaining to topic of optimization of LTC ratio for construction loans Develop a Game theoretic model to determine the LTC ratio of construciton loans for different financial objectives based on literature review Demonstrate model’s mechanics through 1) implementing it for two real-life case studies in Vietnam and 2) comparing its results to that from existing models Evaluate model’s effectiveness and conclude thesis with a summary and suggestions for future research III. TASKS STARTING DATE: December 2022 IV. THESIS COMPLETION DATE: June 2023 V.
Bui Phuong Trinh, Assoc. Do Tien Sy HCM City, date. SUPERVISOR 1 SUPERVISOR 2 Dr. Bui Phuong Trinh Assoc.
Do Tien Sy HEAD OF DEPARTMENT Dr. Le Hoai Long DEAN OF FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING Assoc. Le Anh Tuan ii Acknowledgements My family whose encouragement led me to pursue a master’s degree in the first place and whose support allowed me to persist through difficult times My professors, thesis instructors - Dr. Bui Phuong Trinh and Assoc.
Do Tien Sy, and fellow master’s degree students at HCMC University of Technology whose guidance and assistance were essential to my academic progress throughout the course of the program. A special thanks to Dr. Nguyen Thanh Viet whose advice and counsel were tremendouly valuable to the completion of this thesis. A special thanks to Professor Jang Ying at California State University, whose guidance was instrumeantal to the conception of this thesis.
iii Abstract The loan-to-cost ratio (LTC ratio) of construction loans are an important consideration for owners and developers embarking on new development projects who wish to maximize their financial returns. This thesis proposes a model that solves for the optimal LTC ratio of construction loans from developers’ point of view for privately developed and privately financed development projects. The proposed model uses Game Theory as its main framework along with non-linear optimization algorithms to determine optimal LTC ratios for construction loans that maximize three different financial metrics: the expected levered net present value (NPV) of project cash flows, the expected levered internal rate of return (IRR), and the expected levered return on equity (ROE). The model developed in this thesis (hereafter referred to as “the proposed model”) is based on research and existing models that solve for the optimal LTC ratios for construction loans as well as studies that incorporate Game Theory for various problems associated with construction loans.
In addition to optimal LTC ratios, the model also outputs other useful metrics such as the expected levered NPV, expected levered IRR, expected levered ROE values that it maximizes for, the maximum feasible construction cost, and the suggested mutually acceptable interest rate. This thesis therefore contributes to the existing academic literature on the topic of optimal capital structure by introducing a new tool alongside other existing models that also address this optimization problem as well as serving as a practical guide for owners and analysts in structuring their loan terms for negotiations. Key words: construction loans, loan-to-cost ratio, LTC ratio, Game Theory, non-linear programming, optimization, expected levered, NPV, ROE, IRR, feasibility analysis. iv Tóm Tắt Luận Văn Tỷ lệ cho vay trên chi phí (tỷ lệ LTC) của các khoản vay xây dựng là một cân nhắc quan trọng khi các chủ đầu tư muốn tối đa hóa lợi nhuận tài chính của các dự án phát triển mới.
Luận văn này đề xuất một mô hình dùng để xác định tỷ lệ LTC tối ưu của các khoản vay xây dựng từ góc nhìn của các nhà phát triển đối với các dự án có vốn đầu tư tư nhân. Mô hình được đề xuất sử dụng Lý thuyết trò chơi làm nền tảng chính cùng với các thuật toán tối ưu hóa phi tuyến tính để xác định tỷ lệ LTC tối ưu cho các khoản vay xây dựng nhằm tối đa hóa ba chỉ số tài chính khác nhau: giá trị hiện tại ròng kỳ vọng có đòn bẩy (expected levered NPV), tỷ suất hoàn vốn nội bộ kỳ vọng có đòn bẩy (expected levered IRR), và tỷ suất sinh lợi kỳ vọng có đòn bẩy trên vốn chủ sở hữu (expected levered ROE). Mô hình được phát triển trong luận án này (sau đây gọi là “mô hình được đề xuất”) dựa trên các nghiên cứu và các mô hình hiện hữu có xác định tỷ lệ LTC tối ưu cho các khoản vay xây dựng cũng như các nghiên cứu đã sử dụng Lý thuyết trò chơi trong các nghiên cứu khác liên quan đến các khoản vay xây dựng. Ngoài các tỷ lệ LTC tối ưu, mô hình cũng xác định được các chỉ số hữu ích khác như NPV kỳ vọng có đòn bẩy, IRR kỳ vọng có đòn bẩy, ROE kỳ vọng có đòn bẩy được tối đa hóa, số tiền chi phí xây dựng khả thi tối đa, và lãi suất được đề xuất mà cả hai bên có thể chấp nhận được (mutually acceptable interest rate).
Do đó, luận án này đóng góp vào các tài liệu học thuật hiện có về chủ đề tối ưu hóa cấu trúc vốn (capital structure) bằng cách giới thiệu một công cụ mới trong số các mô hình hiện hữu được dùng để giải quyết vấn đề tối ưu hóa này cũng như phát triển một công cụ hướng dẫn thực tế cho chủ đầu tư và các đơn vị phân tích tài chính trong việc thiết lập các điều khoản vay trước và trong khi đàm với bên cho vay. Từ khóa: khoản vay xây dựng, tỷ lệ vốn vay trên chi phí, tỷ lệ LTC, Lý thuyết trò chơi, lập trình phi tuyến tính, tối ưu hóa, đòn bẩy kỳ vọng, NPV, ROE, IRR, nghiên tích khả thi v AUTHOR’S COMMITMENT The undersigned below: Name : PHAN THANH THIEN SON Student ID : 2192015 Place and Date of Birth : Ho Chi Minh city, 22nd September 1998 Address : Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam declares that the master thesis titled “Developing A Game Theory Approach to Determine Optimal Loan-To-Cost Ratios for Construction Loans” is completed by the author under supervision of the supervisors. All works, idea, and material that gained from other references have been cited in the correct way. Ho Chi Minh City, June 10th, 2023 PHAN THANH THIEN SON vi Table of Contents Abstract.
iii Tóm Tắt Luận Văn. iv Table of Contents. vi List of Figures.1 LTC Ratio, Feasibility Analyses, and Financial Analyses .2 Project Performance and Default .3 Scope of Research .4 Significance of Research .5 Research Process and Thesis Structure .2 Advantages Offered by Game Theory .4 Solving for The Optimal LTC ratio .2 Expected Levered NPV .3 Mutually-Acceptable Interest Rate .5 Solving for the Optimal LTC Ratio .6 Cash Flow Schedule. Case Studies and Model Comparisons .3 Comparison with Other Models .2 Bakatjan et al.4 Discussion and Evaluation .5 Interpreting and Applying The Results.
Evaluation of Integrals and Sample Excel VBA Code. 82 Expected Levered NPV Evaluation. 82 Expected Levered ROE Evaluation. 83 Sample VBA Code.
85 viii List of Figures Figure 1.1 - Flowchart showing research process and thesis structure .1 - Game Tree for model .2 - Relationship between 𝑐̅ ± 𝜃, 𝑐′, and 𝑐̂ ′ .3 - Flow chart of game .1 - Relationship between expected levered NPV and LTC ratio .2 - Relationship between expected levered IRR and LTC ratio .3 - Relationship between expected levered ROE and LTC ratio .4 - Relationship between expected levered NPV and LTC ratio.5 - Relationship between expected levered IRR and LTC ratio .6 - Relationship between expected levered ROE and LTC ratio.7 - Relationship between expected levered NPV and LTC ratio .8 - Relationship between expected levered IRR and LTC ratio.9 - Relationship between expected levered ROE and LTC ratio .10 - Relationship between expected levered NPV and LTC ratio.11 - Relationship between expected levered IRR and LTC ratio.12 - Relationship between expected levered ROE and LTC ratio .1 - Sample code written (MS Excel VBA) to determine optimal LTC ratio for expected levered IRR. 84 List of Tables Table 2.1 - Research from the current literature relevant to the optimization of construction loans’ LTC ratio .1 - Discounted Cash Flow Schedule For Each Scenario At Each Time Instance .1 - Case study 1: inputs and assumptions. $M indicates millions USD.2 - Summary of optimal LTC ratios for each objective .3 - Case study 2: inputs and assumptions. $M indicates millions USD.4 - Case Study 2: Summary of optimal LTC ratios for each objective .5 - Variables in Dias Jr.
and Ioannou [2] and the corresponding variables in the proposed model .6 - Input values for the numerical example in Dias Jr.7 - Summary of optimal LTC ratios for each objective compared to Dias Jr. and Ioannou’s results [2] .8 - Summary of optimal LTC ratios for each objective compared to Bakatjan et al.1 - Sensitivity Analysis showing effect of changing d and k on l* expected levered NPV .1 - Sensitivity Analysis showing effect of changing d and k on l* expected levered NPV. 69 x Abbreviations The following abbreviations are used throughout this thesis: 1. $M – Millions of US Dollars 2.
CAPM – Capital Asset Pricing Model 3. DSCR – Debt Service Coverage Ratio 4. IRR – Internal Rate of Return 5. LTC ratio – Loan-to-cost ratio 6.
NPV – Net Present Value 8. PPP – Public Private Partnership (projects) 8.1 BOT – Build-Operate-Transfer (schemes) 8.2 BOO – Build-Operate-Own (schemes) 8.3 ROE – Return on Equity 1 1. Introduction Construction loans are a major source of financing for large construction projects, and their loan-to-cost ratios are a major consideration for developers when structuring and negotiating loan terms as different LTC ratios result in different financial performances. A review of the current literature shows that existing models developed for this LTC ratio optimization problem can be further developed as they either omit certain aspects of the construction loans which may be useful or can be expanded to include additional financial goals that owners may be interested in.