Refer to the financial statements of American Eagle Outfitters (Appendix B) and Urban Outfitters (Appendix C) and the Industry Ratio Report (Appendix D) at the end of this book.
Required:
1. Compute return on assets for the most recent year. Which company provided the highest return on invested capital during the current year?
2. Use ROA profit driver analysis to determine the cause(s) of any differences. How might the ownership versus the rental of property, plant, and equipment affect the total asset turnover ratio?
3. Compare the ROA profit driver analysis for American Eagle Outfitters and Urban Outfitters to the ROA profit driver analysis for their industry. Where does American Eagle Outfitters outperform or underperform the industry? Where does Urban Outfitters outperform or underperform the industry?