Since the business started sales have increased each year, apart from 20X4 when there was a small drop. Jared claimed at interview that he would be able to increase sales by 15% each year, but it is only in 20X7 and 20X8 that the increase has approached 15%. The early years of the business were characterised by very rapid sales growth, but this had clearly stopped by the time Jared was appointed. It is possible that Jared has made a major contribution to the improvements in sales, but the figures alone do not prove this conclusively.

Horizontal trend analysis: Jamal’s sales 20X0-20X8 Year £
Percentage increase (decrease) on previous year 20X0 250031 —
20X1 347 266 38.9 20X2 441179 27.0 20X3 531 150 20.4 20X4 523 622 (1.4)
20X5 545 331 4.1 20X6 590 942 8.4 20X7 679 244 14.9 20X8 771 485 13.6