2.) How does Noble's financial health compare to that of its competitors ? Please consider measures of asset efficiency and net margins Noble Group is relatively strong financially and compares well to its competitors . They are weaker in some areas , but even these have shown improvement in recent periods We will analyze and compare Noble Group to four of their competitors using the following metrics : Net Margin ; Current Ratio ; Asset Turnover Ratio ; and Return on Assets Net Margin : Net margin is Noble Group's weakest 2008 2006 metric of the four we looked at. 2007 Compan Q1 Net Net Relative to its competitors , Noble y Net Group has about half the net profit Margin Margin Margin margins of the industry mean . The Noble 0.97 % industry leader in this regard is ADM , 1.10% 1.77% Group with a comparatively whopping ADM 3.59 % 4.91% 4.91 % net profit margin in 2007 Cargill 2.04 % 2.65% nearly five times the margin that Bunge 1.98 % 2.06% Noble Group attained Olam 2.00 % 2.00% Mean 1.95 % 2.26% On the plus side , net margin did increase for Noble Group by 13% from 2006 to 2007 and is up significantly in the first quarter of 2008 as revenues have skyrocketed . This shows some measure of strength as they have expanded their operations and is a positive sign for the future Current Ratio : Current ratios are relatively strong 2006 2007 2008 Q1 across the industry, and Noble Company Current Current Current Group is in the middle of the pack Ratio Ratio Ratio relative to competitors . Again ADM Noble 1.83 is the leader of the group . While the 1.63 1.51 Group current ratio for Noble Group is still ADM 1.92 1.92 strong , it has been sliding as the Cargill 1.30 1.30 company has grown exponentially Bunge 1.86 1.64 in recent periods and is down again Olam 1.49 1.57 in the first quarter of 2008 . As an Mean 1.66 1.60 investor I would watch this ratio carefully over the next few quarters Asset Turnover Ratio