Deliverables

Choose a publicly traded, publicly held, U.S. company.This means you need to pick a company that is public and has stock that trades on the exchange.You will use a variety of sites to find your financial data.Start with eitherYahoo! Finance site or www.reuters.com. These two sites will allow you to capture at least one year of data for each of the two companies you are going to review as well as the industry ratios you will need. You will need to acquire annual reports for the company sites for years older than the most current year. You will need to review three - five years of financial information on this company, more years of data will produce a more thorough analysis.

Specific areas of analysis are noting major ratio categories and identifying whether the trend is up or down, whether that is good or bad, and why.Once the data are gathered, analyzed, and trends revealed; the student will acquire the same information for a competitor within the same industry.The same ratio and trend analysis will be gathered for the competitor.A comparison will ensue, identifying specific strengths and weaknesses of various components of the financial statements.Upon completion of the original company trend analysis and the competitor's trend analysis, an analysis and trend comparison with the industry is required.This will allow the student to demonstrate an understanding of financial ratios and what trends are present between two different companies in one industry, as well as, being able to determine the position of the industry and be able to project future trends and how the company being evaluated can budget for changes in the industry.

So . . . .what is required . . . .

1.Your chosen company (financial ratios and trend analysis)

a.Using the data provided at the Yahoo! Finance site, use the ratios in the textbook and determine the status of your chosen company based on those ratios.Also, identify any trends you notice and what the impact might be if those trends continue.The ratios you will be reviewing are the same ratios; as you will find in your textbook.Note that some of these ratios may not be applicable to your company.Some ratios are specific to certain types of firms.Not all firms carry significant accounts receivable as an example.

2.A competitor in the same industry (financial ratios and trend analysis)

a.Using the data provided at the site, use the ratios in the textbook and determine the status of your chosen competitor based on those ratios.Also, identify any trends you notice and what the impact might be if those trends continue.

3.The industry as a whole; how does your chosen company compare and what evaluations can you make (predict) for future financial success?

a.Review industry data and determine where these two companies fit within that industry.Are they leaders/followers?What does the future hold for this industry?

4.Using your chosen company and the current conditions in the financial markets, assume the firm needs to raise a large amount of cash.Compare the choices of raising these funds in the capital market (selling new shares of stock) versus the bond market (debt financing), and make a decision as to what is best and why.Also, consider ethical implications of financial reporting and how it relates to acquiring additional investors and accessing markets for additional capital.

5.Take one of the following positions and justify your decision:

a.You are a banker who has been approached by this company to borrow a sum of money (you decide how much, and why).Based on the company's financials and its future business prospects, would you loan the money?Why or why not.

b.You are an investor with a large sum of money (or a company looking for an investment), and buying either the company or shares of stock in the company is being considered.Determine, based on the company's financials and its future business prospects, whether you will invest in this company or not.

There is no specific number of pages required assignment, but past experience has shown it takes at least ten to twelve pages of text.This is a critical thinking assignment so all the specifics are not laid out in front of you.You must research, assess, analyze, and strategize about the company you have chosen, the competitors, and the industry as a whole. Please make sure to cite and reference.