Your first project is a group project in which you compare two companies in the same industry using ratios. These ratios are in four areas of analysis. The ratios are discussed in chapter 9 and summarized in exhibit 9.6 of your text. Edmonds. 6e, Survey of Accounting.

Your goal is to compare two companies on the four items: 1) Liquidity how well is the company situated for the short run? 2) Solvency How well is the company situated for the longer run? 3) Marketability How does the market view the company? 4) Profitability How well does the company generate profits?

REQUIREMENTS: Select two companies from the list provided. Please use the most recent annual financial statements. Attach them with your submission. Select 3 ratios from each of the four groups, noted above. Using Excel, provide the calculations for the ratios for each company. Include a graph to display the differences for each company. The excel file should contain a minimum of four (4) clearly labeled tabs: o a title page with the names of all group members o a comparative graphical display for each company o the computations used to calculate the ratios o the financial statements for each company In a Word document, explain the companies performances. o A well-written paper should include a brief introduction, well-reasoned discussion, recommendation, overall assessment, and brief conclusion. o How would you evaluate each companys performance for each ratio or the group of ratios? Why? o Are there other factors that may have impacted the companys performance (strikes, weather, social issues, industry-specific issues)? If applicable. o Provide an overall assessment of which companys performance was better. Why?

Submit ONLY in Excel and Word (do not use other file types). Group Project 1 companies There are two categories of companies listed below. Select any two companies from the same category (ie, two retailers or two organic foods).

Retailers (select any two from this list) Cato Corp FYE Jan Childrens Place, Inc FYE Jan The Gap, Inc FYE Jan The TJX Companies, Inc FYE Jan Hanesbrands, Inc FYE Dec Ross Stores, Inc FYE Jan Burlington Stores, Inc FYE Jan

Organic foods (select any two from this list) Seneca Foods FYE March Sprouts Farmers Market FYE Jan Whole Earth Brands FYE Dec Lifeway Foods, Inc. FYE Dec Simply Good Foods FYE Aug Hain Celestial Group FYE June Natural Grocers by vitamin cottage FYE Sept Treehouse Foods Inc FYE Dec J&J Snack Foods Corp FYE Sept Lancaster Colony Corporation FYE Jun