The 2014 annual reports of Pearson plc and John Wiley & Sons. Inc., two publishing and information services companies included the following selected data as at December 31, 2014 and 2013 for Pearson plc and April 30, 2014 and 2013 for John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

• The notes to the consolidated financial statements for pearson state."In 2014, £38m (2013: £53m) of inventory co visions was charged in the income statement."

The note to the consolidated financial statements for john Wiley & Sons indicate that $18,202 (in 2014) and $19,930 in 2013) was "charged to cost and expenses" for Inventory obsolescence.
Required:
a. Do you notice anything unusual about the data presented for Pearson? Comment specifically about some of the difficulties you would expect to encounter when comparing financial statement data of a U.S.-based company to data of a non - U.S.-based company.
b. Review the current asset data presented for each company. Comment briefly about your first impressions concerning the relative composition of current assets within each company.
c. Is there any evidence that would suggest that either Pearson or John Wiley & Sons does a better job at managing its accounts receivables and inventories?

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PEARSON PLC (Amounts in millions) Inventories Trade and other receivables, net of provision for bad and doubtful debts of 2014 2013 E 224 224 173 in 2014 and £58 in 2013, and provision for sales returns of £164 in 2014 and 2163 in 2013 Fnandial asscts-Marketable securties. Cash and cash equivaents.. Total current assets 1,310 40 530 12.104 1,173 19 729 12.145 . . JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. (Amounts in thousands) Cash and equvaets.. .. Accounts recavable, net of alowance for doubtful accounts of 2014 2013 $486,377 S334.140 $7,946 in 2014 and $7,360 in 2013, and allowance for sales returns of $41,102 in 2014 and $44,279 in 2013 149,733 75,495 78.057 161,731 82,017 57,083 $634.971 Irventories" Total current assets. $789,662