This assignment will require the use of quantitative tools and qualitative analysis in responding to the assignment requirements. We will discuss the assignment in more details in week one.
Instructions
For this assignment, you are expected to select a company and three competitors from the same industry and prepare an analytical report in which you will critically evaluate, analyse, discuss and comment on the key issues in the financial appraisal. Consider selecting companies or an industry that is of relevant to your career or personal interests.
You must obtain the instructors permission for your company selections. Once approved, post your selections in the Wiki provided.
You will be expected to use the latest financial statements of the companies, within the same calendar year.
The report will make reference to scholarly research and explicitly address the following:
An analysis of the current business and financial health of your company. You are expected to employ financial ratios and the Altman Z-score (specific formulas for different types of companies) to examine the financial health of your chosen company in comparison to its competitors.
A research evaluation and critical analysis of the industry sector and a financial analysis of three other companies in the same sector (using various RRU library database).
You can benchmark based on prior years’ data.
A critical appraisal of the financial strengths and weaknesses of your chosen company compared to the listed competitors.
A critical evaluation of the financial techniques (i.e., ratio and the Z-score) applied in the analysis.
Recommendations suitable for your company on how they can achieve the changes you feel are necessary.
A reasoned conclusion and summary of your findings.
Use charts bar graphs etc., to visualize your findings.
The report will be assessed base on the financial techniques employed and a critical discussion of the subject literature, not on a “right” conclusion.
Report (100%) (Main body) should not materially exceed 2,500 words, excluding bibliography / references, appendices and tables.
A description of each calculation used in the report should be documented in an appendix, with the results in the main body.
Import information:
Please keep a hard copy of your work.
All submissions are to be made in an editable Word file and not in pdf format.
Normal Royal Roads University rules for late submission applies to this assignment.
Check the course site for formatting standard for written assignments policy
Individual Assignment Rubric
Category Less than 70% 70%-79% 80%-89% 90%-100%
Introduction and Background Limited introduction on the topic and aims and objectives of the assignment Focused topic, but incomplete aims and objectives. Context is incomplete Aims and objectives clearly articulated in the introduction. Context very well-articulated Excellent introduction. The aims, objectives and roadmap of the report provided
Understanding of key issues Minimal understanding of the key issues surrounding the topic Key issues identified, but are lacking in focus and development Good understanding of the key issues; but, fail to contextualize the importance Excellent understanding of the key issues and contextualizing the importance
Evidence of Research Little evidence of research other than citing the literature; important work not cited; key evidence ignored Evidence of reading; Literature and key concepts applied, but not adequately developed Very good use of the literature; use literature to analyze arguments and support the findings Demonstrate high level of scholarship; engage critically with the literature; publishable report
Performance Measures Identification and application of the ratios are weak and lack awareness regarding the key aims and objectives Identification and application of the ratios is reasonably researched covering the key ones with generally sound arguments Identification and application of the ratios is well researched covering the key ones with informed and rationalized arguments Identification and application of the ratios is critically researched with insightful arguments covering all key sources and arguments
Analysis Mostly descriptive; no analysis of the key issues; data analysis inaccurate Some critical analysis; arguments contains inaccuracies Relevant analysis; good use of the ratio measures in the analysis Comprehensive analysis; utilized both the ratio measures and literature in the analysis
Presentation, evaluation of evidence, clarity, structure and conclusion Some evidence provided; poor citation; lack of structure; grammatical mistakes Appropriate evidence assessed critically; weak interpretation of the findings; reasonable and clear presentation; few grammatical mistake Critical assessment of the selected literature; use literature to inform arguments; some evidence of independent thought; demonstrate good writing skills; accurate citation; very few grammatical errors Excellent critical assessment of the literature; excellent use of literature to inform arguments; evidence of independent thought and insight; excellent writing skills; accurate citation; no grammatical errors