FIN/370 Finance for Business / University of Phoenix / Assignments

Individual

Financial Terms and Roles

Resource: Financial Management

Create a list of definitions for the following terms and identify their roles in finance.

·         Finance

·         Efficient market

·         Primary market

·         Secondary market

·         Risk

·         Security

·         Stock

·         Bond

·         Capital

·         Debt

·         Yield

·         Rate of return

·         Return on investment

·         Cash flow

Learning Team

Ethics and Compliance Paper

Select an organization from the following list:

·         Pepsi-Cola

·         Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

·         Lowe’s

·         Starbucks

·         Barnes & Noble

·         Amazon.com

·         HP

·         Dell

·         Disney

·         Microsoft

IF YOUR TEAM DOES NOT SELCT ONE OF THE COMPANIES LISTED ABOVE, THEN Obtain faculty approval of your selection prior to beginning the assignment. If you choose one of the listed companies, you do not need approval.

Obtain faculty approval of your selection prior to beginning the assignment.

Obtain a copy of the organization’s annual report and SEC filings for the past 2 years.

Write a 1,400- to 1,750-word paper in which you analyze the data in the annual reports and SEC filings. Address the following:

·         Assess the role of ethics and compliance in your organization’s financial environment.

·         Describe procedures your organization has in place to ensure ethical behavior.

·         Explain how financial markets work in the United States.

·         Identify processes the organization uses to comply with SEC regulations.

·         Evaluate your organization’s financial performance during the past 2 years, using financial ratios. Calculate the ratios for each year:

o    Current

o    Debt

o    Return on equity

o    Days receivable

·         Discuss the trend for each ratio and what it tells you about the organization’s financial health.

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Learning Team

Strategic Initiative Paper

Resource: Ethics and Compliance Paper

Write a 1,050- to 1,400-word paper in which you describe the relationship between strategic and financial planning. Include the following:

·         A strategic planning initiative for your organization and identify an initiative discussed in the organization’s annual report

·         How the initiative affects the organization’s financial planning

o    How will the initiative affect costs?

o    How will the initiative affect sales?

·         Risks associated with the initiative and financial effects they may have

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Learning Team

Caledonia Products Integrative Problem

Prepare a response to the Caledonia Products Mini-Case located near the end of Ch. 12 in Financial Management.

·         Formulate answers to questions 1–7

·         Describe factors Caledonia must consider if it were to lease versus buying.

Individual

Financing Strategy Problems

Prepare a response to Problem 1 in Ch. 20 of Basic Finance.

NOTE: STUDENTS OFTEN GET THIS WRONG BY NOT SELECTING THE RIGHT TEXT WHICH IS: BASIC FINANCE

Learning Team

Integrative Problems and Virtual Organization Strategy Paper

Select a Virtual Organization using the student website. Assume your organization is privately held, wants to expand operations, and is faced with three options for expansion:

·         Going public through an IPO

·         Acquiring another organization in the same industry

·         Merging with another organization

Write a 1,050- to 1,400-word paper in which you compare and contrast options and make a recommendation about which strategy the organization must choose. Address the following:

·         Strengths of each approach

·         Weaknesses of each approach

·         Opportunities of each approach

·         Threats of each approach

Also consider the following as it relates to all three options should the organization pursue an international location:

·         Effects of globalization on financial decisions

·         Factors that contribute to exchange rate risks

·         Mitigating exchange rate risk

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.