Fianancial Accounting Project

OBJECTIVE

The specific objective of this graded written research exercise is to prepare an executive-level financial report to the chief financial officer (CFO) of any company you choose.

You are employed as a financial analyst at this company. This report will pertain to the financial evaluation of a real, publicly traded company. It will require independent research (Web-based or library), careful financial analysis, and the proper application of key financial theories and formulas.

ASSIGNMENT

Your specific assignment is to research, analyze, and prepare a report for your CFO on the actual financial performance of any company you choose for the years 2011, 2012, and 2013. In addition to reviewing the traditional financial performance indicators, you are also to review your company’s past and current stock performance for the same respective periods.

Your report is to consist of three parts:

-- An evaluation of your company’s financial performance for the period 2011, 2012, & 2013.

-- An evaluation of your company’s stock performance for the period 2011, 2012, & 2013.

-- Finally, a specific recommendation, with supporting rationale, as to what areas need to be improved to make this company financially stronger.

Research and analyze the following information for your company

--Annual Balance Sheets and Income Statements for your company for the last three years.

-- Annual reports

--Industry norms

---Analysts’ reports on performance

-- Management reports or press releases Using this information develop an evaluation of the financial performance of your company.

Your evaluation should consist of the following:

-1—Background and Industry

-2—Select of most significant financial performance results for the company: Compare Revenue, net income, working capital, total assets for the last three years and other results for your company and the industry or main competitor.

-3—Find financial ratios for your company and its major competitor in the Internet: Analyze the ratios and discuss the strengths and weaknesses you discover. Be sure to answer WHY (why is the ratio too high or too low- what is driving it. Compare the ratio results against the industry or main competitor and look at the three-year trend. -4- Evaluate other areas of financial analysis: capital spending, stock growth, Beta values, credit rating service valuations (if possible), bond rating valuations (if possible), etc. Make an overall conclusion about financial performance of your company during the last years. Compare the results that you received against the industry or main competitor.

-5- Collect and evaluate the data about stock performance of your company for the last three years. Compare the results that you received against the industry or main competitor. Analyze and discuss your results.

-6- Develop a specific recommendation, with supporting rationale, as to what areas should be improved to make the company stronger financially.