Project Work

Dublin Business School

Assessment Brief

Module Title:	Managerial Financial Analysis
Module Code:	B9MG009_2223_TMD4
Module Leader:	PHILIP HICKEY
Assessment Title:	Analysis of Financial Statements
Assessment Number (if relevant):	1
Assessment Type:	Formal Report to Board of Directors
Restrictions on Time/Length :	3,500 words (excl. Bibliography) +/- 10%
Individual	Groups Not Allowed
Assessment Weighting:	50%
Issue Date:	22nd May 2023
Hand In Date:	SUNDAY 9th July 2023
Planned Feedback Date:	4 weeks from submission date
Mode of Submission:	Moodle

Assessment Task

PLEASE REFER TO THE INSTRUCTIONS ON YOUR MOODLE PAGE REGARDING FORMATION AND SELECTION OF TARGET COMPANY FOR ANALYSIS.

Requirements

You are an Investment Analyst at MWF, a large investment company and have been asked to analyse a FTSE 350 company. You are required to prepare a report suitable for presentation to the board of directors of MWF who may or may not advise their clients to invest in the FTSE 350 company.

You report should:

1. Analyse and discuss your target company’s financial and operating performance over the last 3 years. Your analysis will be supported by the following:

· SWOT and PESTLE Analysis

· Ratio Calculations (to include all ratios done in class)

· Explanatory comments on the results of your ratios

· Trends should be identified and analysed

· Comparison of ratios to at least one competitor (teams will choose a relevant competitor themselves)

· External sources – print media, professional investment analysts, market commentary etc. 10 marks for each component = 60 marks

2. Recommend ONE initiative based on your ratio and comparative analysis that the target company could take in order to improve future profitability. Make whatever assumptions you wish [stating them clearly] and estimate the impact on relevant ratios giving numeric examples.

15 marks

3. A client of MWF is considering purchasing 10% of your target company’s shares. Use Book and Market values to estimate how much your target company is worth and then advise the investor how much 10% would cost. [10 marks]. Advise the investor [giving at least three strongly justified reasons] whether it is a good investment [15marks]

25 marks

Total = 100 marks

WHAT YOU MUST SUBMIT [NB WITHOUT THESE YOUR ASSIGNMENT WILL NOT BE GRADED].

1. YOUR GROUP’S REPORT [NB ONE COPY PER GROUP ONLY!!] – WORD OR PDF –

NBB: COVER PAGE TO INCLUDE THE NAME OF THE TARGET COMPANY, THE NAMES AND STUDENT NUMBER. THE REPORT SHOULD COMPRISE A COVER PAGE, A CONTENTS PAGE, AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, THE REQUIRED CRITERIA PER THE BRIEF, YOUR REFERENCES AND ANY APPENIDCES RELEVANT TO THE REPORT.

2. YOUR CALCULATIONS – EXCEL SPREADSHEET. THE ORIGINAL SPREADSHEET MUST BE UPLOADED TOGETHER WITH THE REPORT.

3. MINUTES OF GROUP MEETINGS AND A ONE PAGE DOCUMENT COMPRISING A PARAGRAPH FROM EACH TEAM MEMBER SUMMARISING THEIR INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FINAL REPORT.

4. PDF OF YOUR COMPANY’S MOST RECENT ANNUAL REPORT

MARKS WILL BE DEDUCTED (5 MARKS FOR EACH INSTANCE) FOR FAILURE TO ADHERE TO THESE REQUIREMENTS

The lecturer has at their disposal, several software tools which [inter alia] compare each assignment with every previous assignment . Any instance of collusion / plagiarism will be dealt with severely.

Other Requirements :

1. Word count to be noted on front page of submission, together with student names and numbers

2. Late Submissions: assignments submitted after the deadline are penalised, as per regulations.

3. Extensions to assignment submission will be not be granted, other than in exceptional circumstances. To apply for an extension please go to http://www.dbs-students.com/Registrar/ and download the Assignment Extension Request Form. Once completed this form should then be returned to your Programme Leader, for approval.

4. Dublin Business School penalises students who engage in academic impropriety (i.e. plagiarism, collusion and/or copying). It is STRONGLY recommended that you attend a referencing advisory session [provided by the Library].

5. To prevent plagiarism please follow this link to the Harvard Style Referencing Guide - all referencing is required in this format.

http://issuu.com/dbslibrary/docs/harvard-referencing-guide/1?mode=a_p

(Guide on referencing is also available under DBS library guides at www.library.dbs.ie)

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