research project short notice

The specific objective of this graded written research exercise is to prepare an "executive level financial report" to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of a mythical company in which you are employed as a financial analyst.  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.

The company that is to be analyzed for this project is Cisco Systems,  Inc.

the students have to develop evaluation of the financial performance for Cisco. (Totally 85% of the assignment grade) 

Your specific assignment is to research, analyze, and prepare a report for the CFO on the actual financial performance of Cisco.  In addition to reviewing the traditional financial performance indicators, you are also to review Cisco’s past and current stock performance. Your report includes three parts:

(1)        An evaluation of Cisco’s financial performance for the last year. DuPont analysis and analysis of significant financial performance results are required for the last three years. (See detailed description below) 

(2)        An evaluation of Cisco's stock performance for the last one year.

(3)        Finally, a specific recommendation, with supporting rationale, as to whether or not Cisco's recent trend in financial and stock performance is of sufficient financial strength to warrant entering into a long-term commitment.

To assist you in your task, the CFO has provided the following general guidance. Since it is recognized that the industry is undergoing a major contraction, it is very important to comparatively evaluate Cisco's financial and stock performance trends against its Industry.

You may wish to include all necessary and relevant financial performance and stock information, trends, and projections in supporting your recommendation. These factors may include, financial ratio trends and industry comparatives, capital spending, stock growth, Beta values, credit rating service valuations, bond rating valuations, and management and investment reports - when these documents are available.

Research and analyze the following information for Cisco.

--Annual Balance Sheets for Cisco for the last three years.

--The Income Statements for Cisco for the last three years.

-- Annual reports, 10K or 10Q------

 --Industry norms -----------

---Analysts’ reports on performance

-- Management reports or press releases