complete an analysis of Wal-Mart and Target

GM506 | Strategic Financial Analysis

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Please complete steps 1, 2, and 3 of the white paper Final project for instructor review in this

unit. The financial statements can be submitted as a separate PDF or included in a Word®

file with the selection of your two (2) companies. Please do not submit more than two (2) files.

Unit 1 Assignment steps for preparation of the white paper due:

1. Select a publicly held company.

2. Select a benchmark firm to compare your company against. The benchmark firm is typically

the largest competitor.

3. Obtain the firm’s balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flows for the past

3 years. Download and read the firm’s annual report to get a sense of this company.

4. State why you chose the companies you did.

5. What are the differences between the two companies?

6. State why you would or would not invest in this company versus the competitor (i.e.

benchmark firm).

Submit your 400 word Unit 1 Assignment 2 white paper to the Unit 1 Assignment 2 Dropbox. The

financial statements can be submitted separately in pdf format. The Annual Report and the financials

of the competitor should not be submitted.

See the grading rubric below for Unit 1 Assignment 2.

U nit 1 Assignment 2 Rubric:

Part 1 of the Financial Analysis Report due in Unit 1 .

GM506 | Strategic Financial Analysis

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Criteria Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1 Earned

(Excellent)

(Good)

(Fair)

(Poor)

Criterion 1:

(8 pts.)

Writing, spelling, and grammar

Consistently and

ably uses

properly

structured

paragraphs,

sentences,

grammar, and

spelling.

Consistently and

ably uses properly

structured

paragraphs,

sentences,

grammar, and

spelling, with some

minor errors.

Inconsistently uses

properly structured

paragraphs,

sentences,

grammar, and

spelling.

Document

Includes quite a few

errors.

Does not consistently use properly structured paragraphs, sentences, grammar, and spelling. Document includes

obvious errors.

Mechanics and structure

8 7 6 5 Earned:

Criterion 2: (20 pts.) Checklist:

• Provides the firm’s balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flows for last 3 years.

• States why

he/she chose

the

companies

they did and

the

differences

between the

two

companies.

.

• States why

or why not invest in the company

versus the

benchmark

competitor firm.

Provides all of

the firms’

financial

statements for

the last 3 years

and his/her

reasons for

choosing the

two companies

and the

differences

between them.

(12 pts.)

Demonstrates a

thorough grasp

of financial

theory and

methodology in

their reasoning

as to why they

would or would

not invest in the

selected

company versus

the benchmark

competitor. (8

ps.)

Provides all of the firms’ financial statements for the last 3 years and most of his/her reasons for choosing the two companies and most of the differences between them.

(9 pts.)

Demonstrates a

sound grasp of

financial theory and

methodology in

their reasoning as

to why they would

or would not invest

in the selected

company versus

the

benchmark

competitor, but may

lack a few details.

(7 pts.)

Provides most

all of the firms’ financial statements for the last 3 years and some of his/her reasons for choosing the two companies and many of the differences between them. (8 pts.) Demonstrates a

basic grasp of

financial theory and

methodology in their

reasoning as to why

they would or would

not invest in the

selected company

versus the

benchmark

competitor, but may

lack several

details. (6 pts.)

Provides a few of the firms’ financial statements for the last 3 years and little in the way of substantive reasons for choosing the two companies and provides few of the differences between them. (7 pts.)

Demonstrates a

limited grasp of

financial

theory and methodology in their

reasoning as to

why they would or

would not

invest in the

selected company

versus the

benchmark

competitor. (5 pts.)

Content 20 16 14 12 Earned:

GM506 | Strategic Financial Analysis

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Unit 1 Assignment 2: Financial Analysis Report —Part1

Preview Unit 3 Financial Analysis Report —Part 2: Assignment 2 here.

Criterion 3:

(12 pts.)

Critical thinking

and analysis

Response

exhibits strong

higher-order

critical thinking

and analysis

(e.g., evaluation).

Paper shows

original thought.

Response exhibits some higher-order critical thinking and analysis (e.g., application of

information). Paper

shows some

original thought.

Response

exhibits simplistic or

reductive thinking

and analysis but

does demonstrate

comprehension.

Paper shows no

original thought.

Response exhibits

simplistic or

reductive thinking

and analysis and

demonstrates

limited knowledge

of the subject

matter.

Critical thinking and analysis

12 9 8 7 Earned:

Total (40pts.) Less than poor =

0 pts.

Earned: