The Final Paper will
involve applying the concepts learned in class to an analysis of a company
using data from its annual report. Using the concepts from this course, you
will analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the company and write a report recommending
whether or not to purchase the company stock.
The completed report
should include:
·
An introduction to the
company, including background information.
·
A financial statement
review.
·
Pro Forma financial
statements (Balance Sheet and Income Statement) for the next two fiscal years,
assuming a 10% growth rate in sales and Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) for each of
the next two years.
·
A ratio analysis for
the last fiscal year using at least two ratios from each of the following
categories:
a. Liquidity
b. Financial leverage
c. Asset management
d. Profitability
e. Market value
·
Calculate Return on
Equity (ROE) using the DuPont system.
·
Assess management
performance by calculating Economic Value Added (EVA).
·
Evaluate the soundness
of the company’s financial policies (e.g. capital structure, debt, leverage,
dividend policy, etc.) based on the material covered during class.
·
A synopsis of your
findings, including your recommendations and rationale for whether or not to
purchase stock from this company.
This report should be 15
to 20 pages long, excluding title page and reference page(s), using APA 6th
edition formatting guidelines. Support your findings and recommendations with
evidence from at least five scholarly sources in addition to the annual report,
such as the textbook, industry reports, and articles from the Ashford
University Library. Be sure to include links to websites that were used as references
or to access company information.
Writing the Final Paper
The Final Paper:
1.
Must be 15
to 20 double-spaced pages in length (excluding the title and reference
pages), and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the approved APA
style guide.
2.
Must include a cover
page that includes:
– Title of paper
– Student’s name
– Course name and number
– Instructor’s name
– Date submitted
3.
Must include an
introductory paragraph with a succinct thesis statement.
4.
Must address the topic
of the paper with critical thought.
5.
Must conclude with a
restatement of the thesis and a conclusion paragraph.
6.
Must use at least five scholarly sources.
7.
Must use APA style as
outlined in the approved APA style guide to document all sources.
8.
Must include, on the
final page, a Reference Page that is completed according to APA style as
outlined in the approved APA style guide.
