In this assignment, assume you are a savvy financial analyst researching companies in which to invest. Select a U.S. publicly-traded company you think might be a good investment and perform a financial
analysis. Your analysis should include the following:
• Company Overview. Conduct research and describe the company, its operations, locations, markets, and lines of business. Collect financial statements for the past three (3) years, fiscal or calendar (please insert these in the appendix). These financial statements must include at least the income statement and the balance sheet.
• Evaluate the company’s vulnerability to current financial threats such as a recession, higher interest rates, and global competition.
• Financial Performance. Based on the financial trends of the company, predict how these trends will impact financial performance in future periods. Explain your rationale for this prediction.
• Stock Price Analysis. Given the performance of the stock in the periods presented on the company’s financial statements, discuss how the stock is likely to perform in the future, what type of investor would be drawn to this stock, and make a recommendation to management to improve stock performance.
Submit your analysis in the form of a 8 page paper in which you:
1. Provide a detailed overview of a U.S. publicly traded company. This should be one to two (1-2) pages.
2. Evaluate the company’s vulnerability to current financial threats such as a recession, higher interest rates, and global competition.
3. Based on the financial trends of the company, predict how these trends will impact financial performance in future periods. Explain your rationale for this prediction.
4. Cite at least five (5) quality references.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:
• Critique financial management strategies that support business operations in various market environments.
• Estimate the risk and return on financial investments.
• Apply financial management options to corporate finance.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in financial management.
• Write clearly and concisely about financial management using proper writing mechanics
Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic/organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric.
Points: 190 Writing Assignment: Financial Analysis
Criteria Unacceptable Below 70% F Fair 70-79% C Proficient 80-89% B Exemplary 90-100% A
1. Provide a detailed overview of a U.S. publicly traded company.
Weight: 25% Did not submit or incompletely provided a detailed overview of a U.S. publicly traded company. Partially provided a detailed overview of a U.S. publicly traded company. Satisfactorily provided a detailed overview of a U.S. publicly traded company. Thoroughly provided a detailed overview of a U.S. publicly traded company.
2. Evaluate the company’s vulnerability to current financial threats such as a recession, higher interest rates, and global competition.
Weight: 30% Did not submit or incompletely evaluated the company’s vulnerability to current financial threats such as a recession, higher interest rates, and global competition. Partially evaluated the company’s vulnerability to current financial threats such as a recession, higher interest rates, and global competition. Satisfactorily evaluated the company’s vulnerability to current financial threats such as a recession, higher interest rates, and global competition. Thoroughly evaluated the company’s vulnerability to current financial threats such as a recession, higher interest rates, and global competition.
3. Based on the financial trends of the company, predict how these trends will impact financial performance in future periods. Explain your rationale for this prediction.
Weight: 30% Did not submit or incompletely predicted how these trends will impact financial performance in future periods, explaining your rationale for this prediction. Partially predicted how these trends will impact financial performance in future periods, explaining your rationale for this prediction. Satisfactorily predicted how these trends will impact financial performance in future periods, explaining your rationale for this prediction. Thoroughly predicted how these trends will impact financial performance in future periods, explaining your rationale for this prediction.
4. Five (5) References
Weight: 5% No references provided. Does not meet the required number of references; some or all references poor quality choices. Meets number of required references; all references high quality choices. Exceeds number of required references; all references high quality choices.
5. Clarity, writing mechanics, and formatting requirements
Weight: 10% More than 6 errors present 5-6 errors present 3-4 errors present 0-2 errors present
Weekly Course Schedule
The purpose of the course schedule is to give you, at a glance, the required preparation, activities, and evaluation components of your course. For more information about your course, whether on-ground or online, access your online course shell.
The expectations for a 4.5 credit hour course are for students to spend 13.5 hours in weekly work. This time estimate includes preparation, activities, and evaluation regardless of the delivery mode.
Instructional Materials
In order to be fully prepared, obtain a copy of the required textbooks and other instructional materials prior to the first day of class. When available, Strayer University provides a link to the first three (3) chapters of your textbook(s) in eBook format. Check your online course shell for availability.
Review the online course shell or check with your professor to determine whether Internet-based assignments and activities are used in this course.
A standardized performance grading rubric is a tool your professor will use to evaluate your written assignments. Review the rubric before submitting assignments that have grading rubrics associated with them to ensure you have met the performance criteria stated on the rubric.