Overview _______ Your task is to conduct in-depth research and analysis of a pu

Overview _______
Your task is to conduct in-depth research and analysis of a publicly traded US corporation. Your team will
prepare a report and a class presentation that describes the key aspects of the company and the industry in
which it operates.
Format _______
1. The paper should be double-spaced in Times New Roman 12 point font. 1” margins on all sides.
2. Use the most current information available
3. The structure of your paper MUST explicitly follow the outline below. In other words your paper
should be divided into sections with the headings explicitly indicated. If you are not sure what this
means, please ask.
4. There is no need to restate the questions provided – just be sure to answer/address them in the paper.
5. Use page numbers on all but the first page.
7. Cite your sources both in-text and in the Reference page.
8. Your paper should follow the following basic structure:
a. Data / Information – 1 page or so
b. Graphical representation of the data / information – 1 page or so
c. Analysis of the data / information – 1 page or so
Tone and Style ___ ______
1. Good Business writing is simple, clear, and informative.
2. Avoid a conversational tone. Be professional in your writing
3. Your opinion, while very important in this class, is not appropriate in this type of writing assignment;
so don’t editorialize. Back up everything with facts and data.
4. Avoid statements like “obviously” or “as everyone knows…” Be explicit and cite your sources.
5. Avoid the use of the first person. (I, me, we, us, etc.)
6. Do not submit photocopied content – it is easy to insert graphics into a Word document.
7. Pay attention to formatting – font size, typeface, bold, etc. Be uniform/consistent throughout.
8. Use bullets where necessary – use tables when presenting numerical or comparative data
9. Be critical in your evaluation. Are there any major threats or weaknesses for this company?
Outline Required Content
I. Industry Analysis
a. Describe the industry in which the company operates including company rankings.
b. List and describe the top 2-3 competitors for their main product line (e.g. Smart Phones).
c. What is the current state of the industry (growing, shrinking, stable)?
d. Do a PESTEL analysis for the company with respect to their major brand or product line.
e. What does this data indicate for this company in the short run and the long run?
II. Marketing
a. Describe the company’s current Marketing Mix (i.e. the Four-P’s) in detail.
b. Briefly describe their major product/service lines.
c. Use the Boston Consulting Group matrix to analyze 4-6 of their major product lines.
d. Select a product from this firm and describe its positioning vis-a-vis competitors.
e. What does this data indicate for this company in the short run and the long run?
III. Operations, Organization and Technology
a. Describe organizational structure of the company in detail. How are they departmentalized?
b. Describe their operations, manufacturing, and other technologies in detail.
c. Explore and explain how they manage their supply chain – be very specific here.
d. What are their real estate holdings and how do they manage their facilities?
e. What does this data indicate for this company in the short run and the long run?
IV. Finance
a. Insert the firms firm’s Income Statement (aka: P&L or statement of operations) for the last 5
years. Provide a bar chart that shows Revenues and Net Income for all 5 years. Analyze the trends
you see and provide your analysis for the pattern you see.
b. In a separate table, include the Balance Sheet for the most recent year available. Include a bar
chart that shows Cash and Overall Debt for all 5 years. Analyze the trends you see and provide
your analysis of the patterns you see.
c. In a third table, include the following ratios and metrics for all 5 years:
i. Current Ratio, Debt/Equity Ratio, and Inventory Turnover Ratio. Compare these with the
Industry Ratios for this company. How do they measure up and how would you describe
the reasons for the differences?
ii. EPS, P/E Ratio, Market Cap and Share Price. How do they compare to their major
competitor in these areas?
d. What does this data indicate for this company in the short run and the long run?
Websites:
http://financials.morningstar.com/
https://www.sec.gov/