Individual Research Project Part 2 Ratio Analysis Due at the end of week 5.Choos

Individual Research Project Part 2
Ratio Analysis
Due at the end of week 5.Choose one of the following companies for your assignments this semester. Familiar companies have been selected to assist with the research process.
Tesla
Microsoft
Bershire Hathaway
Intel
Amazon
Based on the course materials studied during week 1 > Chapter 6
This project is closely aligned with the Course Outcomes and Finance Program Objectives. Completion of this project can be used as part of a portfolio to show potential employers the student is skilled at performing company valuations and financial statement analysis and can be included on the student’s resume.
OBJECTIVE
Specifically, the primary question to answer is: will THE COMPANY be financially viable over the next two to three years, and which steps should be taken to improve its financial stability?
The project will be completed as an Individual Assignment. THE COMPANY to be analyzed for this project is selected by the instructor.
YOUR SPECIFIC ASSIGNMENT
Please note that you don’t need to sign up for any premiums or to pay for any information for the project.
Using the information from the websites the students will develop ratio analysis of the financial performance for THE COMPANY (selected by instructor). (The evaluation portion will total 85% of the assignment grade)
-1—Introduction (5% of the project grade)- The paper should begin with a short introduction, explains the purpose of the paper, and provides an overview of the contents that follow (one short paragraph).
-2— Ratio analysis. (65% of the project grade)
In this part of the project you will complete ratio analysis of THE COMPANY. Please remember that you are the financial analyst of THE COMPANY and should prepare the report to be read by the chairman (CEO) of THE COMPANY.
Collect the following ratios for your COMPANY for the last 3 years. Present the ratios as the table(s) in your project. Create graphs for some ratios on your choice to show trends. If you are using published ratios you must cite the source.
Liquidity ratios: current ratio, quick ratio
Operating efficiency ratios: Days of Sales in Inventory, Accounts Receivable Turnover, Inventory Turnover, Total Assets Turnover
Profitability ratios: Gross Profit Margin, Operating Profit Margin, Net Profit Margin
Debt-to-Equity, Time Interest Earned (TIE), Financial leverage (also called Equity Multiplier)
ROA, ROE
Liquidity ratios, Debt-to-Equity, and Financial leverage ratios are available on www.morningstar.com > type the stock symbol in the Search window to get into the company’s page. Click on Valuation and scroll down to Key Statistics > choose Financial Health tab.
Operating efficiency ratios, Profitability ratios, ROE, and ROA ratios are available on www.morningstar.com > type the stock symbol in the Search window to get into the company’s page. Click on Valuation and scroll down to Key Statistics > choose Operating and Efficiency tab.
c) Write 2-3 pages (or more) of analysis of the ratio results that you collected. In your analysis you should answer the following questions:
How liquid is the company?
Analyze operating efficiency ratios. What important information does this analysis provide?
Is management generating a substantial profit on the company’s assets?
How is the company financing its assets? Discuss how much risk is associated with the financial structure the company.
Have the company’s ROA and ROE changed over the last three years? What was the main factor that influenced this change? To answer this question, apply DuPont analysis and three factors of the DuPont formula: Net profit margin, asset turnover, financial leverage. What ratio(s) has (have) been changed mostly over these three years and why?
-3- Develop a specific recommendation, with supporting rationale, as to whether the assigned company’s recent results in ratio analysis is of sufficient financial strength, will THE COMPANY be financially sustainable over the next several years, and which steps should be done to improve its financial stability? If the management of the company would like to improve the company’s financial performance, what should the management of THE COMPANY do? Your recommendations should be based on the results of your analysis in the project. (About 1 page) (10% of the project grade).
-4- Reflection – the student should write a paragraph in their own words reflecting on specifically what they learned from the assignment and how they think they could apply what they learned in the workplace. (5% of the project grade)
PRESENTATION OF PAPER AND WRITING (15%) of the project grade):
-Organization, Format and Presentation of Paper including the Title page, Introduction, Body, and Summary. Each section of the paper must begin with sub-headings. Please use the sub-headings included in the assignment. Please use double space, with one-inch margins, and use 12-point Times New Roman font. (4% of the project grade)
Use of Tables, Figures and Other Graphics to Summarize and Support Analysis Presented in the Paper. All tables and charts should have the numbering system, like “Table 1…”, the title, and foot/end note to reference the source of the information. (3% of the project grade)
Logical and Smooth Flowing Transitions and Relationships among Sections of the Written Report (3% of the project grade)
Research Sources and Significance of Research Information and Data, Use of APA Citation Methodology (5% of the project grade)…………..
Rubric Name: New Part 2 Project Rubric
Print
CriteriaExcellent (90 and Above)Good (80 and Above)
Acceptable (70 and Above)
Below Average (60 and Above)
Poor (30 and Below)
Incomplete (20% and Below)
Criterion Score
Introduction (5% of the paper grade)
5 points
Outstanding and very thorough development and articulation of a short introduction, explains the purpose of the paper, and provides an overview of the contents that follow (one short paragraph).
4 points
A good effort is made to develop a short introduction, explains the purpose of the paper, and provides an overview of the contents that follow (one short paragraph).
3.5 points
The project contains some a short introduction. However the introduction does not explain the purpose of the paper, and does not provide an overview of the contents that follow.
3 points
Only a superficial effort to develop a short introduction.
1.5 points
Only a poor effort to develop s short introduction.
0 points
The student did not complete this part of the project or the student’s effort unworthy of credit
Score of Introduction (5% of the paper grade),
/ 5
Financial ratios trends analysis of the assigned company and industry comparatives, including DuPont analysis (Prepare, analyze and interpret financial information) (65% of the project grade)
65 points
Excellent and successful effort to implement financial ratio analysis of the assigned company and industry comparatives; very clear linkages between financial ratio results and investment decisions and recommendations;
52 points
A good effort to develop financial ratio analysis of the assigned company and industry comparatives, the result are well explained and analyzed
45.5 points
Some effort made to develop financial ratio analysis of the assigned company and industry comparatives, however the result are not explained and analyzed.
39 points
Below average effort to develop financial ratio analysis of the assigned company and industry comparatives; not worthy of credit
19.5 points
Only a poor effort to develop financial ratio analysis of the assigned company and industry comparatives; not worthy of credit
0 points
The student did not complete this part of the project or the student’s effort unworthy of credit
Score of Financial ratios trends analysis of the assigned company and industry comparatives, including DuPont analysis (Prepare, analyze and interpret financial information) (65% of the project grade),
/ 65
Develop a specific recommendation, with supporting rationale, will THE COMPANY be financially sustainable over the next two to three years, and which steps should be done to improve its financial stability? (10% of the paper grade)
10 points
Outstanding and very thorough effort to explain whether the assigned company’s recent trends and results in financial performance is of sufficient financial strength, will THE COMPANY be financially sustainable over the next two to three years, and which steps should be done to improve its financial stability.
8 points
Very good effort made to explain whether the assigned company’s recent trends and results in financial performance is of sufficient financial strength, will THE COMPANY be financially sustainable over the next two to three years, and which steps should be done to improve its financial stability. There are no significant gaps in the analysis
7 points
Some effort made to explain whether the assigned company’s recent trends and results in financial performance is of sufficient financial strength, will THE COMPANY be financially sustainable over the next two to three years, and which steps should be done to improve its financial stability, but there are significant gaps in the analysis
6 points
Below average effort made to explain whether the assigned company’s recent trends and results in financial performance is of sufficient financial strength, will THE COMPANY be financially sustainable over the next two to three years, and which steps should be done to improve its financial stability.
3 points
Only a poor effort to explain whether the assigned company’s recent trends and results in financial performance is of sufficient financial strength, will THE COMPANY be financially sustainable over the next two to three years, and which steps should be done to improve its financial stability.
0 points
The student did not complete this part of the project or the student’s effort; unworthy of credit
Score of Develop a specific recommendation, with supporting rationale, will THE COMPANY be financially sustainable over the next two to three years, and which steps should be done to improve its financial stability? (10% of the paper grade),
/ 10
Reflection – the student should write a paragraph in their own words reflecting on specifically what they learned from the assignment and how they think they could apply what they learned in the workplace. (5% of the project grade)
5 points
Outstanding and very thorough effort to write in their own words reflecting on specifically what they learned from the assignment and how they think they could apply what they learned in the workplace.
4 points
Very good effort made to write in their own words reflecting on specifically what they learned from the assignment and how they think they could apply what they learned in the workplace.
3.5 points
Some effort made to to write in their own words reflecting on specifically what they learned from the assignment and how they think they could apply what they learned in the workplace.
3 points
Below average effort made to to write in their own words reflecting on specifically what they learned from the assignment and how they think they could apply what they learned in the workplace.
1.5 points
Only poor effort made to to write in their own words reflecting on specifically what they learned from the assignment and how they think they could apply what they learned in the workplace.
0 points
The student did not complete this part of the project; unworthy of credit.
Score of Reflection – the student should write a paragraph in their own words reflecting on specifically what they learned from the assignment and how they think they could apply what they learned in the workplace. (5% of the project grade),
/ 5
Organization, Format and Presentation of Paper including the Title page, Introduction, Body, and Summary. Each section of the paper must begin with sub-headings. Please use the sub-headings included in the assignment (4% of the project grade)
4 points
Paper is organized and very easily followed. The paper follows APA format and contains no or very few errors.
3.2 points
Paper is neatly presented without major blemishes and is generally well-organized
2.8 points
Paper has prominent blemishes in presentation and may have some weaknesses in organization
2.4 points
There appears to be a below average logical organization of the paper’s contents
1.2 points
There appears to be a poor logical organization of the paper’s contents
0 points
The student did not complete this part of the project or the student’s effort unworthy of credit
Score of Organization, Format and Presentation of Paper including the Title page, Introduction, Body, and Summary. Each section of the paper must begin with sub-headings. Please use the sub-headings included in the assignment (4% of the project grade),
/ 4
Use of Tables, figures, and other graphics to summarize and support analysis presented in paper (Research, collect, synthesize and interpret data by applying appropriate technology tools to solve business problems) (3% of the project grade)
3 points
Tables, figures and other graphics are very descriptive and provide exceptionally strong support for the paper; there are no errors in labels or in the numbering sequence
2.4 points
Tables, figures and other graphics are descriptive and provide a sufficient support for the paper; they are properly labeled and numbered
2.1 points
Tables, figures and other graphics provide marginal support for the paper; some labels may be incomplete; there may be some problems with the numbering sequence
1.8 points
Use of tables, figures and other graphics in support of paper is below average.
0.9 points
Use of tables, figures and other graphics in support of paper is poor.
0 points
The student did not complete this part of the project or the student’s effort unworthy of credit
Score of Use of Tables, figures, and other graphics to summarize and support analysis presented in paper (Research, collect, synthesize and interpret data by applying appropriate technology tools to solve business problems) (3% of the project grade),
/ 3
Logical and smooth flowing transitions and relationships among sections of the written report (Communicate, collaborate, lead and influence across the organization to achieve organizational goals) (3% of the project grade)
3 points
Transitions are used throughout the written analysis and provides a logical transition from topic to topic.
2.4 points
Good transitions used in most sections
2.1 points
Some transitions used in paper
1.8 points
Below average effort made to provide appropriate transitions
0.9 points
Only a poor effort made to provide appropriate transitions
0 points
The student did not complete this part of the project or the student’s effort unworthy of credit
Score of Logical and smooth flowing transitions and relationships among sections of the written report (Communicate, collaborate, lead and influence across the organization to achieve organizational goals) (3% of the project grade),
/ 3
Research sources and significance of information and data applying appropirate technology tools to solve business problems, APA citations, double-spaced, 12-point font Times New Roman (5% of the project grade)
5 points
Successful identification and use of appropriate and professional research sources including Library Search Engines, Websites, S&P, SEC, stock exchanges, Morningstar, NYSE, Competitors, 10K Report, analyst reports, news releases, articles, etc.; appropriate and accurate documentation, APA citations are accurate and of the highest level.
4 points
A good effort to identify and use appropriate and professional and supporting research sources; appropriate and professional use of APA documentation, use of double spaced, with one-inch margins, and use 12-point Times New Roman font.
3.5 points
Some effort to identify and use appropriate and professional and supporting research sources with some documentation
3 points
Below average effort to use professional and supporting research sources
1.5 points
Only a poor effort to use professional and supporting research sources
0 points
The student did not complete this part of the project or the student’s effort unworthy of credit
Score of Research sources and significance of information and data applying appropirate technology tools to solve business problems, APA citations, double-spaced, 12-point font Times New Roman (5% of the project grade),
/ 5
Total