In 300-500 words, briefly outline the key messages you hope to convey in your communications plan. How will you word them, according to the nature of your target demographics? How will your message vary from paid media advertisements, to news placements through a media relations campaign? (Tip: you may want to review the Communication Appeals and Tactics lecture in Week 3)
Day: February 7, 2021
This Competency Assessment assesses the following outcome(s):
MT217M2: Analyze financial statements ratios used to measure the financial performance of a business entity.
GEL-1.03: Demonstrate college-level communication through the oral delivery of original materials in Standard English.
GEL-6.05: Adapt research skills to discover and sort relevant sources to complete tasks
Financial statement analysis is the process of analyzing a company’s financial statements to make better economic decisions. The process for financial statement analysis includes specific techniques for evaluating risks, performance, and future prospects of an organization.
Directions
This Assessment is separated into four parts. In Part 1 of this Assessment, you will begin by researching and summarizing four of the benefits of financial analysis and indicating which is the most significant to you. In Part 2 of this Assessment, you will define and properly classify the financial classifications and ratios listed below. In Part 3 of this Assessment, you will calculate and explain the significance of the Liquidity, Profitability, and Market Value financial ratios, and provide a year to year comparison of assessed financial trends. In Part 4 of this Assessment, you will compose an analytical essay in a minimum of 350 words reporting the one financial measurement trend you find to be most significant.
Use the Word template provided to complete your Assessment.
Questions
Part 1.
Locate and read the following article:
Faello, J. (2015). Understanding the limitations of financial ratios. Academy of Accounting & Financial Studies Journal, 19(3), 75-85.
Refer to pages 75 and 76 of Faellos (2015) work. In four separate paragraphs (one for each question), summarize four of the benefits of financial analysis mentioned in the journal article. In one paragraph, describe which one of the four benefits you consider to be most significant.
Review the following financial data, then answer the questions below.
Income Statement and Balance Sheet
Company X Income Statement
FYE 2014 and 2015
Period Ending
31-Jan-15
31-Jan-14
Total Sales
$ 485,651,000
$ 476,294,000
Cost of Goods
365,086,000
358,069,000
Gross Profit
120,565,000
118,225,000
Selling General and Administrative
93,418,000
91,353,000
Operating Profit
27,147,000
26,872,000
Total Other Income/Expenses Net
113,000
119,000
Earnings Before Interest And Taxes
27,034,000
26,753,000
Interest Expense
2,461,000
2,335,000
Income Before Tax
24,573,000
24,418,000
Income Tax Expense
7,985,000
8,105,000
Net Income From Continuing Ops
16,588,000
16,313,000
Discontinued Operations
285,000
144,000
Net Income (Net Profit)
$ _ 16,303,000
$ _ 16,169,000
14,000,000 shares outstanding
Market Share price per share
$ 10.00
$ 9.00
Company X Balance Sheet
FYE 2014 and 2015
Period Ending
31-Jan-15
31-Jan-14
Assets
Current Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents
$ 9,135,000
$ 7,281,000
Net Receivables
6,778,000
6,677,000
Inventory
45,141,000
44,858,000
Other Current Assets
2,224,000
2,369,000
Total Current Assets
63,278,000
61,185,000
Property Plant and Equipment
116,655,000
117,907,000
Goodwill
18,102,000
19,510,000
Other Assets
5,671,000
6,149,000
Total Assets
203,706,000
204,751,000
Liabilities
Current Liabilities
Accounts Payable
58,583,000
57,174,000
Short/Current Long Term Debt
6,689,000
12,082,000
Other Current Liabilities
–
89,000
Total Current Liabilities
65,272,000
69,345,000
Long Term Debt
43,692,000
44,559,000
Deferred Long Term Liability Charges
8,805,000
8,017,000
Minority Interest
4,543,000
5,084,000
Total Liabilities
122,312,000
127,005,000
Miscellaneous Stocks Options Warrants
0
0
Common Stock
323,000
323,000
Retained Earnings
85,777,000
76,566,000
Capital Surplus
2,462,000
2,362,000
Other Stockholders Equity
-7,168,000
-1,505,000
Total Stockholders Equity
81,394,000
77,746,000
Total Liabilities + Stockholders Equity
$ 203,706,000
$ 204,751,000
Number of Shares Outstanding
14,000,000
14,000,000
Market Share price per share
$ 10.00
$ 9.00
Part 2.
Define the ten financial ratios below.
Financial Ratios:
Current Ratio
Quick Ratio
Accounts Receivable Turnover as a multiple
Accounts Payable Turnover as a multiple
Return on Equity as a percent
Return on Assets as a percent
Operating Profit Margin as a percent
Net Profit (after tax) Margin as a percent
Earnings per Share as a dollar value
Price to Earnings as a multiple
Part 3. Classify, calculate, and assess a) Liquidity and Turnover management of Current Assets and Liabilities, b) Profitability, and c) Market Value ratios. Please note outcomes as a multiple, percent, or dollar value.
Liquidity and Turnover management of Current Assets and Liabilities
In this section, properly classify which of the above (from Part 2) are the liquidity and turnover ratios. Then, using the data from the Income Statement and Balance Sheet, provide the correct calculation of these four liquidity and turnover ratios and an assessment of the companys ability to maintain liquidity and the management of current assets and current liabilities.
Include the proper assessment of outcomes as positive or negative trends when all four ratio outcomes are factored as a group.
b. Profitability
In this section, properly classify which of the above (from Part 2) are the profitability ratios. Then, using the data from the Income Statement and Balance Sheet, provide the correct calculation of these four profitability ratios and an assessment of the companys ability to maintain if not improve profitability based on the amounts of Equity, Assets, and levels of profits from Sales. Include the proper assessment of outcomes as positive or negative trends when all four ratio outcomes are factored as a group.
c. Market Value
In this section, use the price per share data, the Income Statement and Balance Sheet to provide the correct calculation these two Market Value ratios; Earnings per Share (EPS) and Price to Earnings (P/E) ratio.
Given the changes of EPS from one year to the next, what is your assessment of the company’s net income theoretically available for payment for investors holding common stock? As an investor to what extent are you more or less confident of the companys ability to add value to your ownership position?
Based on the companys P/E ratio changes from one year to the next what might this tell us about either investor sentiments of future profits, or stock price/value given the ability to generate income at a set price?
Part 4. Overall Analysis
In this section, you will compose an analytical essay in a minimum of 350 words. Based on the above, provide a proper assessment of the companys most significant negative trend and what corrective actions can be taken to improve results. You should search the Library, your textbook, and the internet using a variety of criteria to find academic sources that will support your assessment of the trends and actions that could be taken.
Please address items 1 and 2 as the preliminary portion of your assignment. And build on that commentary as the body of your overall assessment.
1. The most significant concern is
2. The quantitative aspect of this assessment of negative trends is based upon ratios and comparative data
Followed by:
The corrective actions, research findings on interpreting financial ratio outcomes from Library, textbook, etc;, conclusion and references
Minimum Submission Requirements
This Assessment should be in a separate Microsoft Word document. Use this template for your Assessment.
Respond to the questions in a thorough manner, providing specific examples of concepts, topics, definitions, and other elements asked for in the questions. Your paper should be highly organized, logical, and focused.
Your paper must be written in Standard English and demonstrate exceptional content, organization, style, grammar, and mechanics.
Your paper should provide a clearly established and sustained viewpoint and purpose.
Your writing should be well ordered, logical and unified, as well as original and insightful.
A separate page at the end of your paper should contain a list of references, in APA format. Use your textbook, the Library, and/or the internet for research.
Be sure to cite both in-text and reference list citations were appropriate and reference all sources. Your sources and content should follow proper APA citation style. Review the APA formatting and citation style resources found in the Writing Center. The Writing Center can be found in the Academic Success Center in the Academic Tools area of your course. (It should be in Times New Roman 12-point font, include correct citations, Standard English with no spelling or punctuation errors, and correct references at the bottom of the last page.)
If work submitted for this competency assessment does not meet the minimum submission requirements, it will be returned without being scored.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is an act of academic dishonesty. It violates the University Honor Code, and the offense is subject to disciplinary action. You are expected to be the sole author of your work. Use of another person’s work or ideas must be accompanied by specific citations and references. Whether the action is intentional or not, it still constitutes plagiarism.
For more information on the Plagiarism policy, refer to the current Catalog.
Directions for Submitting Your Course Assessment
Before you submit your Course Assessment, you should save your work on your computer in a location and with a name that you will remember. Make sure your Assessment is in the appropriate format (Word), then, when you are ready, you may submit to the Course Assessment Dropbox.
Page 75&76
UNDERSTANDING THE LIMITATIONS OF FINANCIAL RATIOS
Joseph Faello, Mississippi State University ABSTRACT
The purpose of this paper is to provide financial statement users and accounting academics with some useful insights when working with financial ratios. Initially, the uses and benefits of financial ratios and the limitations of using financial ratios are discussed from the financial statement users and accounting academics perspectives. Then, practical advice is provided to both financial statement users and accounting academics alike to mitigate the limitations of using financial ratios. Financial statement users and accounting academics will find the issues discussed in this paper useful in their work with financial ratios.
Keywords: Financial ratios, Comparability, Homoscedasticity, Outliers
INTRODUCTION
Financial ratios play an important role in the analysis of financial statements and accounting research. However, the use of financial ratios comes with its hazards. Both accounting academics and financial statements users need to understand the problems and limitations in working with financial ratios. The purpose of this paper is to address these issues and to provide guidance on how to mitigate the problems surrounding financial ratios. Both accounting academics and financial statement users will find this study useful in their dealings with financial ratios.
The study is organized as follows:
1.Uses and benefits of financial ratios;
2.Limitations of Financial Ratios
3.Dealing with limitations of financial ratios
4. Conclusion.
Uses and benefits of financial ratios;
Limitations of financial ratios;
Dealing with the limitations of financial ratios; and
USES AND BENEFITS OF FINANCIAL RATIOS
Financial ratios play an important role in financial reporting. A ratio expresses the mathematical relationship between one quantity and another, (Kieso et al. 2013, p. 245). A financial ratio consists of a numerator and a denominator, relating two financial amounts. The two financial amounts can be from the balance sheet (e.g. current ratio), or from the income statement (e.g. times interest earned), or from both the balance sheet and the income statement (e.g. return on total assets).
Financial ratios help explain financial statements. For example, financial ratios assist in benchmarking a firms performance with other firms in the same industry. Further, financial ratios help financial statement users in identifying problem areas with a companys operations, liquidity, debt position, or profitability. From this benchmarking and assessment of a firms performance, financial ratios help in assessing the firms overall risk (CICA, 1993). Priorresearch supports the use of financial ratios as a means to predict firms performance,
specifically stock returns and return on assets (e.g., Soliman, 2008; Nissim & Penman, 2001; Fairfield & Yohn, 2001).
Financial ratios are frequently used in loan contracts between a firm (borrower) and a financial institution (lender) as a means to limit the firms activities. A borrower has an incentive to engage in activities that benefit his or her self-interests at the expense of the firms overall value, resulting in the lender inserting accounting numbers in the debt contract (i.e., debt covenant) to restrict the borrowers value-reducing activities (Watts & Zimmerman, 1986). For example, the loan contract may stipulate that the firm must maintain a current ratio of at least 2:1. In this manner, the firm is encouraged to effectively manage its current assets and current liabilities, for example, by collecting its accounts receivables on a timely basis.
For financial statement users, financial ratios not only provide information about where a firm has been, but also provides guidance about where it is headed in the future. For example, negative trends in financial ratios over time could indicate a firm is in decline and provide insights into predicting corporate failure. The Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA, 1993) in their Research Report titled Using Ratios and Graphics in Financial Reporting, summarizes these and additional benefits of financial ratio analysis (see Appendix 1).
From an academic perspective, financial ratios play an important role in modeling. A variable of interest (dependent variable) is estimated in a linear regression model by key independent variables that are frequently financial ratios. Many bankruptcy prediction models utilize financial ratios (Altman & Hotchkiss, 2006).
In summary, financial ratios provide important information about a firms past performance, predicting a firms future performance prospects, assessing managements decision-making, risk assessment, and are a critical tool employed in lending agreements to control a firms activities. In addition, accounting academics use financial ratios in modeling the key variable of interest in their research studies.
LIMITATIONS OF FINANCIAL RATIOS
Inherent in the use of financial ratios are limitations that if not understood could result in drawing incorrect conclusions from the results. Significant limitations in the use of financial ratios are discussed below.
A financial ratio consists of a numerator and a denominator. If either the numerator or denominator is misstated, then the financial ratio will be in error. Misstatement of either the numerator or denominator could be the result of human error. For example, an error could be made in collecting the firms financial statement data. Alternatively, the firms could be employing earnings management techniques (e.g., manipulating accruals) that results in the data itself being misstated. Prior accounting research provides evidence that firms managers manipulate accruals to portray firms financial results in a more positive manner (e.g., Healy & Wahlen, 1999; McNichols, 2000). In either case, financial statement users and academics would obtain results from their analyses that could lead to erroneous conclusions.
Financial ratios derived from a particular firms financial statements are based on
accounting principles, accounting methods, and accounting classifications chosen by the firm. These choices may not be consistent over time or between firms, thus compromising comparability. Financial statement users and researchers alike need to understand that the availability of accounting choices under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) may
Virtual Victoria is a real estate negotiation among four parties: buyer, buyer agent, seller, and seller agent. Through this exercise, we will also explore how the new world of information technology affects negotiations. You will be assigned to play the role of buyer.
To prepare for your “role” (buyer), you will need to read the confidential information about your role attached.
This is an individual assignment. Please read your role confidential information and prepare for a planning document. The planning document must be completed before you conduct the mock negotiation with your partner.
Your Planning Document should cover the following:
(1) Issues to be negotiated;
(2) Your position and interests on each of the negotiation issues;
(3) The priority of each of negotiation issues;
(4) Your BATNA and Reservation Point;
(5) Your Target Point;
(6) Your sources of power and negotiation strategies;
(7) Your best estimate of your negotiation opponent’s position, interests, BATNA, reservation point etc.
All students are to write an essay as part of the module assessment. The essay topics and
evaluation criteria are listed below.
The essay should be no longer than 3,000 words (+/- 10%) and submitted with a header sheet.
Your identity will not be revealed to the marker. The work should demonstrate understanding of a
relevant theory or conceptual framework, with application to case study examples. Choose ONE
of the following four topics for your essay.
I. High street bricks-and-mortar retailers are increasingly conducting their
business online. For a while their branding can rely on their high street heritage
but how do you think the brand should be managed as the online presence comes
to dominate?
II. Mass customisation appears to offer the ideal combination of efficient mass
production with customisation to the individual customer. For a specific company
of your choice, critically analyse the challenges and limits of such a strategy.
III. Laws and attitudes to bankruptcy vary around the world. As an entrepreneur,
which country do you think has the most business-friendly approach?
IV. It might be argued that no matter how enlightened the human resource
management (HRM) strategy, the workers are still perceived as assets with
related costs and profits. An alternative approach might see workers as investors
of human capital. What lessons can be learned from HRM approaches around
the world that might resolve this argument?
The basic format of the essay should be a theory, concept or approach which is critically
analysed. Then a case study or practical example should be presented that not only illustrates
how the theory can be applied but also reveals further critical insights into the theory itself. The
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conclusion should demonstrate how the case study can lead to an improvement in the theory.
Students should make all efforts to avoid plagiarism by reading and reflecting on the information
sources before committing their own thoughts to paper. There is never a reason to copy,
although quotations may be occasionally appropriate. It is recommended that students should
take note of the Turnitin similarity score when they submit. Harvard style referencing must
always be used
Critical Reading and Analysis
1000 words (max), double-spaced, 12-pt Times New Roman font
Assignment
This assignment asks you to follow a specific series of steps to enable you to present a cogent analysis and argument: you are to analyze two passages in the story closely and then tie the conclusions of that analysis to the larger work in which the passages appear. This process allows you to analyze narrowed elements of the story in order to better understand the story as a whole.
The presentation of your analysis must follow a specific structure:
A brief initial paragraph in which you introduce your passages by identifying the text and the topic under discussion. The passages are listed below. In your assignment, simply refer to the first as Passage 1 and the second as Passage 2.
A second section, a possible one paragraph or two for each section, in which you present your close reading of your chosen passages, namely, your analysis of each. In doing so may want to include quotations from your primary text to contextualize, illustrate and prove your claims. A Works Cited page is not required for this assignment.
In a final paragraph, move outwards and tie the specific results of your analysis to the larger text (the story as a whole): what role do the passages have in relation to the larger narrative? How does your close reading influence your understanding of the storys major themes and its ending?
Question: The Garden Party
The Garden Party is a bildungsroman which focuses on Lauras growing questioning of the bourgeois boundaries within which she and her siblings live and are protected. However, although she acquiesces to her mothers influence throughout, access to Lauras consciousness enables the reader to perceive the characters sensibility and capacity for empathy. It also prefigures her visit to the Scotts house and her subsequent epiphanic reaction to the dead man, but the ambiguous dialogue at the storys conclusion raises questions concerning Lauras capability to sustain the development of her emotional growth. This assignment asks you to look closely at two passages that contain evidence of Mansfields presentation of the above assertion and to analyze the ways in which it speaks to the larger themes that emerge at the storys conclusion.
Passages:
The passage beginning:
The front door bell peeled Heres the man. (page 65)
Laura only wanted to get out Forgive my hat, she said (pages 81 – 82)
A word count must be included at the end of the assignment.
Please note: you may choose to write on another theme for this question (see PowerPoint slides on The Garden Party for list of themes) but you must limit yourself to analyzing TWO passages of no more that 20 lines each and adhere to the required word limit.
Why did the British colonists in what would become the United States choose racial slavery as a primary form of labor? The colonists did not arrive with race-based slavery in mind, but they would begin establishing it within a few decades. So then what other forms of labor did they use or attempt to use on a widespread basis, and why did slavery become so dominant?
In many ways, the community defines the needs your organization seeks to meet. For the human services organization you selected in Unit 1, create a community assessment plan that describes how you will assess the community in which the organization operates.
Your community assessment plan must include the following elements:
The key stakeholders who will participate in the assessment.
The methodology you will use to complete the assessment.
The steps you will take to complete the assessment.
Any instruments you will use to complete the assessment.
The data you will collect.
The method for communicating the results of the assessment and the audience to whom you will communicate them.
Your community assessment must take into account the following characteristics of the community:
Population.
Ethnicity.
Languages spoken.
Education levels.
Health.
Nutrition.
Economics.
Housing.
Homelessness.
Foster care.
Indicators that focus on the grant for which your organization will apply (as selected in the assignment in Unit 2). That is, describe the aspects of the community that would be addressed most directly by the grant. These could, for example, include homelessness, the disabled, domestic violence prevention, etcetera.
Assignment Requirements
Written communication: Written communication should be free of errors that detract from the overall message.
APA formatting: Resources and citations should be formatted according to current APA style and formatting guidelines.
Number of resources: Minimum of 3 scholarly resources.
Length of paper: 4 typed, double-spaced pages. Note that title page and references do not count toward the page length of the assignment.
Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.
In this scholarly paper, you are assigned a U.S. State, (INDIANA) and will write relevant APN statute from the Nurse Practice Act and APN Rules and Regulations. You should compare and contrast practice environments between your assigned state and New Jersey.
Grading Rubric CRITERIA:
1)Introduction with thesis statement is clearly stated
2)Background information/comparison with New Jersey:
How is the APN or APRN defined? What are the minimum educational and/or practice hour requirements for the APN in the state you chose compared to N.J.? Masters? Doctorate?
Does the APN also need to maintain an R.N. license? Does the APN have to be board certified by the state? A National certification? i.e., ANCC? AANP?
What is needed to maintain your license? How many CEUS, CMEs? Clinical hours?
Is the APN required to have a collaboration agreement or joint protocols between the APN and collaborating M.D.? What needs to be in the collaboration agreement or joint protocol? What needs to be in the joint protocol? Where is a copy of the collaboration agreement or joint protocol mandated to be located?
Describe the prescriptive authority of the APN in the state versus N.J. Can the APN prescribe controlled substances? What classes? What certifications are needed? DEA? CDS? Where do you obtain this?
What is needed for hospital privileges- describe?
Any restrictions for the APN? Can the APN open his/ her own business?
Can APN provide palliative end of life care? Prescribe home health care? Physical therapy?
Other information can be included: Review what is a nursing compact does this apply to APN’s?
3)Conclusions and summary of key points
The organization is logical, coherent, and written well
Grammar and use of APA Format (7th edition)
The article will have to take in consideration and also develop within their chosen
topic article, how the New normal is impacting the management, human resources
and marketing activities (you also need to think to the potential answer solutions).
Each student is expected to write an individually a Reflective Essay Article on How
the New Normal (post Covid) is reshaping the Hospitality Industry.
Each student should critically and carefully elaborate his/her reflective article
dissertation on the selected topic. First, he/she will have to support his/her
argumentations based on the research of relevant reading and video materials.
Secondly, he/she will have to analyze the situation and identify the pros and con of
the post-Covid impacts on the selected hospitality topic. Thirdly, he/she will have
to come with his/her own understanding and conclusion of what will be the New
Normal trends within the selected topic.
Students are encouraged to use infographic and pictures to illustrate their ideas.
Students are expected to list a minimum of 8 references (references should follow
Harvard Referencing) that helped them to support their answers.
All written assignment should follow good writing standards (Arial or Helvetica font
11 spacing 1 to 1.5), be spell checked and logically structured to guide the
reader.
– Students are expected to demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the nature of
the Hospitality Industry.
– Students are expected to demonstrate a fair level of criticality in relation to theory.
– Students are expected to apply theory in relation to the context of Hospitality by
supplying real life (industry-not personal story) examples and solutions to potential
challenges
-Each student must present their literature summary writing assignment. The presentation may not be longer than 8 minutes. Things to think about when preparing your presentation:
-Your primary goal is to present a summary of the articles that you have selected for your writing assignment.
-You do not have time to cover every detail of the paper. Focus instead on how each source contributes to the body of knowledge about the topic.
Organize your presentation in a way that demonstrates your evaluation of the sources in terms of how each one relates to other sources and to the major debates on the topic.
-Do not speak for more than eight minutes.
