MBA403-Financial and Economic Interpretation

Task

Select a company that is currently listed on the ASX. Write a Financial Analysis Report using an essay structure to interpret a company’s most recent annual report. 

Assessment Description

Students will write a Financial Analysis Report for a stakeholder (external investor or internal manager) that interprets the annual report of an Australian company. The Report will clearly state recommendations about the company’s suitability for share investment or internal management. The company should be listed on the ASX. Students will be assessed on the thoroughness of the financial analysis. Thoroughness requires a logical justification of why financial and non-financial performance indicators are included in the analysis. The analysis will be formally written to meet the expectations of a stakeholder. The report is limited to 1000 words, plus or minus 10%, excluding title page and bibliography. 

Assessment Instructions

Select a company that is currently listed on the ASX. Write a Financial Analysis Report that interprets the company’s most recent annual report. This report will need to be written for a stakeholder (external investor or internal manager).

Research additional information beyond the annual report about the company’s performance. Use the group financial results if the annual report presents financial results for the group and parent company. Justify the selection of financial and non-financial performance indicators that are relevant for evaluating the company’s financial performance.

Use a formal language and structure of your report. Refer to Resource A below. Include relevant non-financial analyses. Refer to Resource B below. 

Resource A – Financial Analysis Report content 

Analysis

Analysis will present and discuss the financial results and performance indicators extracted from the company’s annual report. A concise commentary should explain the significant changes in the financial results.

Interpretation

The interpretation should be approximately 70% of total word count. Interpret the causes of the changes in the company’s financial performance. Justify the inclusion of financial and non-financial performance indicators in the Financial Analysis Report. Research additional non-financial performance indicators from a wider range of sources beyond the company’s own publications. Discuss the company’s business activities and the financial implications of the activities. Apply financial and non-financial performance indicators to explain trends and issues in the company’s financial results.

Conclusion

The conclusion should be approximately 20% of total word count. State a clear recommendation that addresses the decision-making needs of a stakeholder. For example, recommend a decision to invest or not invest in the company if the Report is written for a potential shareholder. Or, recommend a decision to improve the financial performance of the company if the Report is written for an internal manager. Justify recommendations by explaining how it will meet the needs of the stakeholder

Resource B

Consider the following questions if they are relevant to the company’s financial performance.

1.What are the core business area(s) and geographic locations in which the company operates?

2.How have specific financial results improved or changed?

3.Is there evidence from other sources that can verify the trends for the industry?

4.What are the company’s current business strategy or strategies and key points of difference in the target market? Is there a specific skill-set required of employees?

5.What is the current and future market potential for the company? What influences have recent global events apparently had on the company? In which specific areas?

6.Identify strengths of the company’s management team and how these may benefit the organisation in future financial years.

7.What are the remuneration trends from last year to this year for the highest earners?

8.Is there a difference in the wages that could be earned in a competitor’s business?

9What is the current management structure and ownership structure?

10.Identify strengths of the company’s management team and how these may benefit the organisation in future financial years.

11.What are the remuneration trends from last year to this year for the highest earners?

12.Are there other non-wage-related benefits of being an employee at the company?