Financial Reporting
Assignment Task:
Discuss profitability of a company and its impact on investor performance indicators.
You are required to select two non-financial companies listed on the London Stock Market and obtain the published financial statements for the last four years. The two companies should be within the same industry group and therefore, should be competitors.
All analyses must compare and contrast the profitability for each company over the four year period and compare and contrast the investor performance indicators for each company over the same four year period.
Calculations of a selected number of relevant financial ratios and values must be included; however the main focus of discussion should not be the ratio analysis. It is suggested that a minimum of three profitability ratios and three investor performance ratios be calculated.
Your assessment must contain an Introduction, conclusion and recommendation. The recommendation should indicate which company is better performing from an investor’s viewp01oint over the analysed periods.

Total marks for assignment: 100
Marking Scheme:

What is expected within students’ answers:
Ability to introduce the report, by including assignment objectives, companies selected and financial statements obtained.
The report should contain Profitability analysis; investor performance indicator analysis; be able to make comparison and contrast profitability and investor performance indicators of the two companies.
Personal learning outcomes should demonstrate the ability to relate theory to the real world.

Arguments should be clearly summed up to reach a conclusion and recommendation.

Clear, professional evidence of wide research should be provided.
Marks awarded
Introduction 10
Profitability analysis of both companies 15
Investor performance indicator analysis for both companies 15
Comparison and contrast of profitability between the two companies 15
Comparison and contrast of investor performance ratios between
the two companies 15

Conclusion 5
Recommendation 5
Content, style, relevance, originality 10
Format, referencing, bibliography 10

Total marks 100
The Standard marking system to be used when marking coursework assignments for all programmes at GSM.

Indicative Grade UK% marks Characteristics.
Distinction 70%+ Very high standard of critical analysis using appropriate conceptual frameworks.

Excellent understanding and exposition of relevant issues.

Clearly structured and logically developed arguments.

Good awareness of nuances and complexities.

Substantial evidence of well-executed independent research.

Excellent evaluation and synthesis of source material.

Relevant data and examples, all properly referenced.