It is an assignment based on two financial statements

Accounting
and Finance Assignment

Assessment
Submission

Submit
your assignment (the database file and the word document) through TURNITIN.
Assessment
Area

The
basic requirement is to undertake a general financial analysis comparing Myer Holdings Ltd (Myer) (ASX Code MYR)
financial position and performance in the Financial Years 2013 and 2012
compared to that of David Jones (ASX
Code DJS) over the same period. The 2013 financial statements are required
to be available on the internet within 2 months of financial year end.

(Note:
students are to use the ‘Consolidated’
data in conducting their analysis.) The analysis should consider each of: profitability, asset efficiency,
liquidity, capital structure, and market performance.

Note that for those 2012 ratios which involve
Balance Sheet figures students will require the 2012 annual statements (in
addition to the 2013 report) to provide the 2012 beginning?of year balance sheet figures.The assignment will contain two
main elements:

1. Schedule(s) of relevant ratios and other useful calculations

The detailed calculation of
relevant ratios and other useful calculations should be included as one or more
appendices prepared using Excel or a similar spread sheet. Students are advised
to show the formulae used in determining particular ratios and other figures.
Data items (for example ‘Sales Revenue’ or ‘Total Assets’) should be entered in
a single cell in a specially designated ‘data area’ in the spread sheet, with
any calculation referencing the relevant data cell.

2. Written report
The written report should:

2A. Explain briefly what is
revealed by the ratios and other calculations in the context of the company’s
profitability, asset efficiency, liquidity, capital structure, and market performance.
In particular, any important changes over the period 2012 to 2013 should be
identified, discussed and, where possible, explained.

2B. Provide an overall assessment
of whether the company’s performance over the 2013 financial year have been
better than 2012, and which company has improved its performance to a greater
extent over this period. The judgement should be made from the perspective of
existing equity investors (shareholders).

Other Guidelines

The
assignment is to comply with the University’s General Guide for the
Presentation of Academic Work(revised edition 2011) and the written report
is not to exceed2,600 words.

?Students are encouraged
to seek and use additional public information about the company from sources
other than the annual report (for example, from the internet, newspapers, and
business magazines). However, it is not envisaged that students will be engaged
in extensive research of this nature and it is expected that the annual report
will be the primary resource relied upon in completing the assignment. Students
are asked not to try and make direct personal contact with either company (for
example by telephone, fax, letter or email) in an attempt to gather further information.

?Do not reproduce
company promotional material from the annual report or company website and
represent it as critical analysis. It is not!

?Students are expected
to obtain relevant share price data for the company so that investment ratios
(such as a price earnings ratio) can be calculated. (It is recommended that
students obtain the companys’ share price as at the 2013 and 2012 balance dates
for the purpose of calculating relevant ratios on these dates. Share price data
is available from a variety of sources including the internet.

?Students may find it
useful to consult accounting references, in addition to the prescribed text,
which deal with the analysis and interpretation of company financial reports.

Assessment
criteria

In
assessing submitted assignments consideration will be given to:

?Overall neatness,
completeness and quality of presentation.Graduate
level students are expected to achieve a satisfactory standard with respect to
this criterion as a matter of course, and for this reason no credit will be
granted for achieving it. However, assignments that fail to achieve the minimum
standard in connection with this criterion may be penalised. The expected
standard concerning this criterion is compliance with the University’s General
Guide for the Presentation of Academic Work(revised edition 2011).

?Demonstrated skill in
identifying and calculating relevant ratios and other indicators of
profitability, asset efficiency, liquidity, capital structure, and market performance.
This
criterion relates specifically to the requirement to prepare aschedule
(or schedules) of relevant ratios and other calculations and carries aweighting
of 10 marks out of the 35 available for the whole assignment.

?Demonstrated
understanding of financial reports and ratios and other indicators of profitability,
asset efficiency, liquidity, capital structure, and market performance.This
criterion relates specifically to the requirement to submit a written report
andcarries a weighting of 25 marks out of the 35 available for
the whole assignment.Written reports in excess of words may be penalised.

?A copy of the detailed
feedback sheet,showing how the marks are
allocated, is given on the following page.

Assessment
feedback/Marking

Available

Marks

Presentation
Cover
Index
Executive
Summery
Referencing

10

Profitability

3

Efficiency

3

Liquidity

3

Capital
Structure

3

Shareholder
Performance

3

Calculation
and Presentation of Ratio

10