Analysis of a corporate annual report and accounts

Reference no: EM131808859 , Length: word count:3000

INDIVIDUAL ANALYSIS OF A CORPORATE ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS

Company - Alibaba Group Holding Ltd - Use the annual report ended on March 2017

For this assessment you should select any company with shares which have been listed on a major stock exchange (you are not limited to UK companies) for a minimum of five years.

Locate the company's most recent annual report (be careful - most companies publish interim and summary reports as well as the full annual report). This is normally available on the company's website. There must be a version of the annual report available on the website in English, even if the main version is published in another language.

Using the information in the report, and any other information that you think is relevant, write a review including the following:

(a) a brief discussion of the form and content of the annual report. This should include details of the basis of accounting being followed - for example, international Financial Reporting Standards - and information on any other significant characteristics of the annual report, for example, any major changes in accounting policy. This section of your review should not exceed around 15% of the overall review;

(b) an analysis of the financial position, performance, and prospects of the company using whatever methods of analysis (for example, ratio analysis, trend analysis) that you consider most suitable. Your analysis of the company's financial performance, position and rospects should be supported by a description and evaluation of th risks enerated by the products/services produced by the company and the markets it operates in. The assumptions you make in evaluating the company's prospects should be clearlystated. This section of your review should not exceed around 65% of the overall review; and

(c) A description and commentary on the size and movements in the company's share price over the past five years. That commentary should apply economics and finance principles to identify and briefly explain any significant changes in the company's share price during that five year period. This section of your report should not exceed around 20% of the overall review.

The review should not exceed 3,000 words in length. You are not expected provide an abstract or executive summary, but you should present your review as a clear and well-structured report. Use your own words as much as possible, don't just copy from the annual report (though you may if you consider it appropriate reproduce tables and graphs from the annual report and then provide your own comments on the information that they contain). Calculations, graphs and any other supporting material may be included in an Appendix, and are not to be taken into account in the word-count. You are not required to include a copy of the annual report if this is available on the internet, but please provide details of the relevant website.

Reference no: EM131808859

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Reviews

len1808859

1/11/2018 1:26:47 AM

Very large companies often have complex business structures, and this makes it more difficult to understand the financial and other information provided. On the other hand, the business of very large companies may be more familiar. The larger the company, the more information it is likely to provide, and hence its annual report will have more pages that have to be read. Manufacturing and trading companies with a simple business model, with a market capitalisation of around f100-£600 million, doing business mainly in one country, are likely to be the most straightforward to analyse.

len1808859

1/11/2018 1:26:41 AM

Notes on choice of company Many of the traditional financial ratios were developed for manufacturing and trading companies, and are less appropriate for financial companies such as those in the banking, investment and insurance areas. Because of this, you are advised not to select a company from the financial sector but you may do so if you wish. Analysis usually involves looking at trends over a period, in particular comparing the current year with the previous year. Where there has been a significant business acquisition or merger, or on the other hand a substantial part of the business has been sold off or demerged, then comparisons will be more difficult. So please take care when you choose your company to be aware of any major changes in the business.

len1808859

1/11/2018 1:26:36 AM

The review needs to be submitted in accordance with the standard School of Management procedures to Management Reception no later than 2.00pm on 11th. To allow for anonymous marking, you should not identify yourself by name on your submitted assignment, but instead should use your allocated candidate (examination) number.

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