Reference no: EM131111498
INSTRUCTIONS
Download the 2011 Annual Report for Marks and Spencer PLC, from the link provided on Study Space. Review the Annual Report, paying particular attention to the Financial Statements included therein.
1. Analyse and comment on the Financial Performance of the Company using Ratio Analysis. Use whichever ratios you deem relevant for this purpose, including profitability, efficiency, liquidity, financial gearing, and Investment ratios. Your commentary should include a comparison of the ratios for the previous year,together with a conclusion on the company's financial performance. Please include all detailed ratio calculations in an Appendix.
2. Outline the main limitations of Ratio Analysis as a basis for ascertaining financial performance. Please use the Harvard Referencing system to reference to source material.
3. Explain the main Accounting principles which form the basis for the preparation of financial statements. Your answers should refer to the Accounting Policies Note in the M & S financial statements reviewed above, as well as other suitable referencing to textbooks or similar material.
Guidance Notes:
Your answer should be approximately 2,000 words, NOT including the Appendix / Appendices, and in the form of a formal business report, including an Introduction and a Conclusion / Executive summary, and a bibliography.
You may only use actual extracts from the M & S Annual Report and Accounts, by way of an Appendix to the report.
ASSESSMENT STRATEGY
This in Course assignment aims to assess the first two learning outcomes as detailed in your Module Handbook, detailed below. It represents, in total, 30% of the marks available for the whole course. The remaining 70% are covered by way of an Examination, to be held early in January 2012.
|
LEARNING OUTCOME
|
ASSESSMENT STRATEGY
|
|
1) apply the main conventions on which financial statements are based
|
Examination and Assignment
|
|
2) analyse and interpret company financial statements
|
Examination and Assignment
|
|
3) identify and use relevant data for decision making
|
Examination
|
|
4) describe and explain the use of budgeting and product costing processes.
|
Examination
|
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA FOR ASSESSMENT
Marks are awarded to various parts of a particular answer, not just the final figure e.g. the workings, evidence of understanding, inclusion of the appropriate detail and format. Marks may be deducted where evidence of a fundamental lack of understanding is apparent,When dealing with accounts and accounting, it is important that you pay attention to detail. Not paying attention to the detail can stop you from gaining marks. The following is an indicative guide to how marks might be translated
|
Class
|
Mark
|
Grade
|
Description
|
|
1st
|
70%+
|
A
|
Work of distinguished quality that demonstrates an authoritative grasp of the topic. Evidence of ability to synthesize complex material and think analytically
|
|
2.1
|
60-69%
|
B
|
Work that demonstrates a sound and above average level of understanding of the topic. No serious errors or omissions
|
|
2.2
|
50-59%
|
C
|
Work that demonstrates a grasp of the main aspects of the topic with no serious errors or omissions
|
|
3
|
40-49%
|
D
|
Work that demonstrates a limited understanding of the topic containing a number of errors and/or omissions
|
|
F
|
35-39%
|
F5
|
Marginal fail
|
|
F
|
1-34%
|
F1-F4
|
Clear fail – no understanding, or fundamental errors
|
|
F
|
0%
|
F0
|
Non-submission
|
|
Social responsibility to serve all communities
: Financial institutions have a legal and social responsibility to serve all communities. Do banks adequately serve both inner city and suburban neighborhoods, both poor and wealthy communities?
|
|
Compare the calculated present values and discuss
: Find the present value of each stream using a 15% discount rate. Compare the calculated present values and discuss them in light of the fact that the undiscounted cash flows total $150,000 in eachcase.
|
|
Why is random assignment important to the study
: Think of a research topic important to you and design an experimental study for it. Why is random assignment important to the study?
|
|
Use the method of least squares to model
: Some critics of big business argue that CEOs are overpaid and that their compensation is not related to the performance of their companies. To test this theory, Chief Executive (Sept. 1999) collected data on executive's total pay and company&#..
|
|
Annual report for marks and spencer plc
: Download the 2011 Annual Report for Marks and Spencer PLC, from the link provided on Study Space. Review the Annual Report, paying particular attention to the Financial Statements included therein.
|
|
What are some of the ethical issues facing ardmore prison
: What are some of the ethical issues facing Ardmore prison and the way Warden Duffy runs it? Also, what are some alternative ways Duffy could have managed the prison that may have minimized the occurrence of inmate rioting?
|
|
Provide one challenge posed by serving as a leader
: The Plucknette article suggests that there are considerable differences between being a leader and being a manager. Is it possible or desirable to be both?
|
|
How does the event you chose relate to your project topic
: How does the event you chose relate to your Final Project topic? What does the primary source you chose tell you about this topic? What does it not tell you?
|
|
Short-distance baseband transmission and for ir signaling
: Line-coding is a technique used in short-distance baseband transmission and for IR signaling. Based on the NZR (non-zero) Manchester-encoding technique, line-coding for IR signals depends on modulated light rays. Briefly describe how emitted IR li..
|