.0/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image002.gif”>Semester 2, 2013
BUACC5901 Accounting and Finance
Assignment
1. General information and due date
This assignment constitutes 35 per cent of the assessment in this unit. The due date for lodgement will be 5pm on Friday 27 September 2013.
The assignment is to be submitted via Moodle.
2. Purpose
BUACC5901 is concerned primarily with the use of accounting information. The purpose of the assignment is to provide students with the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills acquired in Accounting and Finance to a practical task involving the use of real-world accounting information. This is intended to consolidate students accounting knowledge and skills. Students are required to complete the assignment in groups of two or three. The objective of such group work is to foster the development of co-operative work skills.
3. Requirements
Students are to organise themselves into groups of two to complete the assignment.
The basic requirement is to undertake a general financial analysis comparing Myer Holdings Ltd (Myer) (ASX Code MYR) latest financial position and performance for 2 Financial Years compared to that of David Jones (ASX Code DJS) over the same period.
If the 2013 financial statements are released by Myer and David Jones by 10 September then you should prepare ratios comparing 2013 with 2012 performance for both entities.
If the 2013 financial statements are released after 10 September then you should compare 2012 with 2011 performance for both entities.
(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 ratios which involve Balance Sheet figures students will require the previous years financial statements (in addition to the latest report) to provide the beginning-of-year balance sheet figures.
1
The assignment will contain two main elements:
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 spreadsheet. 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 spreadsheet, with any calculation referencing the relevant data cell.
A written report
The written report should:
· Explain briefly what is revealed by the ratios and other calculations in the context of the companies 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.
· Provide an overall assessment of whether the companies 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).
4. Other guidelines
· The assignment is to comply with the Universitys General Guide for the Presentation of Academic Work (revised edition 2011) and the written report is not to exceed 3,000 words and a word count must be shown on the cover page of the assignment.
· 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 requested 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.
2
· 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.
5. 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 Universitys 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 a schedule (or schedules) of relevant ratios and other calculations and carries a weighting 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 and carries a weighting of 25 marks out of the 35 available for the whole assignment. Written reports in excess of 3,000 words may be penalised.
· A copy of the detailed feedback sheet, showing how the marks are allocated, is attached on the following page.
A single copy of the assignment should be submitted, for which each student in the group will usually receive the same mark. This is based on the expectation that each student in a group will contribute equally to the preparation of the assignment. Where this expectation has not been satisfied separate marks may be allocated.
Assignment Submission
Submit your assignment (the database file and the word document) through Moodle.
Should you need help with Moodle please speak with your tutor as offline submissions will not be accepted.
3
BUACC5901 Accounting and Finance
Assignment assessment report, TP2 2013
Students: _______________________________________________________________
(35 marks)
Marks available
Marks
Comments
awarded
Introduction /
2 marks
2.0
Exec Summary
Findings /
5 categories =
Conclusion
about 10 ratios
1.25 marks each
12.5
for interpretation
and analysis
Valid conclusion =
1.5
1.5 marks
Thinking process +
2.5 marks
2.5
clarity of thought
Appendix / Ratio
5 categories =
Calculations
about 10 ratios
10.0
1 mark each for
calculations
Extra marks for
2.5
specifically
relevant ratios
Grammar and
2 marks
2.0
spelling
Overall quality of
2 marks
2.0
assignment
Total Marks
_____ / 35
4