Internal financial information is not available to the public, so we have to rely on external information for our analysis. Review financial statements for two years. UseStarbucks and Panera bread. Make a comparison of the Revenues, Cost of goods sold, Accounts receivable, Accounts payable, and Inventory items and note trends.
Keeping the case analysis in mind, discuss and interpret the changes over the two-year period. Which company is the best performer and why? How is this information useful to you from a managerial perspective? Explain your reasoning and support your conclusions with the numbers you have pulled out for the comparison above. Don’t forget to comment on the interaction of the balance sheet and income statement.