Accounting Question

Purpose

To sharpen your ability to evaluate a U.S. publicly traded manufacturing company using only information that anyone can legally obtain for free (e.g., SEC filings, investorrelations materials, reputable news outlets, trade publications, and databases provided through the UMGC Library).

Important: Do not use subscription equity-research reports, paid data terminals, or any information that is non-public or requires an NDA.
Cite every source (APA or MLA) and include working hyperlinks when possible.

What to Collect

Source Type	Examples (all free)
Regulatory filings	Latest Form 10-K, Form 10-Q, proxy statement (SEC EDGAR)
Investor materials	Earnings call transcripts, investorrelations decks, and press releases
Market data	Yahoo Finance, Macrotrends, FRED, WRDS/Compustat via UMGC Library
Industry context	IBISWorld summaries, U.S. Census M3 data, trade-association reports
Peer information	Competitors 10-Ks, public news articles

Tasks (perform all six)

1. Evaluate an Investment Proposal with DCF

Pick a real project disclosed in the 10-K or recent press releases (e.g., new plant, automation upgrade).
Build a simple, transparent DCF in Excel:
- Forecast free cash flows (show assumptions).
- Compute NPV and IRR.
- State a buy / hold / pass recommendation and justify it.

2. Interpret Manufacturing KPIs

Choose three KPIs common to manufacturers (e.g., gross margin %, inventory turnover, operating cash-flow ratio).
Calculate the last reported figure and one peer benchmark.
Explain what each KPI reveals about efficiency, profitability, or liquidity.

3. Screen an M&A Target with Ratio Analysis

Identify one publicly traded U.S. manufacturing company that could be acquired.
Using its public filings, compute at least five core ratios (liquidity, leverage, profitability).
Conclude whether the target is financially sound and strategically complementary.

4. Propose Strategic Alternatives

Based on public data and industry trends, outline two growth / sustainability strategies (e.g., reshoring, product diversification, green manufacturing).
Discuss qualitative fit and approximate financial impact (use rough order-of-magnitude estimates onlyno proprietary data).

5. Analyze Stock Buyback Activity

Summarize buybacks disclosed in the last three fiscal years (shares repurchased, dollars spent, timing).
Discuss motives (EPS management, capital-structure optimization, signaling) and quantify effects on EPS and leverage.

6. Communicate Results to Stakeholders

Prepare a concise, one-page financial brief that highlights:
- Revenue and earnings trends
- Cash-flow health
- Balance-sheet strength/risk
Draft a PowerPoint outline (68 bullets or slide titles) that you would use to brief senior management or investors. Emphasize clarity, plain language, and actionable insights.

Deliverables

Written Report ( 2,500 words max) containing:
- Company & industry overview ( 250 words)
- Separate, clearly labeled sections for Tasks 16
- Summary of key findings & recommendations ( 300 words)
Excel file with:
- DCF model (Task 1)
- KPI and ratio calculations (Tasks 2 & 3)
PowerPoint Draft or Outline (Task 6) upload as .pptx outline.

Submission Checklist

All numbers trace back to publicly available sources (citations included).
Assumptions are stated and reasonable.
Analysis is professional, objective, and free of confidential data.
File names include your last name and company ticker (e.g., Smith_WHRT_Task6.pptx).

By working strictly with public information, you will mirror real-world analyst constraints while demonstrating mastery of valuation, ratio interpretation, strategic assessment, and executive communication.

Due by Tuesday at 11:59 pm ET

Criteria for Success

You may review an example of the assignment by downloading the and the .

Requirements: 1 page

WRITE MY PAPER