1. DISCUSSION ASSIGNMENT Your Discussion should be a minimum of 250 words in length and not more than 450 words. Please include a word count. Following the APA standard, use references and in-text citations for the textbook and any other sources.  In the second week, you selected a manufacturing company and described its products and costs. (Apple Inc.) For this week, refer back to that company and perform a trend analysis for the most recent 4 years (the financial statements needed for this assignment may be available at https://finance.yahoo.com/). Analyze the trends for 3 line items you believe are most important in evaluating a company for the balance sheet and for the income statement (3 each). In your initial post, answer the following questions: · What do you observe in the linear trends (i.e., are values increasing or decreasing)?  · What are the trends on a common-size basis? · What would be your next steps in completing a thorough analysis of the trends? 2. WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT Submit a paper which is 2-3 pages in length ( no more than 4-pages ), exclusive of the reference page. Paper should be double spaced in Times New Roman (or its equivalent) font which is no greater than 12 points in size. The paper should cite at least three sources in APA format.  One source can be your textbook. Always include conclusion. Please describe the circumstances of the following case study and recommend which company to purchase. Explain your approach to the problem, perform relevant calculations and analyses, and justify your recommendation. Ensure your work and conclusions are thoroughly supported. Case Study: You work in the mergers and acquisitions department of a large conglomerate who is looking to invest in a retail business. Two companies, Fashion Forward and Dream Designs, are the final two options being considered. You have the most recent available income statements and two years of balance sheets for each company. (Please see attached excel). Compute the following ratios for each company: Profit      Margin Ratio Return      on Assets Current      Ratio Quick      Ratio AR      Turnover Ratio Average      Collection Period Inventory      Turnover Ratio Average      Sales Period Debt      to Equity Ratio For this assignment: Compute      all required amounts and explain how the computations were performed  Evaluate      the results for each company and explain what each ratio means Compare      and contrast the companies.  Based      on your analysis: recommend       which company the organization should pursue Thoroughly       support your conclusion, including what other factors should be       considered Be       specific. Superior papers will: Perform      all calculations correctly. Articulate      how the calculations were performed. Evaluate      the ratios computed and explain the meaning of the ratios. Compare      the companies. Recommend      which company to pursue, supported by w.

1. 1. DISCUSSION ASSIGNMENT
Your Discussion should be a minimum of 250 words in length
and not more than 450 words. Please include a word count.
Following the APA standard, use references and in-text
citations for the textbook and any other sources.
In the second week, you selected a manufacturing company and
described its products and costs. (Apple Inc.) For this week,
refer back to that company and perform a trend analysis for the
most recent 4 years (the financial statements needed for this
assignment may be available at https://finance.yahoo.com/).
Analyze the trends for 3 line items you believe are most
important in evaluating a company for the balance sheet and for
the income statement (3 each). In your initial post, answer the
following questions:
· What do you observe in the linear trends (i.e., are values
increasing or decreasing)?
· What are the trends on a common-size basis?
· What would be your next steps in completing a thorough
analysis of the trends?
2. WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT
Submit a paper which is 2-3 pages in length (
no more than 4-pages
), exclusive of the reference page. Paper should be double
spaced in Times New Roman (or its equivalent) font which is no
greater than 12 points in size. The paper should cite at least
three sources in APA format. One source can be your textbook.

2. Always include conclusion.
Please describe the circumstances of the following case study
and recommend which company to purchase. Explain your
approach to the problem, perform relevant calculations and
analyses, and justify your recommendation. Ensure your work
and conclusions are thoroughly supported.
Case Study:
You work in the mergers and acquisitions department of a large
conglomerate who is looking to invest in a retail business. Two
companies, Fashion Forward and Dream Designs, are the final
two options being considered. You have the most recent
available
income statements and two years of balance sheets
for each company. (Please see attached excel).
Compute the following ratios for each company:
Profit Margin Ratio
Return on Assets
Current Ratio
Quick Ratio
AR Turnover Ratio
Average Collection Period
Inventory Turnover Ratio

3. Average Sales Period
Debt to Equity Ratio
For this assignment:
Compute all required amounts and explain how the
computations were performed
Evaluate the results for each company and explain what each
ratio means
Compare and contrast the companies.
Based on your analysis:
recommend which company the organization should pursue
Thoroughly support your conclusion, including what other
factors should be considered
Be specific.
Superior papers will:
Perform all calculations correctly.
Articulate how the calculations were performed.

4. Evaluate the ratios computed and explain the meaning of the
ratios.
Compare the companies.
Recommend which company to pursue, supported by well-
thought-out rationale and considering any other factors that
could impact the recommendation.
Be sure to use APA formatting in your paper. Purdue
University’s Online Writing LAB (OWL) is a free website that
provides excellent information and resources for understanding
and using the APA format and style. The OWL website can be
accessed here:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
3. PORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENT
We have covered several ratios in this unit that users of
financial statements can work with to evaluate a company’s
performance. However, not all ratios are important for or
applicable to all organizations. In particular, service
organizations have different business models than
manufacturing organizations. Using the company you worked
with for your Unit 2 portfolio assignment (Apple Inc), explain
which financial ratios would be applicable to the company and
which would not. State the reasons for your assertions.
As portfolio activities are to be self-reflective, please make sure
to connect the portfolio assignment to:
Your personal experiences. Reflect on how this assignment
topic is applicable to and will benefit you.

5. Course readings and any external readings.
Discussion forum posts or other course objectives.
The Portfolio Activity entry should be a minimum of 500
words and not more than 750 words. Use APA citations and
references if you use ideas from the readings or other
sources.