A. As the financial manager of the business, your responsibility is to evaluate the financial performance and position of the company for the year 2022. Your assessment will be based on your analysis of various ratios, comparing them with the previous period/ other competitors/ and industry averages. By calculating these ratios and providing commentary on the following aspects of the company, you will offer insights into its financial well-being and areas that may require improvement:
I. Profitability (Operating profit margin and Return on Assets)
II. Efficiency (Total assets turnover ratio and Fixed assets turnover ratio)
III. Liquidity (Current ratio and Acid Test ratio)
IV. Gearing (Gearing ratio and interest cover ratio)
V. Investment (Dividend payout ratio and Earnings per share ratio)
VI. Overall financial performance and financial status (750 words maximum- 25 marks).
B. Conduct a review of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report, Sustainability Report, or Social Audit Report of the company you are investigating. While you’re not expected to scrutinise the entire document, consider the following questions in your analysis:
I. Does the company publicly disclose information pertaining to social and environmental issues? Provide evidence from the report to support your answer.
II. Identify and provide a brief description of five distinct social and environmental issues or initiatives that the company addresses in its report.
III. Evaluate the presentation and content of the CSR report. What unique or engaging elements does the company incorporate into its report? This could include visual aids, case studies, or other innovative presentation methods.
IV. Identify the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
that the company has committed to implementing. Evaluate and discuss their effectiveness and impact on the company’s overall sustainability strategy.
(750 words maximum-15 marks).
C. Carefully review the corporate governance information in the company annual report and assess the company’s compliance with the guidelines provided by the Australian Securities Exchange Corporate Governance Council (ASXCGC). Use the following link to access the ASXCGC principles and recommendations: [cgc-principles-and-recommendations-fourth-
edn.pdf (asx.com.au)].
I. Discuss the extent to which the company adheres to the ASXCGC principles and recommendations and highlight areas of full compliance and discuss their potential implications on the company’s corporate governance.
II. Identify and evaluate any areas where the company might not fully comply, and Offer suggestions for how the company might improve its compliance with ASXCGC guidelines in the future.
(400 words maximum-10 marks).