Overview
This assignment requires from students to research basic concepts of Accounting and Financial Management and key elements and structure of financial statements.
Brief description of task
A 1500-words written report. Word counts limit of 1500 is for guidance about the size of report.
Cover Page - should be the first page of your report, containing:
Student-ID number:
Module name:
Tutor name:
Academic year:
Campus:
Title: Understanding Accounting Fundamentals, Financial Management, and Ratio Analysis
Background:
Star Ltd is a UK-based medium sized enterprise trading artificial intelligence (AI) based smart toys for the local and European market. You as the Assistant to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) have been asked to write a report on the financial performance by using basic ratios analysis for the Chief Financial officer (CFO). The company’s financial statements are as follows:
Star Limited
Statement of Financial Position
as on 31 December 2022
Fixed Assets:
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£,000
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Owner’s equity
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£,000
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Building
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100,000
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Equity and Reserves
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90,000
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Equipment
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70,000
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Retained Profits
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10,000
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Furniture
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20,000
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Total Equity
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100,000
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Computers
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10,000
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Long term debt
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70,000
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Current Assets:
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Current Liabilities:
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Inventory
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40,000
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Short term debt
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50,000
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Cash
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100,000
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Accounts payable
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100,000
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Receivables
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60,000
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Salaries and Bills payable
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80,000
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Total assets
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400,000
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Total Equity and liabilities
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400,000
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Star Ltd
Income Statement
For the year ended on 31 December 2022
£,000 £,000
Sales 110,000
Cost of sales 88,000
Gross profit 22,000
Operating expenses 8,000
Operating profit (EBIT) 14,000
Interest Expenses 15,00
Profit before taxes 12,500
Corporate Tax 4,000
Net profit for the period 8,500
Ratios for Sun Limited ( competitor company )
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Description
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Ratio
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Description
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Ratio
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Gross Profit Ratio
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15%
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Current ratio
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1.1
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Profit Margin Ratio
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10%
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Acid Test or Quick Ratio
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0.9
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Net Profit Ratio
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6%
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Gearing Ratio
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1.5 : 1
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Assets Turnover Ratio
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0.8
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The report is required to cover the following areas:
a) Briefly explain, key contents of financial statements, For example, Assets, Liabilities, Equity, Revenue and Expenses.
b) Calculate and interpret following financial ratios as you are involved in reporting and decision making
Gross Profit Ratio = x 100
Profit Margin Ratio = x 100
Net Profit Ratio = x 100
Assets Turnover Ratio =
Current Ratio =
Quick Ratio or Acid-Test Ratio =
Where, Quick Assts = Current Assets – Stock or Inventories
Gearing Ratio =
c) Briefly discuss the limitations of financial ratio analysis as used by various stakeholders
d) Explain the nature of reporting and decision making in Accounting and Financial Management within an organisation.
The report must include the following paragraphs:
1) An introduction. (150 words)
- Describe the aims or objectives of the report
- Explain the structure of report contents
2) Explain the nature of reporting and decision making in Accounting and Financial Management within an organisation. (250 words)
- Define fundamental concept of Accounting and Financial Management
- Discuss how information produced Accounting and Financial Management functions is used in an organisational for reporting and decision making.
3) Explain the key elements of the financial statements with reference to the structure and key terms used such as Assets, Liabilities, Equity, Revenue and Expenses (300 words)
4) Calculation and interpretation of financial ratios (400 words)
- Calculate and interpret profitability, and assets efficiency ratios
- Calculate and interpret the Liquidity ratios
- Calculate and interpret the gearing ratios
What does each ratio explain about Star Limited.?
Show your calculation for the ratios by using relevant formulas.
How interpretation of ratios is used in decision making (in relation to the competitor’s ratios)
5) Discuss the limitations of ratio analysis (250 words)
- Minimum three limitations of ratios
6) Summary (150 words)
- Summarise the findings from the ratio analysis
- Provide recommendations or suggestions to the head of finance department
A suggested format would be to create one paragraph of approximately 240 words each, within the main body for each of the questions. The remaining 300 words should be used for the introduction and summary of the report.
Headings, formulae, bullet points and diagrams are allowed.
Reference: Use minimum of 10 academic references. Direct citations of not more than one sentence are not included in your word count – use your research wisely. You must show evidence of research by giving in-text citations after every 5 - 6 lines at level 0 and a reference list. “DO NOT USE WIKIPEDIA”
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