Financial Management

You are employed as an investment analyst by a fund management company, which has GBP100,000 under management. You are assigned the task of assessing the financial performance and position of glaxosmithline (gsk) which is quoted on London stock exchange. Your objective is to make a recommendation of buy or sell based on your analysis of the company’s performance. You are NOT actually investing in the company. Draft a report for submission to your manager, which will become the basis for an investment decision in your recommended company (GlaxoSmithKline,gsk) for an amount of GBP 100,000. In addition to this big responsibility, you should keep in mind that your annual bonus as well as future promotions will depend on how well your recommended company

performs. This is your only chance to demonstrate your financial analysis skills to top management. Your manager has wished you “Good Luck” and now it is time to deliver!

Requirement: Draft a report for the investment fund manager in the form of an analysis of the financial performance and position of a company (gsk) that incorporates the following:

1.Company profile description including a brief background of the company, products or services, position in the industry, and basics –(1 page)

2.Analysis of recent financial statements, financial ratios, horizontal and vertical analysis. Critical analysis of ratios and their trends. Use a competitor and industry benchmark for comparison.

3.1-year stock price chart with a relevant benchmark. Analyse stock price trend

4.Leverage ratios and evaluation of sources of corporate financing used by the company (debt and equity). Include industry and competitor comparison in your analysis. Do you agree with their choice of capital structure? 5.Recommendation: Justify your selection or rejection of the company as an investment based on the results of your analysis. Summarize only. (1 page)

The report should contain the following sections –

Introduction (5%)

Literature review to support models used. (15%)

Performance of your chosen company (40%)

(Sources of corporate financing, Capital Structure, Ratio & Trend Analysis, Analyse Stock price chart trend with the relevant benchmark.)

Evaluation (10%)

(Industry and competitor comparison)

Any other issues to be considered. (10%)

Conclusions and Recommendations (10%)

Professional Format (5%)