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Talk to an Expert| Category | Assignment | Subject | Financial |
|---|---|---|---|
| University | Edinburgh Napier University | Module Title | ACC11126 – Financial Analysis for Business Leaders |
You are required to work collaboratively with your allocated group to prepare a PowerPoint presentation and deliver a group presentation. All group members are expected to contribute actively to the preparation and delivery of the presentation.
The submission deadline for your group PowerPoint presentation.
The presentation provides an opportunity to communicate your key findings, demonstrate your understanding of the topic, and receive feedback that can help you strengthen your subsequent written work.
In addition to the group presentation, each student must prepare and submit an individual written report of between 1,500 and 2,000 words maximum. This is an individual assessment, and your report must demonstrate your own understanding, critical analysis, and application of the relevant concepts.
The deadline for submitting your individual written report is 13 November 2026.
Please note the following deadlines carefully.
You are acting as a financial analyst and adviser to the senior management team of the company allocated to your group. Using the company's 2023 and 2024 annual reports, together with relevant academic, financial, and industry sources, you are required to undertake a comprehensive analysis of the company's financial performance, strategic position, and major financial decisions.
Your analysis should demonstrate your ability to apply financial analysis and corporate finance concepts to a real-world organisation and to use financial evidence to support managerial decision-making. You are expected to go beyond describing information contained in the annual reports. Your report should demonstrate analysis, interpretation, critical evaluation and evidence-based recommendations.
1 HSBC
2 IHG Hotels & Resorts
3 Aviva
4 Imperial Brands
5 Informa
6 International Airlines Group
7 Intertek
8 JD Sports
9 Lloyds Banking Group
10 London Stock Exchange Group
11 M&G
12 Marks & Spencer
13 Melrose Industries
14 United Utilities
15 Unite Group
16 Vodafone Group
17 Weir Group
18 Whitbread
19 WPP plc
20 Next plc
You should obtain and critically examine the 2023 and 2024 annual reports of your allocated company. You should also use other relevant sources where appropriate, including company investor-relations information. Financial statements and regulatory disclosures. Academic journal articles. Professional and industry reports. Financial-market information. Reputable financial databases. Relevant economic and market data. Other credible and appropriately referenced sources.
Students should not rely exclusively on the company's annual reports.
Your written individual report should be a minimum of 1500 words to a maximum of 2000 words and should normally not exceed 8 pages, excluding the reference list and permitted appendices. Use the word count primarily for analysis and evaluation, rather than reproducing information from the annual reports. The following areas should be addressed.
Provide a concise overview of the organisation, including Business model, Main products and services, Principal markets, industry, and competitive environment. Key strategic objectives and Relevant developments affecting the company. The purpose of this section is to establish the context necessary for understanding the subsequent financial analysis.
Critically evaluate the company's corporate strategy and strategic objectives. Consider: Strategic priorities, Growth strategy, Competitive position, Geographic or market expansion, Operational priorities, and Sustainability or other strategic commitments where relevant
Consider whether the company's financial decisions are consistent with its stated strategic objectives.
Using the 2023 and 2024 annual reports, critically evaluate the company's financial performance.
Where relevant, consider Revenue, Operating profit, Profit before tax, Profit after tax, Earnings per share, Cash flows, Assets and liabilities, Changes in financial position, and Significant movements between 2023 and 2024.
Students should explain the reasons for significant changes, rather than simply reporting financial figures. For example, do not simply state that revenue increased. Consider what caused the increase. Was the increase accompanied by improved profitability? What happened to margins and cash flow? What are the implications for the company?
Undertake a critical financial ratio analysis appropriate to the company.
Where relevant, consider Profitability such as Gross profit margin, Operating profit margin, Net profit margin, Return on capital employed, and return on equity. Liquidity, such as Current ratio, Quick ratio, and Other relevant liquidity measures. Efficiency and Activity, such as Asset turnover, Receivables period, Inventory period, Payables period, and Other relevant efficiency measures. Solvency and Financial Risk, such as Debt-to-equity, Gearing, Interest cover, and Other relevant leverage measures. Shareholder Investment Performance, such as Earnings per share, Dividend per share, Dividend payout ratio, Dividend yield, Price/earnings ratio, where appropriate.
Students should interpret the ratios rather than simply calculate them. Where appropriate, compare 2023 with 2024. The company with relevant competitors and the company with relevant industry benchmarks
Evaluate significant investment and capital allocation decisions made by the company. Where relevant, consider Capital expenditure, Acquisitions, Strategic investments, Expansion projects, Technology investment, Research and development, and Other significant uses of capital. Consider the strategic rationale, expected financial benefits, Risks, Financing implications, and Potential impact on shareholder value.
Relevant investment and corporate finance theories should be applied where appropriate.
Evaluate the company's financing decisions and capital structure. Consider, where relevant, sources of finance, Debt financing, Equity financing, retained earnings, Bonds/debt securities, Bank borrowing, Cost of debt, Cost of equity, Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC), where appropriate, Gearing/leverage, financial risk, refinancing requirements, and Implications for shareholder value.
Students should consider whether the company's financing structure is consistent with its strategic and investment objectives.
Critically evaluate the company's dividend policy during the relevant period. Consider Dividend per share, Dividend payout ratio, Dividend yield, Changes in dividend policy, Dividend sustainability, Earnings, Free cash flow, Investment requirements, Shareholder preferences, and financial constraints.
Students should apply relevant dividend policy theories where appropriate, including Modigliani and Miller dividend irrelevance theory, Walter's model, Gordon's dividend growth model, Bird-in-the-hand perspective, Dividend signalling theory, Dividend clientele effect, and Agency theory. Students should not simply describe these theories. They should use them to interpret and evaluate the company's actual dividend policy.
Evaluate significant Mergers, Acquisitions, Divestments, Joint ventures, and Strategic partnerships undertaken by the company during the relevant period, where applicable.
Consider Strategic rationale, financial rationale, Financing arrangements, Expected synergies, Risks, Impact on financial performance, and Potential impact on shareholder value. Where no significant transaction occurred, students should instead evaluate relevant strategic alternatives or potential corporate restructuring opportunities where these are material to the company.
Analyse the interests of key stakeholders and potential conflicts between them. Relevant stakeholders may include Shareholders, Employees, Customers, Suppliers, Lenders, Management, Government, Regulators, Local communities, and Other relevant stakeholders. Then you can consider how the company's financial and strategic decisions may affect different stakeholder groups.
Undertake a concise and evidence-based SWOT analysis. Identify the company's Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. However, do not simply list items under each heading. Explain the financial and strategic implications of the issues identified. Your SWOT analysis should be supported by evidence from the company's financial performance, strategy, industry, and competitive environment.
Evaluate the company's future prospects. Consider Growth opportunities, Industry developments, Economic conditions, Competitive pressures, Regulatory developments, Technological change, financial risks, Operational risks, Strategic risks, and Other significant constraints. Explain how these factors could affect the company's future financial performance and strategic position.
Based on your analysis, provide clear, evidence-based, and actionable recommendations to senior management. Your recommendations should follow logically from your analysis. Address the most important issues identified. Consider alternative options, identify relevant risks and assumptions, explain the expected implications, consider shareholder and stakeholder interests where relevant, and conclude by summarising the most important findings and their implications for the company's future.
Throughout the report, students should apply relevant financial theories, corporate finance concepts, financial analysis techniques, Academic research, Empirical evidence, and Industry evidence. Use theory to analyse real-world decisions, rather than simply describing them. For example, rather than writing: "M&M argues that dividend policy is irrelevant," students should consider:
To what extent does the M&M dividend irrelevance proposition help explain the company's actual dividend policy, and which of its assumptions may not hold in the company's real-world environment?
Similarly, when analysing financing decisions, students should consider the relationship between risk, cost of capital, capital structure, investment, and shareholder value.
The assessment requires students to make meaningful use of both the 2023 and 2024 annual reports. Students should not simply provide two separate descriptions. Where significant changes occur between the two periods, students should investigate and explain: What changed? Why did it change? What caused the change? What are the financial implications? What are the strategic implications? What should management consider going forward?
Students are expected to demonstrate the ability to: Describe - Analyse - Interpret - Evaluate – Recommend. A descriptive answer reports what happened. An analytical answer explains why it happened and what it means. An evaluative answer considers alternative explanations, benefits, limitations, risks and consequences. A strong recommendation explains what management should consider doing and why.
Students should consider alternative options where appropriate. For significant financial decisions, consider: What are the available alternatives? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? What assumptions are being made? What are the financial consequences? What are the risks? How might different stakeholders be affected? What are the implications for shareholder value?
Students should demonstrate managerial judgement, rather than simply identifying a single option without justification.
Recommendations should be Evidence-based, supported by financial and strategic analysis. Specific: Clearly identify what management should consider. Realistic: Take account of the company's financial position, resources and constraints. Justified: Explain why the recommendation follows from the analysis. Risk-aware: Recognise relevant uncertainties and potential consequences.
Each group will present its analysis of the allocated company. The presentation should communicate the most important findings and recommendations from the group's analysis.
The presentation should cover, where relevant
1. Company and strategic context
2. Key financial performance findings
3. Ratio analysis
4. Investment and capital allocation
5. Financing and capital structure
6. Dividend policy
7. Significant corporate transactions
8. Key risks and opportunities
9. Stakeholder considerations
10. Recommendations
Students should prioritise the most important issues rather than attempting to reproduce the entire written report. The presentation should demonstrate Clear understanding of the company, Appropriate use of financial evidence, Application of relevant theory, Critical analysis, Effective communication, and Evidence-based recommendations.
Presentation dates: Tuesday, 3 November 2026 and Wednesday, 4 November 2026. Please check the group allocation information on Moodle for your specific date, time, and room. Your Presentation slides must be submitted through Turnitin by Monday, 2 November 2026 at 12:00 noon.
All group members are expected to contribute meaningfully to the assessment. Students should actively participate in group discussions. Complete their agreed responsibilities. Communicate effectively with group members. Respect alternative views. Avoid dominating discussions. Support other group members. Contribute to the preparation of the presentation and report.
Where individual contribution is relevant to the University's assessment procedures, students may be required to provide evidence of their contribution to the group work.
Students should use a range of credible and relevant sources. These may include Company annual reports, financial statements, Company investor-relations materials, Regulatory disclosures, Academic journal articles, Academic textbooks, Professional reports, Industry reports, financial databases, Reputable financial news and market sources, and Relevant economic data
All sources must be appropriately acknowledged and referenced using the University's required referencing style. Students should avoid relying on unverified websites, generic online summaries, or AI-generated material without independently checking the underlying evidence.
Students are encouraged to use appropriate Tables, Charts, Graphs, Financial models, Ratio analysis, Diagrams, and Other analytical techniques. These should be used to support the analysis, not simply to increase the visual appearance of the report. All externally sourced information, figures, and data should be appropriately referenced.
Students may use the following structure: Executive Summary, Company and Strategic Context, Financial Performance Analysis, Ratio Analysis, Investment and Capital Allocation, Financing and Capital Structure, Dividend Policy, M&A/Corporate Transactions, Stakeholder Analysis, Strategic Analysis/SWOT, Future Prospects, Risks and Constraints, Recommendations, Conclusion, References and Appendices, where appropriate.
Students do not have to give equal word allocation to each section. The relative emphasis should reflect the materiality and importance of the issues facing the allocated company.
The individual written report should be a minimum of 1500 and a maximum of 2,000 words and should normally be no more than 8 pages. The reference list and permitted appendices are excluded from the word count, subject to university assessment regulations. Students should ensure that appendices contain supporting information rather than substantive analysis. The main argument and analysis must appear in the main body of the report.
Please ensure that you submit the correct version of your work to the appropriate Turnitin submission point before the relevant deadline.
Students studying ACC11126 Financial Analysis for Business Leaders at Edinburgh Napier University can get academic guidance from Workingment through Finance Assignment Help. Get help with analysing financial statements, calculating and interpreting financial ratios, evaluating investment and financing decisions, and assessing dividend policies. Our Accounting Assignment Help also covers corporate finance theories, SWOT analysis, stakeholder evaluation and evidence-based recommendations using company annual reports.
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