Analyse accounting information (including both financial statements and management accounts) and formulate appropriate recommendations or conclusions

Module Title:

Accounting and Finance for International Business

Module Code:

7BUS2101-0901

Assignment Format & Maximum Word count

An INDIVIDUAL report of 1000 words +/- 10%

Assignment weighting

      30%

Coursework Submission:

Time: 23:59

Date: 22/11/2024
Method: Canvas

Coursework return Date returned to students:

10/01/2024

Module Leader 

First marker  

Teaching Team

Internal Moderator

Approved ☐
Date:

Module Board name

Accounting & Finance

External Examiner

Approved ☐
Date:

Module Board date

June 2025

Assessment eligible for an extension on submission date (subject to UPRs)

YES

Retrievable Assessment

YES

Assessment Criteria

Learning Outcomes: Knowledge and Understanding assessed in this assignment:

Successful students will typically have a knowledge and understanding of:

1.Analyse accounting information (including both financial statements and management accounts) and formulate appropriate recommendations or conclusions

2.Interpret key financial performance indicators and be able to use this information to formulate future plans

Learning Outcomes: Skills and Attributes assessed in this assignment:

Successful students will typically be able to:

1. Advise financial and non-financial managers on financial issue
2. Recommend and present ideas confidently and effectively on financial issues

Transformational Opportunities:
E.g. Use LinkedIn Learning to improve skills

• Research report and accounts and other relevant published information on chosen public company to develop research skills.

Feedback /Marking criteria for this Assignment

• Performance will be assessed using HBS Grading Criteria (Rubric)
• Feedback for improvement will be given in writing via your Canvas module site within 4 weeks of submission

Note: The Christmas vacation is excluded for the purposes of calculating the coursework return date

• Lateness Penalty: For each day or part day up to five days after the published deadline, coursework relating to modules submitted late will have the numeric grade reduced by 10 grade points until or unless the numeric grade reaches the minimum pass mark (UG 40/PG 50).  Where the numeric grade awarded for the assessment is less than the minimum pass mark no lateness penalty will be applied.  If the coursework is submitted more than 5 days after the published deadline, it will not be marked and a grade of zero will be awarded. Please note: Referred coursework submitted after the published deadline will be awarded a grade of zero (0).
• Extensions: Students do not have an automatic right to an extension.  If you require an extension, this must be requested in advance of the submission deadline.  Please give your reason(s) for needing an extension. Not all Assessments are eligible for an extension. Please check above.
• Retrievable Assessment: Students who fail a retrievable assignment have the opportunity to act on the feedback in a timely manner and to resubmit the same assignment within a specified deadline set by the Module Leader. Marks for resubmitted work will be capped at 40% for UG and 50% for PG. Students who resubmit work and go on to Fail the module will still be able to do the referred coursework (capped at 40% UG or 50% PG).

Detailed Brief for Individual / Team Assignment

Assignment Title: ASOS Plc

Consider the 2023 Annual Report of ASOS plc.
https://asos-12954-s3.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/files/7217/0065/7934/ASOS_Annual_Report_2023.pdf

      I. Calculate a range of ratios for the year 2023 and 2022 to evaluate the financial performance of ASOS plc in terms of profitability, liquidity and efficiency for the years ended 3 September 2023 and 31 August 2022.  Calculate eight (8) ratios for each year that you think are useful, using the range of ratios covered in week 2 and 3.

     II. Write a report (maximum 1,000 words) that interprets, comments on, and evaluates the financial performance of ASOS plc using any three of the ratios calculated above (I) by comparing the results of 2023 and 2022.

Description of the assignment, task, content, and structure:

Assume you work in the Advisory department of a consultancy firm in the United Kingdom.

A group of prospective institutional and individual investors want to understand more about ASOS Plc to make decision about future investments.

You have been asked to write a report to the prospective investors explaining why ASOS Plc is a good company to invest in.

Steps:

- Use three (3) of the eight (8) ratios you calculated for your report.

- You should demonstrate an understanding of the three (3) ratios you have chosen, interpret the ratios and comment on the ratios.

- Use the three (3) ratios you have chosen to evaluate the performance of the company

- You will need to read around the topic in academic, business, and professional journals or websites. Your textbook will give a basic introduction only.

Do NOT reference Wikipedia, Investopedia, or tutorial websites. If you use them for background information you MUST follow up the points in good quality sources.

Any specific instructions:

Report Structure/Format:

Prepare a Management Report, suitable for presentation to prospective investors. Your report should include Front page and Table of Contents (required), Table of Figures/Charts (if any), Executive Summary (required), Introduction (required), Content/Findings/Critical Evaluation (main body of the report where you answer the questions posed) (required), Conclusion (required), Reference List (required) and Appendices (if any). Any reports that do not contain the required sections will be penalised. 

Your report should be submitted electronically via Canvas as a Word file (not a pdf).

Word-count:

Please insert the word-count on the front-page of the report. The word-count should be 1000 words plus or minus 10%.

The word-count excludes:

- Front page 

-Table of Contents

-Executive Summary

-Tables of Figures / Charts (if any)

-References and Reference List

-Appendices (if any).

Any specific instructions:
The HBS Grading Criteria (rubric) will evidence how marks are awarded for individual parts of the assignment i.e. Presentation and Structure, Intellectual Curiosity and Referencing, Content, Analysis, Discussion

Other advice:

Use the allocated word-count wisely. Points should be communicated both clearly and concisely to ensure adherence to the word-count requirements.

Your report will be marked anonymously.  Please include your Student Registration Number (SRN) on the front-page of the report and ensure that you do not put your name on your work, either on the front cover or coversheet or within the document, or as part of the filename.

Marking Scheme:

The following marking scheme adapted from the UH Grading criteria for UG Reports will be used for awarding marks by the marking team:

Presentation and Structure:                                                                                                            9 marks

• The submitted work follows the recommended structure of a report
• Fluent and concise writing style with sub-headings and short paragraphs
• There should be very few grammatical errors and spelling mistakes
• Inclusion of charts, tables, and graphs, where relevant, to illustrate points

Harvard Referencing                                                                                                                          10 marks                                                                                                                                                          

• Inclusion of at least 10 references from academic, professional, and business publications recorded in accordance with the Harvard standard
• The references are recorded in accordance with Cite it Right Harvard style

Content/Terms/Findings/Ratio Calculation - explanation of main financial ratios                      56 marks                                                                                

• The report should demonstrate a very good level of knowledge and understanding of financial ratios
• Explanation of the reasons for the changes in the ratios
• Explanation of the performance of the company
• Explanation of how the ratios affect investment decisions
• Ratio calculations – (8 marks out the 56 marks available)

Application and Integration - integration of relevant data or examples to support arguments/discussion:                                                                                                                      15 marks                                      

• Identification and integration of relevant examples from your chosen clothing retailers/competitors
• Integration of research means that the source referred to has been used to illustrate a point or as a comparison with an alternative point of view. It should be clear why the source has been used and how it adds to your report.
• Charts, tables, and graphs may be presented in appendices or in the main body of the report, but should be referred to in the main body

Critical Evaluation - evaluation of different financial ratios considered                                       10 marks                                                                                    

• Appraise the relevant financial ratios in making investment decisions.
• Limitation of the use of financial ratios in interpreting the performance of a company     

Academic Integrity, Plagiarism, Essay Mills and other Academic Misconduct Offences

• You are NOT allowed to copy any information into your assignment without using quotation marks and a reference – this is ‘plagiarism’ (a type of academic misconduct). 
• You are NOT allowed to copy from other students (or allow other students to copy from you) – this is ‘collusion’. 
• You are NOT allowed to copy from your own assignments on other modules – this is ‘self-plagiarism’. 
• You must NEVER buy assignments from websites (essay mills) – this is called ‘contract cheating’ and it is now illegal in the UK. 
• Contract cheating is a serious academic misconduct offence and also includes arranging for help with an assessment such that there is also reasonable doubt as to whose work the assessment represents.  It extends to input from a fellow student, friend, relative, or any other person, artificial intelligence with or without payment of any kind. 
• For all references use Cite it Right Harvard style.- Harvard Referencing (see video for support)
• Unauthorised use of artificial (AI) is not permitted  and will be treated as academic misconduct.
• If you commit academic misconduct, your mark will be reduced, or, depending on the severity of the offence you may get 1% for the assignment in question or 1% for the module, and get a disciplinary warning. Repeat offenders normally face disciplinary action.

Student Support and Guidance

• Contact academic-skills@herts.ac.uk if you are unsure of the rules or how to avoid academic misconduct, and you will receive help.
• Please see the UPRs relating to Academic misconduct here.
• Ask Herts information on the use of artificial intelligence tools https://ask.herts.ac.uk/ai-tools. 
• For further help on module content and assignment details, contact your Module Leader in his   drop-in / office hours or by email @ k.afawubo@herts.ac.uk
• Use the Learning Outcomes and HBS Grading Criteria (Rubric) to help inform you of the expectations of the assessment.

• Use CASE (Centre for Academic Skills Enhancement) website resources: http://go.herts.ac.uk/CASE .  Attend CASE workshops and drop-ins to develop academic skills to meet HBS expectations (see timetable on CASE website homepage or drop-in to CASE in L064, in the LRC).
• Visit the Academic English for Business Programme Site for tips on developing your academic English and contact hbsacademic-english@herts.ac.uk if you have any questions.
• For help with Turnitin, look for the “Check your work (Turnitin Originality Report)” practice assignment in the Assignment section of all of your modules.  For help with understanding plagiarism and how to make changes to your assignment, contact hbsacademic-english@herts.ac.uk.
• Use the Online Libraryto access quality business information resources:
  • Library Search will help you find books, journal articles and more.
  • Use the Subject Toolkit for Business to access to industry standard databases.
  • Use Library SkillUP for guidance for searching and referencing.
  • Get help: use SkilIUP module chat, visit the Study Success Hub, or book an 1:1 with a librarian.