the company called Apollo Group Inc (APOL).

i upload the file 

Guideline for FIRE 371 Paper
(Due on Tuesday, April 9th, 2013)

You are required to write a brief financial analysis report on a publicly-traded company. Your paper
should include the following sections:

1. Introduction

• Briefly describe the reason you choose this company, the company’s history, its
operations, its products, and the characteristics of its industry, etc.

2. Follow the instructions on the document titled “Research Insight Instruction” posted on D2L under
the Module IV. Paper Assignment to retrieve the most recent five years of financial statements
(annual balance sheet/annual income statement) of a publicly traded firm, and convert the text file to an
Excel file. You must retrieve financial statements for the most recent five years (balance sheet, income
statement) from Research Insight.

3. Financial analysis
(a) Trend analysis (over the past 3 years)

(1)Use the data downloaded from Research Insight for your trend analysis.
(2) Calculate 8 financial ratios (pick one ratio from each of the five following categories:
liquidity, long-term solvency, asset management, profitability, and market value ratios, and
other three ratios in any of the above five categories) over the past 3 years in Excel.
(3) Pick one ratio from each of the above five categories (five ratios in total) to discuss in your
paper.

(b) Peer analysis (compare the firm to its industry for the most recent year)
(1) Use the industry data from www.reuters.com for your peer analysis.
(2) Compare five financial ratios of the firm (one ratio from each of the above mentioned five
categories) to those of the industry, and discuss in your paper.

4. Conclusion
• Briefly provide your opinion of the company’s prospects based on your analysis.

5. References and Appendices

(1) List the sources or references you used in your paper.
(2) The financial ratios you calculated in excel must be turned in as an appendix to the paper.

Documents needed to be submitted:

(1) Submit your paper with references and appendices in class on the due date: April 9,
2013. The cover page of your paper should include the company name, your name, the
class name, and the section number.
(2) The financial statements of your company must be turned in as an excel file. Please
name excel file the name of your company and submit it in the Dropbox on D2L by
midnight of due date: April 9, 2013. The excel file should include the financial ratios you
calculated for your company. There is a penalty for late submission and it is 5 points
deduction from total score of late paper for each calendar day late.

http://www.reuters.com/