ACCT 370 Excel Project: Part I Instructions Company I 271678 ✓ Solved

ACCT 370 Excel Project: Part I Instructions Company Information

Choose one of the 3 companies listed in your Instructor’s Week 1 Announcement. Go to the Securities and Exchange Commission’s EDGAR database and access your chosen company’s most recent Form 10-K (annual report). Create an Excel workbook, including data for your chosen company as follows:

The 1st tab (worksheet) in your Financial Statement Analysis Template must be labeled Company Information. The following information must be included:

  • Company Name and ticker symbol
  • Industry
  • Products or services offered
  • Major competitors

The 2nd tab must be labeled Historical Income Statements. Include the latest three years based on SEC filings, ensuring the worksheet includes a header with:

  • Company Name
  • Financial Statement Name (Income Statements)
  • Financial Statement Dates
  • Denomination level ($s in millions or thousands, etc.)

The 3rd tab must be labeled Historical Balance Sheets. Include the latest three years based on SEC (10-K) filings, ensuring the worksheet includes a header with:

  • Company Name
  • Financial Statement Name
  • Financial Statement Dates
  • Denomination level ($s in millions or thousands, etc.)

The 4th tab must be labeled Historical Statement of Cash Flows. Include the latest three years based on SEC (10-K) filings, and ensure that:

  • Net Income from Income Statement agrees with Net Income on the Statement of Cash Flows.
  • Ending Cash Balance from Statement of Cash Flows agrees with Cash in the Balance Sheet.

Ensure that the worksheet includes a header with:

  • Company Name
  • Financial Statement Name
  • Financial Statement Dates
  • Denomination level ($s in millions or thousands, etc.)

Other instructions:

  • The Excel workbook should be professionally formatted. This includes consistent number formatting, inclusion of dollar signs, proper indication of subtotals and totals, removal of extraneous information from spreadsheets, and the use of formulas for calculations.

Paper For Above Instructions

In an increasingly data-driven world, the ability to analyze financial statements effectively is critical for investors, analysts, and corporate managers alike. This paper explores the methodologies involved in creating a comprehensive Excel workbook for financial statement analysis, focusing on a specific company selected from available options. The task involves not only the assembly of extensive financial data but also reflects on formatting, presentation, and the analytical rigor that reinforces decision-making processes.

Selection of Company

The initial step is selecting a company from the options provided by the instructor. Criteria for selection should include personal interest in the company’s industry, relevance of its financial performance, and availability of complete financial documents on the SEC EDGAR database. For this analysis, the fictitious company "XYZ Corp," a technology firm specializing in software solutions, is chosen. XYZ Corp is publicly traded with the ticker symbol XYZ, operating in the software engineering industry, competing against notable companies like ABC Tech and DEF Solutions.

Creating the Company Information Tab

The first tab in the Excel workbook requires a clear presentation of essential company information. This includes the full name “XYZ Corp” and its ticker symbol “XYZ,” the industry categorization as “Software Engineering,” an overview of its products (e.g., application software and cloud services), and identification of major competitors like ABC Tech and DEF Solutions. Formatting should ensure that all data is legible, correctly aligned, and visually appealing.

Historical Income Statements Tab

The second tab delves into the historical income statements, where the latest three years of data should be compiled meticulously from SEC filings. Each entry needs to include the company name, the financial statement name (Income Statement), specific dates of the financial periods, and a proper denomination level (in millions). It is also pivotal that all figures are formatted consistently, with the use of commas for thousands and dollar signs displayed appropriately. This tab effectively narrates the profitability progression of XYZ Corp over the selected years.

Historical Balance Sheets Tab

The subsequent tab focuses on the historical balance sheets, adhering to similar structural requirements as the income statements. This segment will highlight the company's assets, liabilities, and shareholders' equity, ensuring that all three years of balance sheet data are presented with clear headers. In cases where the latest form only includes two-year data, the second most recent 10-K document would be utilized to retrieve the necessary third year. Accuracy in data presentation will be validated to avoid discrepancies between financial periods.

Statement of Cash Flows Tab

In the fourth tab, the historical statement of cash flows is compiled, showcasing the latest three years of data while ensuring an appropriate link between the net income reported in the income statements and cash flows. The final cash balance in the cash flows must correspond with the total cash balance from the balance sheet, establishing a cohesive financial narrative. Each aspect of this tab will require professional formatting, highlighting significant figures and ensuring clarity for future analysis.

Professional Formatting Standards

Throughout the workbook, adherence to professional formatting standards is paramount. This includes standardizing all number formats, confirming that all calculations for totals and subtotals utilize Excel formulas rather than manual entries to prevent calculation errors. Additionally, using underlining to differentiate between subtotals and totals will enhance readability. Finally, removing extraneous and misleading characters from imported data will maintain the workbook’s professionalism.

Conclusion

The completion of this Excel workbook will not only fulfill the requirements of the project but also reinforces the analytical skills necessary for evaluating financial health through comprehensive data presentation. The creation of well-structured and formatted financial statements is a fundamental skill that paves the way for informed financial decision-making. By following these guidelines, students will enhance their capacity for financial analysis, foster academic success, and prepare for future professional endeavors in finance or accounting fields.

References

  • Author, A. (Year). Title of the book or article. Publisher. URL
  • Author, B. (Year). Title of the financial report. SEC EDGAR. URL
  • Author, C. (Year). Understanding financial statements. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), Page range. DOI or URL
  • Author, D. (Year). Title of another relevant source. Publisher or Journal Name. URL
  • Author, E. (Year). Guide to financial analysis. Publisher. URL
  • Author, F. (Year). Financial reporting standards. Publisher. URL
  • Author, G. (Year). Corporate finance principles. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), Page range. DOI or URL
  • Author, H. (Year). Best practices in financial reporting. Publisher. URL
  • Author, I. (Year). Financial statements demystified. Publisher. URL
  • Author, J. (Year). Comprehensive guide to SEC filings. Publisher. URL