Financial Performance Report: FTSE 250 Company

This assignment requires students to analyze the financial performance of a chosen FTSE 250 company. The report should include a comparison against previous years and competitor performance, using financial ratios and HR metrics. Students must also evaluate costing methods and investment appraisal techniques, supported by third-party analysis. The report should be 2000 words (+/- 10%) and submitted electronically. The assessment criteria focus on the interpretation of financial statements, application of management accounting techniques, and critical assessment of financial planning methods.

Information Management & Financial Analysis for HR Managers
Assessment Task Brief 2
Module Title: Information Management and Financial Analysis for HR
Managers
Assessment Title: Report into the Financial Performance of an FTSE 250 Company
Individual/Group: Individual
Weighting: 40%
Submission Date: Refer to Assessment Diary
Instructions to Students for Submission of this Coursework
Assessment Submission: Your work should be submitted electronically TWICE:
Firstly, to ‘turnitin’ at the Assessment area of the Module Blackboard site and you are required to
achieve an originality score of 30% or less (details of how to submit to turnitin are available on the
FMI module site Assessment area, there is also a video film to watch about turnitin there also).
Excessive scores may mean that you are referred to an Academic Conduct Panel for plagiarism.
Secondly, you must submit your completed work to the Assessment Submission Point as well. This
can also be found in the Assessment Area of the module site.
You will also receive your feedback and grade electronically, this may be an electronic MS Word file
or an Audio MP3 file. There will be NO paper-based submission of this assessment.
Task Details
The task will be 2,000 words +/- 10% and must be completed individually.
This assignment is designed to assess your learning and understanding with regards to the following
module Learning Outcomes:
 Interpret and analyse financial statements
 Apply and critically appraise the application of management accounting techniques and
methods in generating information relevant to decision making within the HR domain
 Critically assess the financial planning, performance measurement and control mechanisms
within organisations, particularly from an HR perspective
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In order to achieve this you are to select an organisation from the FTSE 250 Index and perform an
analysis of their most recent financial performance as reported.
The link below (the London Stock Exchange Logo) will take you to a website which contains the list of
organisations currently listed on the FTSE 250 Index and further links which will take you to their
websites.
Before selecting an organisation, it is suggested you research a selection of organisations on the list
and consider which markets or sectors they operate within and choose an area which is either of
interest to you or is one you intend to work in, in the future.
**Every student is to select a different FTSE 250 listed organisation**
Requirements
Once you have selected your organisation you should perform your financial analysis using a range
of sources of information. The organisation’s annual report will be a good starting point and these
are readily available from either the organisation’s own website or from third party websites or
databases (research) provided by the University.
As part of the analysis you should put their most recent financial performance into context on a
number of levels:
 Against recent but previous performances e.g. the last 2 – 5 years
 Against identified competitor organisations performance
As such you will need to identify and research competitor organisation’s financial performances.
These may or may not be also on the FTSE 250 Index listing.
It is expected you will perform a range of ratios as part of the analysis, including those specifically
relating the HR metrics. Not to include these ratios will lead to a reduced mark.
It is likely that much of the data for this work, so far, will be available from company records and
accounts, most of which is produced as part of the annual reporting requirements. Often this is
provided with a company written narrative which both describes and explains the facts behind the
performance. Naturally this can be bias and so you should seek third party analyst’s views upon your
organisation’ performance. These will also be available electronically from both the Internet and
SHU student research resources. Achieving this will lead to additional marks.
From this work you should provide a summary of the organisation’s performance, similar to the ones
we have looked at in seminars. As part of this summary you are to either identify or make
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recommendations as to the most appropriate methods of Costing and Investment Appraisal for such
an organisation, industry or sector. These are to be supported with clear rationales.
In summary… you are to:
 Consider several FTSE 250 Index listed organisations and then select ONE
 Identify at least one key competitor organisation for comparison
 Perform a financial analysis of your chosen organisation’s most recent performance as
reported
 Ensure you use a significant number of ratios as part of your analysis including those
specifically relevant to HR
 Continue your analysis of your organisations financial performance in the context of other
recent year’s performance and also against the performance of the key competitor
organisation identified
 Make sure you include analysis from third parties (such as business/industry analysts). Marks
will be lost if all of the work is sourced purely from company provided records/literature
 Include details or recommendations about the suitability of different costing methods and
modes of investment appraisal for the organisation, industry or sector which are supported
with clear rationales
Particular Instructions to Students
Target 2,000 words +/- 10% as per University regulations
Note: The word count DOES NOT include; Cover pages, tables of contents, introductions, references,
bibliographies or appendices but DOES Include; the main report body and your conclusions or
recommendations.
Report Structure: The basic report structure is given above; however, the main body should not
look like an essay.
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Marking Scheme and Assessment Criteria Matrix
All elements of the work are equally weighted and you will receive one overall assessment task mark
Learning
Outcome
Fail
0-49%
Pass
50-59%
Pass
60-69%
Distinction
70-79%
Distinction
80-100%
Interpret and
analyse financial
statements
Little or no
interpretation
and/or analysis of
the financial
statements
identified
A basic but limited
interpretation
and/or analysis of
the financial
statements
identified
A good level of
both interpretation
and analysis of the
financial
statements
identified
A critical level of
both interpretation
and analysis of the
financial
statements
identified which
would also identify
the weaknesses of
the statements
Extensive critical
level of both
interpretation and
analysis of the
financial
statements
identified that also
critiques the value
of data from
financial
statements
Apply and
critically
appraise the
application of
management
accounting
techniques and
methods in
generating
information
relevant to
decision making
within the HR
domain
Little or no ability
to apply or critically
appraise the
application of
management
accounting
techniques such as
ratios etc. for the
generation of
information
relevant to
decision making
Some ability to
apply or critically
appraise the
application of
management
accounting
techniques such as
ratios etc. for the
generation of
information
relevant to
decision making
and with reference
to HR metrics
A good ability to
apply or critically
appraise the
application of
management
accounting
techniques such as
ratios etc. for the
generation of
information
relevant to decision
making and with
reference to HR
metrics
A very good ability
to apply or critically
appraise the
application of
management
accounting
techniques such as
ratios etc. for the
generation of
information
relevant to decision
making and with
reference to HR
metrics
An extensive ability
in the choice and
application of
critically appraised
applications of
management
accounting
techniques such as
ratios etc. for the
generation of
information
relevant to decision
making and with
reference to HR
metrics with critical
comments about
the results
Critically assess
the financial
planning,
performance
measurement
and control
mechanisms
within
organisations,
particularly from
an HR
perspective
Little or no
awareness of the
methods of
financial planning
activities such as
costing and
financial
investment
appraisal
A competent
awareness of the
methods of
financial planning
activities such as
costing and
financial
investment
appraisal with
some attempt at a
critique relevant to
the chosen sector
A good awareness
of the methods of
financial planning
activities such as
costing and
financial
investment
appraisal with
some critical
comments relevant
to the chosen
sector
A comprehensive
understanding of
the methods of
financial planning
activities such as
costing and
financial
investment
appraisal with a
detailed critique
relevant to the
chosen sector
A full appreciation
and understanding
of the methods of
financial planning
activities such as
costing and
financial
investment
appraisal with a
detailed critique
relevant to the
chosen sector
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