Ratio Analysis of Two-Year Financial Statements: Woolworths Limited

The gross profit margin measures the amount of profits that a company generates from its operations without consideration of its indirect costs. Thehigher thegross profit margin, the greater the efficiency of a company’s operations (Besley & Brigham 2007). It means that the company is generating enough income to cover its operating expenses. On the contrary, a lower gross profit margin indicates that the business is not generating adequate income to cover its operating expenses.

Abstract : Analysis of financial statement of a company is an important because it is useful to obtain Information

The profitability ratio shows the ability for a company to generate profits. Ratios that are used calculating profitability of a company are return on assets and return on equity. The return on assets calculates the ability of a company to effectively use assets to generate income, the percentages per quarter in year one are; 76%, 22%, 34%, 37%. This shows profit during each quarter. In years two, three, and four the percentages are; 68%, 54%, 49%, 38%. These ratios show a slight decline but still a solid profit. The return on equity shows the amount of money earned per dollar investing into the company by shareholders. By quarter, year one return on equity is .81 .61 .28 .29, years two, three and four are all .32. These numbers show an above average return, the average return in the United States is between .10-.15, and over .20 is considered above average (Kennon, 2011.)

In order to ascertain how well a company is performing, analyses must be done in regard to the business being stable, including its’ ability to pay debts, how much cash or other liquid assets are available, and whether the organization is viable enough to continue operations. These analyses typically look at income statements, balance sheets, and statements of cash flow, where current and past performance will be studied with the goal of predicting how the company will perform in the future.

Ratio analysis is a very useful tool when it comes to understanding the performance of the company. It highlights the strengths and the weaknesses of the company and pinpoints to the mangers and their subordinates as to which area of the company requires their attention be it prompt or gradual. The return on shareholder’s fund gives an estimate of the amount of profit available to be shared amongst the ordinary shareholders; where as the return on capital employed measures an organization 's profitability and the productivity with which its capital is utilized. Return on total assets is a profitability ratio that measures the net income created by total assets amid a period.

Learning Objective: 04-03 Present an income statement with earnings per share, statement of stockholders equity, balance sheet, and statement of cash flows.

They way the investors would benefit from our ratio tables, is by looking at and comparing Profitability ratios by comparing Profit margins, return on equity or by comparing solvency ratios such as debt ratio and equity ratios with the other companies being presented in our research analysis. For more detailed information they can check the balance sheets and income statements that are being portrayed in the report and look at the progress of the companies within the last four years. Therefore, helping make their decisions easier and faster.

“The use of ratio analysis is rather like solving a mystery in which each clue leads to a new area of inquiry” (2005, Block & Hirt, p. 55, chap. 3). These ratios help to make pro forma determinations for future years. The first step to making any predictions is to review the current year and past year ratios, making comparisons and determining areas of strengths and weaknesses. Larger companies may require a review of the past five-year’s ratios to obtain detailed analyses of these areas. For this review, we are concentrating on the years 2007 and 2006 and have prepared the following rations for review:

There is a essential use and limitations of financial ratio analysis, One must keep in mind the following issues when using financial ratios: One of the most important reasons for using financial ratio analysis is comparability and for this, a reference point is required. Usually, financial ratios are compared to historical ratios of the business itself, competitor’s financial ratios or the overall ratios of the industry in question. Performance may be adjudged as against organizational goals or forecasts. A number of ratios must be analyzed together to get a true and reliable picture of the financial performance of the business. Relying on each ratio

Net profit margin ratios is sales into net income, a reflection of how well sales have done once you take expenses out of the equation.

The paper illustrates that financial ratio analysis is an important tool for firm’s to evaluate their financial health in order to identify areas of weakness so as to institute corrective measures.

I have researched the company’s financial reports. There will be a financial analysis of the company comparing its present to past two years’ performance and to the performance of its major competitors.

Profitability ratios are basically figures to measure if the company is doing well in the terms of profit[13]. ROCE ratio has increased in 2011 but in 2012 it deteriorates by 3%. This fall indicates that company was not successfully getting high returns as a percentage of its resources available, compared to 2011.

Information given by an entity 's financial performance grant users of the financial statements to assess:-

Profitability (performance) ratios are used to assess a company’s ability to create equity as compared to its debt and other appropriate expenses created during a particular time frame. A favorable analysis of profitability ratios will reveal that a company’s value is higher than a competitor’s value.