Assignment: Evaluating an Investment

Select SalesForce from USA and competitor is SAP, use SWOT analysis

You are an investor who is looking for a place to invest your money. Previous investments have led you to feel that you are only interested in public, unregulated companies. You must choose a company that has not been used in previous course work, where you will now invest your money. Based on publicly available information you are to do a complete strategic analysis of the company.

Tips: Clothing companies do not make good choices because their reporting dates do not match standard reporting of economic data.

The result of your research will be your opinion, backed by your analysis, and use of evidence (use 6th edition APA) and reasons why you would personally invest in this company as well as why people wish to be employed at this company. What makes it attractive to employees?

You may think of this as an evaluation of the firm for investment purposes. Ensure that you select a company that has data available for conducting the needed analyses. Do due diligence right at the beginning of the course, so you do not run into issues right before the assignment is due.

You should, at a minimum, prepare: (1) a financial analysis comparing the firm to comparable peer firms; (2) a revenues forecast for the company using statistical and economic tools; (3) an industry analysis; (4) an evaluation of the company's financial status and prospects; (5) a competitive analysis in which the company operates, and (3) leadership analysis (confidence in leadership). Make sure you identify, describe, and evaluate the overall strategy of the company and important to your assessment of the firm's prospects, the functional strategies, i.e. marketing, technology, financial, human resources, manufacturing, etc. being employed.

You may choose to utilize these analyses and others as relevant in a traditional: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) format, or choose another option.

References: Provide hyperlinks or appropriate 6th edition, APA format in your references (not in the citations) so that readers can locate your sources.

Choose a company that has been publicly traded long enough (6 years) so that you have the quarterly data you need for the project analyses. Use the attached checklist to help you in your company selection. Taking the time to ensure that your company satisfies ALL of these checkpoints will go a long way to a successful study.