Part II Prompt
For this section of your employment exam, you will select two companies. The first company needs to come from your TDAU thinkorswim portfolio. The second needs to be a competitor of the first company from the same industry. You will be responsible for collecting, synthesizing, and making decisions regarding both companies. After evaluating these companies' financial data, you will then decide which company's stock is the better investment.

This section of your employment examination must be submitted in two parts. Part A will contain the workbooks that house all of your quantitative data and formulas, along with any of the information that is relevant for your chosen companies. Part B will contain your answers to the questions asked below, composed in a cohesive manner. If you are referring to data that is found within the workbooks in Part A, be sure to include a citation-for example, "rate of return is 3.570 USD (E64, WB2)," where E64 is the cell that the calculation took place in and WB2 is designating "workbook 2." This ensures that your instructor can quickly and accurately check data entry, formula use, and financial calculations.

Three-Year Returns

* (Facebook & Twitter Company)

A. What is the three-year return on the stock price of the first company (Company A)? How is the stock performing? Ensure that you use the appropriate formula in your spreadsheets to calculate the three-year return on the given company's stock price.

B. What is the three-year return on the stock price of the second company (Company B)? How is this stock performing? Ensure that you use the appropriate formula in your spreadsheets to calculate the three-year return on your chosen company's stock price.

C. How do these two stocks compare in terms of three-year returns? What does this indicate about these two companies?

III. Financial Calculations

A. Using the appropriate spreadsheets, which are to be included in the workbooks, calculate the price-to-earnings ratio for the last three fiscal years of the given and your chosen companies. Be sure that you are entering and using the correct formula.

B. Using the appropriate spreadsheets, which are to be included in the workbooks, calculate the debt-to-equity ratios for the last three fiscal years of the given and your chosen companies. Be sure that you are entering and using the correct formula.

C. Using the appropriate spreadsheets, which are to be included in the workbooks, calculate the return-on-equity ratios for the last three fiscal years of the given and your chosen companies. Be sure that you are entering and using the correct formula.

D. Using the appropriate spreadsheets, which are to be included in the workbooks, calculate the return on assets for the last three fiscal years of the given and your chosen companies. Be sure that you are entering and using the correct formula.

E. Using the appropriate spreadsheets, which are to be included in the workbooks, calculate the profit margins for the last three fiscal years of the given and your chosen companies. Be sure that you are entering and using the correct formula.

F. Using the appropriate spreadsheets, which are to be included in the workbooks, calculate the free cash flows for the last three fiscal years of the given and your chosen companies. Be sure that you are entering and using the correct formula.

Industry Averages

A. Obtain current industry averages of three of the financial calculations above for both companies and add this information to your spreadsheet for comparison. Ensure the accuracy and organization of your data.

B. In this context, how is each company's financial health? How do these two companies compare to one another? Consider the appropriate date range you should use.

Performance Over Time

A. Analyze the performance of the Company A over time. What financial strengths and weaknesses does this company have? Consider addressing the free cash flows and ratios you calculated earlier.

B. Analyze the performance of your Company B over time. What financial strengths and weaknesses does this company have? Consider addressing the free cash flows and ratios you calculated earlier.

C. Analyze how the data differ between these two companies. Why do you think this is? Consider addressing the free cash flows and ratios you calculated earlier.

Investment

A. Are the companies considered growth or value companies? Why?

B. Which company's stock is the better investment? Consider supporting your answer with data.