Best Financial Ratios
This week we covered Chapter 14, Financial Statement.  Financial Statement is the use of different calculations and formulas to determine the financial health of an organization.  Lean Manufacturing and Activity Analysis is about eliminating waste and focusing on the movement of goods and services in respect to customer demand.  In regards to financial statements, please pick out four ratios discussed in the chapter that would best analyze the company you chose in Week 1’s threaded discussions.  Discuss why these are the best calculations for the company you chose and in detail explain how they effectively analyze the financial health of that firm.
Please make an initial post and two replies to either your classmates or professor.  The initial post must be at least 75-150 words with one external reference in APA format, while your replies must be at least 100 words.
Quatrell Brown

Week 8 Discussion
COLLAPSE
The financial statements of an organization rely on its performance. Managers, lenders/creditors, employees, and investors need the information to evaluate a company’s financial position. Investors need well-analyzed information to get the financial data ratios are computed. Financial ratios include profitability, liquidity, solvency, and debt ratios. Abercrombie and Fitch Company’s financial statement for the year ending January 30th, 2021, is analyzed below using a ratio. All figures in thousands
Profitability ratios
These ratios show the company ability to convert its assets to revenue considering shareholders equity, operation cost
Assets turnover=net sales/average assets
Net sales=3125384
Average assets=1657451
3125384/1657451=1.88 since the ratio is above; it indicates the company is utilizing its assets well to generate sales/revenue
Liquidity ratios
Shows the company’s ability to finance its current obligations using the current assets available.
Current ratio=current assets/current liabilities
Current assets=1661629
Current liabilities=959399
1661629/959399=1.73 implying that the company can pay its obligation using the available current assets.
Solvency ratio
Indicate firm’s capability to have long term survival in the market, also referred to going concern of an organization.
Debt ratio=total liabilities/total assets
Total liabilities=2365590
Total assets=3314902
2365590/3314902=0.714 the debt ratio is above 0.6, which investors prefer. The management needs to reduce liabilities.
Debt equity ratio
Indicates the financing source of a company, either equity or debt, from financial lending companies.
Debt/equity ratio=total debts/total equity
Total debt=343910
Total equity=949312
343910/949312=0.3622 below one means owners’ equity finances the company shareholders equity. Management needs to maintain its shareholders.
Earnings per share=net income-preferred stock dividends/average common shares outstanding
Net income= (114)
Average common shares=63
(114)/63= (1.82) negative earnings per share are bad for a company. The shareholders are at risk of quitting the organization. No investor can risk investing in the business. Hence the management needs to reduce operating expenses for better revenue.
References
https://www.annualreports.com/Company/abercrombie-…
Tammy Little 
Ratios
COLLAPSE
   The four Ratios I choose for Lowes are Asset Turnover Ratio, Ration of Fixed Assets to long Term Liabilities, Current Ratio and Quick Ratio.  All of these have to with Assets and Liabilities within the company and I think theses are the most important ones for Lowes to know how their assets vs their liabilities are helping to bring profit.
1. Asset Turnover- is important in the fact that it lets Lowes know how effectively they are using their assets, to generate revenue.
2. Ratio of Fixed Assets to Long Term Liabilities- is also very import to Lowes in that how much fixed assets they must support to pay their long-term debt for example any Pensions or postretirement for employees.
3.  Current Ratio- would be how Lowes’s assets and liabilities compare to be able to pay short term obligations. It is how they can use their current assets to keep its current debts paid.   
4. Quick Ratio- It is how Lowes would pay their current liabilities with quick assets they have such as cash, and accounts receivable.
Week 1
COLLAPSE
The company I am choosing for this week 1 discussion is VF Corporation. VF was founded in October 1899; the company is first established in Pennsylvania as the Reading Glove and Mitten Manufacturing Company by John Barbey and a group of investors and is Headquarters in Greensboro North Carolina. VF is an American worldwide apparel and footwear company with brands including Timberland, Vans, Dickies and many more. The company’s more than 30 brands are organized into four categories: Outdoor, Active, Work, and Jeans. The company’s revenue averages 13.8 billion annually. VF Corporation relies on managerial accounting due to planning budgets, Marketing and Overhead cost. They also must make decisions on selling products, directing and motivating almost 70,000 employees, controlling their plans and Performance Evaluation to run the company. 

M6 – GM Micro-Challenge: Export PriceYour manager’s memo to you is below. In it your manager is giving you tasks to address regarding international trade. You are not expected to be an expert, just willing and able to use the resources available to develop an accurate response.Your memo should start with an introduction that reminds the manager what s/he requested you to do. Next, overview the information your manager can expect to find in your memo. After that, respond to each topic you were requested to address in sequence. For each topic, your response should clearly state the question(s) you understood you were to address. Then give a written response to the question that summarizes the source information. Your written response should then be supported with (1) an image that shows the specific source information you used, and (2) a weblink to that source in case your manager wants to seek out additional information. Note: An image does not replace your written response, it only shows the source information used. Finally, you may choose to provide a conclusion to your memo.Images may be screen clipped to include them. That image should show the name of YOUR COUNTRY/YOUR STATE.To: YouFrom: Your ManagerDate: Sept 12, 2021Subject: Export PriceNow that shipping details have been considered, clients need some additional information to estimate landed cost for export pricing purposes. They have contacted your company for help.Consider each subject, examine sources, and provide a brief response. Screen clip and include an image of your source material. That image should show the name of YOUR COUNTRY/YOUR STATE and the exact information that supports your response. If you cannot find the exact information, use a port very close by to get a rough idea.Note: Use highlights to indicate key information.Some potential sources you might find helpful are provided.1. Collect the specific information needed to estimate the export price or “landed” cost for their product – roasted, decaffeinated instant coffee (in bulk) – which is to be exported from YOUR STATE in the US to YOUR COUNTRY. To estimate landed cost for pricing purposes, the company will need the information below. This video on how to determine total export price HERE (Links to an external site.) will help.A. Determine the US’ 6-Digit HS Code for that product. (The Schedule B Search Engine is HERE (Links to an external site.).)B. Determine the tariff category used for imports into YOUR COUNTRY from the US (“General Rate,” “Most Favored Nation” (MFN) Rate, OR “United States of America Rate”). MFN rates apply to WTO members. A list of WTO members can be found HERE (Links to an external site.). A list of countries with Free Trade Agreements with the US which would have a special rate is HERE (Links to an external site.).C. The US company will be shipping a 40′ standard Full Load Container (FCL) of the product to YOUR COUNTRY. Invoice value of the shipment is $20,000. Insurance is 10% of invoice value.2. Estimate the market rate for ocean freight from YOUR STATE to YOUR COUNTRY in US dollars.A. Using the two relevant maritime ports and the containerized shipping option, get the current market rate estimate in dollars between these two ports. Use the higher end of the range for your calculations. (Use the Freight Calculator tool available at World Freight Rates HERE (Links to an external site.))3. Calculate CIF. Show all your calculations.4. Determine tariffs and taxes.A. Based on the tariff category, determine the tariff percentage and calculate the duty that would be associated with these imported products. Access the US Country Commercial Guide for YOUR COUNTRY HERE (Links to an external site.) and look under the “Customs, Regulations & Standards” tab for Import Tariffs. Use the average tariff rate and calculate it (CIF).B. Determine the value-added tax (VAT). Access the US Country Commercial Guide for YOUR COUNTRY HERE (Links to an external site.) and look under the “Customs, Regulations & Standards” tab for Import Tariffs or Customs Regulations to get the value-added tax (VAT). You may have to connect to a national website but many have a translation option. Use the average rate and calculate it (CIF+duty amount).5. Estimate the landed cost. Show your calculations. This video on how to determine total export price HERE (Links to an external site.) will help.6. What are the import requirements needed for YOUR COUNTRY? Provide a list of the import documents needed for YOUR COUNTRY?A. Access the US Country Commercial Guide for YOUR COUNTRY HERE and look under the “Customs, Regulations & Standards” tab for Import Requirements and Documentation.7. Is there a customs broker that has an office in YOUR COUNTRY?A. Visit the website of two customs brokers with offices in YOUR COUNTRY. Private companies are desired. Detail the services that each company provides. Provide contact information for each.Please:Include one in-text citation for every body paragraphNo plagiarism & No Course HeroUse scholarly sources published within the last five years, so between 2017-2021My assigned state is Illinois and my assigned country is Portugal

Respond to the following:
#1
Walmart’s strategic planning cycle, which includes the organization’s positioning, information technology, and communications, is exciting and has allowed the organization to gain a competitive advantage. Precisely, internally, Walmart positioned its organization in small towns that everyone ignored and later expanding into other areas (Dyer et al., 2020). Another strength displayed by Walmart was its investment in information technology, which improved its distribution process and allowed the company the opportunity to restock inventory precisely and quickly (Dyer et al., 2020). In addition, Walmart’s communication investment and strategy permitted members of the organization to communicate swiftly and without traveling, which saved a great deal of money and time. However, externally, Walmart faced several threats from its competitors. For example, Costco, a low-cost discount retailer, offered lower prices on higher quality products. Aldi’s business model strategy offered lower prices than Walmart; Amazon offered online products that matched or beat Walmart prices, with zero sale tax.
          Walmart’s electronic data interchange (EDI) system helps separate the organization apart from other retailers like Target and Dollar Tree. The EDI system provides up-to-the-minute sales data to suppliers and is one of the primary reasons Walmart can achieve the lowest operations cost in the industry (Dyer et al., 2020). Walmart focuses 10 percent of its United States sales on its apparel compared to its competitor Target, which focuses on 40 percent on its clothing.  Walmart’s advertisement costs in 2010 were only 0.6 percent compared to Target’s advertisement costs of 2.0 percent. In addition, all functions of the organization are focused on achieving the lowest possible costs. These strategies implemented by Walmart helped ensure lower prices than its competitors, and the lower prices are a significant factor as to why Walmart has gained many customers.
          Challenges and discrepancies encouraged lawsuits from Walmart’s competitors, which drove Walmart to change the organization’s slogan from “Always the lowest price” to “Always low prices.” In most industries, competitors will likely introduce new business models that change the “rules of the game” (Bereznoi, 2014).  Less than 10 percent of an organization’s overall investment is spent on developing a new business model (Johnson, Christensen, and Kagerman, 2008). However, Walmart continues to produce superior results, and customers choose Walmart due to its cost advantage over other organizations. The cost advantage allowed Walmart to offer customers products at lower costs. 
#2
Strategic Planning Cycle
 
A strategic planning cycle is a process where managers use a set of planning procedures to examine major strategic issues faced by their organization (Lorange & Vancil, 1976). With Walmart, they have developed a strategic planning cycle that directs managers to find ways to improve customer experience through prices and innovation. One way this is done is by having managers go to competitor stores to look for ways competitors are successfully being competitive, and after visiting stores, come to a Walmart company meeting with at least one idea to improve Walmart’s competitiveness (Dyer, 2020).
 
Competitive Differentiation
 
After planning a strategic planning cycle, managers need to incorporate a competitive differentiation for the organization to be competitive so that it gains market share (Porter, 1997). A competitive differentiation strategy is a way a company is distinct from what its competitors are doing. Walmart does this by having an innovative business model (Bereznoi, 2014). Walmart’s leaders know the organization faces competition from other companies like Target and the Dollar Store. One way Walmart is displaying a competitive differentiation is by changing its products to cater to consumers who cannot find a product they are looking for at the Dollar Store (costs more than a dollar), but find the prices at Target for the product too expensive. The goal is to get the consumer to shop at Walmart instead.
 
Value Proposition
 
Value proposition is how an organization goes about creating compelling products and services customers want that attracts them to do business with them (Osterwalder, et al., 2014). Walmart’s value proposition is designed to show their customers why they should do business with them rather than the online giant Amazon. Both Walmart and Amazon offer several of the same products with different delivery options. Although Walmart does not have delivery vehicles, customers can search for a product online and physically walk into a store and handle the product. Walmart customers can order a product online and drive to the store to pick it up, usually curbside or in the parking lot (Jindal et al., 2021). Rather than waiting on the Amazon delivery van to show up at a consumer’s residence, there is a Walmart store within 10 miles of 90 percent of Americans, making curbside pickup very convenient, especially with many Walmarts open 15 hours a day.

Part 1
Referencing this week’s readings and lecture, discuss the purpose and components of an effective internal control process.  How do the components of the internal control process assist management with compliance of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002?
Part 2
Compare and contrast the differences between preventive, detective, and corrective internal controls in a modern business organization.  Provide a practical example of each type of control.

Lecture
According to Musvoto (2011), “accounting is regarded as a measurement discipline” (p. 97). Our journey continues with one of the methods for displaying a representational model for the way information is communicated. Probably the most common technique, flowcharts demonstrate the flow of data (Bodnar & Hopwood, 2013, p. 38). Flowcharts use symbols to represent steps in the process of communicating data. Common symbols are used in the communication process so that a consistency exists between the creators of data and readers of the data.
During this week’s written assignment, you will select one accounting transaction process and create a flow chart that fully communicates the process of that transaction to the reader. It is important to remember that an organization’s system of internal controls play a dominant role in the transaction process. Because of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX), management is responsible for assessing the effectiveness of an organization’s system of internal controls. Internal controls provide specific standards for actions taken within an organization to regulate and direct activities of the organization (Bodnar & Hopwood, 2013). According to Bodnar and Hopwood (2013) there are three primary purposes of internal controls: (a) reliability, (b) effectiveness and (c) compliance.
Financial reports, especially those for publicly traded corporations, must be reliable to both internal and external stakeholders. Reliability reduces the risk of inaccurate data providing effective reports that enable the reader to make educated decisions. Finally, compliance with federal and state financial reporting regulations reinforces both reliability and effectiveness of financial reports.
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX) was implemented in response to a number of accounting scandals that occurred at the beginning of the new millennium (Kay & Ovlia, 2014). Congress determined that billions of dollars in net worth was lost because of improper financial reporting creating a loss of public confidence in corporate America. SOX provides several requirements intended to rebuild public confidence and trust in the country’s biggest companies. In addition to Section 404 of SOX, management has other responsibilities related to Sarbanes-Oxley. Section 302 focuses on corporate officer responsibility for financial reporting mandating that the chief executive officer and chief financial officer personally certify that annual financial reports do not contain untrue, misleading, or omitted data or information that could adversely affect the reliability and effectiveness of the final reports (Kay & Ovlia). Chief among the requirements of Section 302 is the maintenance of a system of internal controls intended to ensure the accuracy of financial reporting. Romney and Steinbart (2015) believe that internal controls perform three critical functions: “(a) preventive controls, (b) detective controls and (c) corrective controls” (p. 190). The purpose of SOX, in addition to restoring public confidence and trust, is to create an environment where intentional fraud is prevented and unintentional errors are detected and corrected. IT systems provide an efficient way to fulfill those responsibilities. All of these new regulations and requirements are certified by corporate leadership and verified by outside auditors working in conjunction with one another. The use of flowcharts is one tool that can assist corporate officers in demonstrating that a reliable system of internal controls exists.
Another way that companies can establish a reliable system of internal controls was developed by the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA). The Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology (COBIT) framework “consolidates control standards from many different sources into a single framework” (Romney & Steinbart, 2015, p. 192). COBIT focuses on three areas: (a) management creation of common practices within IT environments, (b) user assurance that adequate IT controls are in place and (c) outside audit review and recommendations on IT controls (Romeny & Steinbart, 2015).
During this week, you will focus on understanding the importance of internal controls in a business organization, and especially for publicly traded organizations. You will also inter-relate the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 to the need for a solid system of internal controls and what creates effective controls.
Please click on the links below to access a PDF version of the textbook PowerPoint Presentation for the weekly readings.
Chapter 2 PowerPoint Presentation (PDF)
Chapter 4 PowerPoint Presentation (PDF)

I’m working on a humanities question and need guidance to help me learn.

Communication is the thread that binds all relationships. If you are engaging in sexual activities then its important to be able to discuss any concerns, desires, or topics that positively or adversely affect relationships.All relationships have ups and downs, but a healthy communication style can make it easier to deal with conflict, and build a stronger and healthier partnership. We often hear how important communication is, but not what it is and how we can use good communication in our relationships. In relationships, communication allows to you explain to someone else what you are experiencing and what your needs are. The act of communicating not only helps to meet your needs, but it also helps you to be connected in your relationship, talk to each other. No matter how well you know and love each other, you cannot read your partner’s mind. We need to communicate clearly to avoid misunderstandings that may cause hurt, anger, resentment or confusion.It takes two people to have a relationship and each person has different communication needs and styles. Couples must find a way of communicating that suits their relationship. Healthy communication styles require practice and hard work, however communication will never be perfect all the time. Be clear when communicating with your partner, so that your message can be received and understood. Double check your understanding of what your partner is saying.When we communicate, we can say a lot without speaking. Our body posture, tone of voice and the expressions on our face all convey a message. These non-verbal means of communicating can tell the other person how we feel about them. If our tone, facial expressions, and body language don’t fit with our words, it is often the non-verbal communication that gets ‘heard’ and believed. For example, saying ‘I love you’ to your partner in a flat, bored, tone of voice, gives two very different messages. Notice whether your body language reflects what you are saying.Listening is a very important part of effective communication. A good listener can encourage their partner to talk openly and honestly. Open and clear communication can be learned. Some people find it hard to talk and may need time and encouragement to express their views. These people may be good listeners, or they may be people whose actions speak louder than their words.Most of us find some experiences or topics difficult to talk about. It may be something that is painful or makes us feel uncomfortable. For example, some people find it difficult to express their emotions. It is often the things that cannot be talked about that hurt the most.If you can’t seem to improve the communication in your relationship, consider talking with a relationship counselor. Counselors are trained to recognize the patterns in a couple’s communication that are causing problems and to help change those patterns. You could also consider doing a course that is relevant to your relationship. It is better to act early and talk to someone about your concerns, rather than wait until things get worse. ;o)Assignment:Choose one (1) of the questions below and write your thoughts and feelings about it (give examples). Type the scenario first so that I know which one you have chosen to write about. No reference required. Reflect, Reveal, Explain, Support, or Debate…express yourself with as much precision as possible.It’s common to experience bumps in the road as you get to know your partner. But, what happens when you find yourself dealing with the same relationship issues repeatedly after reaching your one year milestone? You’ve been together for one year and you’re still fighting over and over again about the same issues.In a recent study 59% of people say that titles like “fiance”, “girlfriend”, or “boyfriend” in a relationship matter to them. Why do titles matter if you’re already getting the benefits of the relationship?Yolanda Hadid (mom to models Bella and Gigi) claims ex-husband David Foster was not “there” for her during her battle with Lime Disease. He cruelly dumped her by callously telling her “your sick card is up”. What is the meanest way someone has ended a relationship with you or someone you know?In a recent survey 50% of people admitted that they’ve been dishonest with their partners in the past and 65% felt that in certain situations it was acceptable to lie to your significant other. When is it ever okay to lie to our significant other? Micro cheating are small things that you do that can come off as infidelity without being physically unfaithful. For example: forgetting to mention your partner in conversation or that you’re in a relationship, excessive eye contact with someone, hiding your phone (these are illustrated to make a point). Do you think these kinds of things are forms of cheating?Jay Z talked about his cheating during his marriage to Beyoncé. Are men now open to talking, giving advise, and supporting each other as far as exposing their feelings, emotions, and failures in relationships with their male friends or male family members?