Hasbro, Inc securities exchange data analysis Assignments | Custom Essay Help
The final project is designed to provide you with hands-on strategic analysis experience. You have chosen a company to investigate and gathered at least 6 years of historical sales data for the company you have select by now. You have analyzed the data and now you will decide the forecasting techniques you will perform to forecast 8 quarter or 24 months of sales forecast. You have learned a number of forecasting techniques throughout this course. You as a group of two students must use at least two separate methods. One of you will use an appropriate extrapolation method (Moving average, exponential smoothing, Holt’s or Winter’s) and the other of you will use a casual regression method. You will communicate your results in a paper and report your findings in Excel work file and discuss findings of other papers in a discussion. First, I want to give you an example of Excel output that meets my expectation. You now see on the screen, one sample Excel output: -First Tab is composed of the data. You have the dates in column A and the sales data in Columns B. First Tab is titled as “Basic Data”. -Second Tab is composed three columns. You have the data as used for your extrapolation method with dates in column A, the sales data in column B, and the predicted values for that method in Column C. This tab is titled as “Extrapolation Model”. -On the third tab, you will have all the data used in in the regression model with dates in column A and the sales data in column B. The next columns of Tab 3 should have all the independent variables used in regression model. Following these columns, you should have a column with values predicted by the regression analysis. This tab is titled as “Regression Model”. -The fourth and final tab should have the dates in column A, the original sales data in column B, the predicted values from extrapolation forecast in column C and the predicted values from your regression model in column D. The predicted values will extend 8 quarters (or 24 months) beyond the actual historic values. This tab is titled as “Final Forecast”. Second, I want to briefly explain requirements for the paper. The paper should be 8–10 pages in length, including tables and figures, and must include only the following eight parts: 1. Title Page: You will include company name, your name, and an appropriate “Table of Contents”. I expect you to list page numbers for each section. 2. Section 1 – Introduction: You will answer the following questions for this section: o Why did you select this topic? o How would this forecast be useful? o To whom would it be useful? The length of this section should be maximum 1 page. 3. Section 2 – This part is literature review: You will present information about the company and industry. This section is not about forecasting methods. The length of this section should be maximum 1 to 2 pages. 4. Section 3 – This part is managerial overview of methods used: You will answer the following questions for this part. o Why did you select these forecasting methods? o Explain why you believe the technique you have chosen is appropriate to forecast your data. The length of this section should be maximum 1 to 2 pages. 5. Section 4 – This part will be composed of application of forecasting methods and results. You will answer the following questions: o What are the forecast results of these methods? o Which method performs better? o How did you evaluate the forecasting methods? Basically, in this part, you will present your forecast results and explain the methods you used to evaluate your forecast results. The length of this section should be maximum 2 to 4 pages. 6. Section 5 – This section concludes the paper and talks about the limitations of the paper. The length of this section should be maximum 1 page. 7. Section 6 – References: You will cite 6 to 8 references related to the company selected. 8. Appendix: You will include one or more appendices containing appropriate graphics and a complete professional listing of data with appropriate citations. All graphs in the appendix must be referenced in the body of your paper along with the page on which each graph can be found. The paper should be typed, single-spaced, and presented in 14-point Times New Roman font. Third, I want to explain briefly the discussion. I will post all papers that are submitted on the discussion board titled “Project”. You are required to read, reflect on, and respond to at least one project paper. You will post your contribution to the topic “Projects” on the Discussion Board. Your contribution to the discussion about papers should be clear, complete, and accurate. In your reflection on the paper, you should cover at least two of the following: • Offer an additional method or variable(s) to include in a forecasting technique to predict sales. You will explain your reasons for the new method or variable you propose. • Suggest ways in which a forecasting technique could be more clearly expressed. • Identify passages where you think the writer misinterpreted, or incorrectly applied, a concept. • Offer your assessment of the forecast results, and explain why you agree or disagree with the prediction.
Instructions
In Week 2, your instructor divided the class into pairs. By the end of Week 3, your group selected the company to investigate. By the end of Week 4, the company selection was finalized. In Weeks 5 and 6, you should have analyzed the data and performed the required forecasts.
This week, your group will forecast monthly or quarterly sales (in units or dollars) for your chosen company. As a group, you will write a paper about your findings.
Paper Requirements
Prepare a two-year (8 quarter or 24 month) forecast of the series. As a group, you must use two separate methods. One student will use an appropriate extrapolation method, which is usually an exponential smoothing method. The other student will use a causal regression model. You will present your results in a paper that should be analytically accurate and should clearly communicate your process to your manager.
The paper should be 8–10 pages in length, including tables and figures, and must include only these sections:
Title Page: Include company name, your name, and an appropriate “Table of Contents” (listing page numbers for the following sections).
Section 1 – Introduction: Why did you select this topic? How would this forecast be useful? To whom would it be useful? (1 page)
Section 2 – Literature Review: Present information about the company and industry. This section is not about forecasting methods (1 or 2 pages).
Section 3 – Managerial Overview of Methods Used: Why did you select these forecasting methods? Explain why you believe the technique you have chosen is appropriate to forecast your data (1 or 2 pages).
Section 4 – Application of Forecasting Methods and Results: What are the forecast results of these methods? Which method performs better? How did you evaluate the forecasting methods? Present your forecast results and explain the methods you used to evaluate your forecast results (2 to 4 pages).
Section 5 – Conclusions and Limitations: (1 page)
Section 6 – References: Cite 6 to 8 references related to the company selected (1 page).
Appendix: Include one or more appendices containing appropriate graphics and a complete professional listing of data with appropriate citations. All graphs in the appendix must be referenced in the body of your paper along with the page on which each graph can be found.
The paper should be typed, single-spaced, and presented in 14-point Times New Roman font.
Excel File Requirements
When you submit your paper, you must also submit an Excel file including your data and analysis.
Tab 1 – Basic Data: Show the dates in column A and the sales data in column B.
Tab 2 – Extrapolation Model: Show the data you used for your extrapolation method with the dates in column A, the sales data in column B, and the predicted values for that method in column C.
Tab 3 – Regression Model: Show all the data used in the regression model with dates in column A and the sales data in column B. The next columns in Tab 3 should include all the independent variables used in your regression model. Following these columns, you should add a column containing the values predicted by the regression analysis.
Tab 4 – Final Forecasts: The fourth and final tab should have the dates in column A, the original sales data in column B, the predicted values from your extrapolation forecast in column C, and the predicted values from your regression model in column D. The predicted values will extend 8 quarters (or 24 months) beyond the actual historic values.
Discussion
You are required to read, reflect on, and respond to at least one project paper. You will post your contribution to the topic “Projects” on the Discussion Board. Your contribution to the discussion about papers should be clear, complete, and accurate. In your reflection on the paper, you should cover at least two of the following:
• Offer an additional method or variable(s) to include in a forecasting technique to predict sales. Please explain your reasons for the new method or variable you propose.
• Suggest ways in which a forecasting technique could be more clearly expressed.
• Identify passages where you think the writer misinterpreted, or incorrectly applied, a concept.
• Offer your assessment of the forecast results, and explain why you agree or disagree with the prediction.
Recommended Information Sources
Research Insight (RI): This database from Standard & Poor’s offers up to 20 years and up to 48 quarters of historical financial information on public U.S. and Canadian companies.
SEC’s EDGAR Database: The Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) maintains a database of SEC filings by public companies. The 10-K reports contain much of the same information found in annual reports and will be the most useful for this assignment.
Yahoo! Finance Company and Fund Index: This offers company profiles, financial information, and links to a range of resources.
Mergent Online and Factiva: These data sets offer company-level financial information. You can access the Mergent Online data set through the Texas Wesleyan Library.
Documentation
You should document print and online information sources. There is no universal formatting style for online sources, but you can use this example as a guideline:
Example: Author. (Year). Title, Type of medium
Submission
• Submit your paper in a Word document.
• Present your data and analysis in an Excel file.
Top-quality papers guaranteed
100% original papers
We sell only unique pieces of writing completed according to your demands.
Confidential service
We use security encryption to keep your personal data protected.
Money-back guarantee
We can give your money back if something goes wrong with your order.
Enjoy the free features we offer to everyone
-
Title page
Get a free title page formatted according to the specifics of your particular style.
-
Custom formatting
Request us to use APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago, or any other style for your essay.
-
Bibliography page
Don’t pay extra for a list of references that perfectly fits your academic needs.
-
24/7 support assistance
Ask us a question anytime you need to—we don’t charge extra for supporting you!
Calculate how much your essay costs
What we are popular for
- English 101
- History
- Business Studies
- Management
- Literature
- Composition
- Psychology
- Philosophy
- Marketing
- Economics