Comparative Analysis Problem

Utilize the Excel spreadsheet template to calculate the following

• Inventory turnover (Use cost of sales and inventories)
• Days of inventory

Retrieve the appropriate input data from the financial statements located in the Appendices referenced above and the Excel template formulas are set up to do the work for you.

Use the most current year offered on the financial statements provided to you in the Appendices referenced above.   Amazon: the most current year is 2014, so you will utilize information from 2014 and previous year 2013 to calculate your values.  Wal-Mart: the most current year is 2015, so you will utilize information from 2015 and previous year 2014 to calculate your values. 

Refer to illustration 6-17 of the text (Chapter 6 page 283).

Write a 1,000-word comparative analysis using the financial statements of Amazon.com, Inc. presented in Appendix D, and the financial statements for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., presented in Appendix E, including the following:

• Compare the Balance sheets of the two companies.
• Compare the Inventory sections of the Balance Sheets of the two companies.
• Compare the inventory calculations you performed for the two companies.
• Provide specific data from the two company financial statements in each of your comparisons.
• Discuss the conclusions concerning the management of the inventory that you draw from this data.