Premium Essay

General

In:

Submitted By Rocalet
Words 2459
Pages 10
Introduction
It is a mandatory requirement for public companies in most countries to produce a financial report on a periodic basis for relevant regulatory bodies and shareholders. The financial report usually includes a director’s report, three financial statements and an audit report, as well as relevant notes to the accounts. This paper will look at the financial reporting practices of four companies in a comparative international context from a user’s perspective.
This report was not completed to assess the performance of the selected companies. Instead the research objective of this paper is to analyze the annual reports of the four top tier companies in the global airline industry and observe which airlines disclose the most useful information, within their annual reports, for me as a user.
How you read an annual report depends upon your purpose. As an investor, your purpose may be to assess: profitability, survivability, growth, stability, dividends, risks and other factors which may affect your investment in that company. This paper focuses upon five aspects of reporting within the companies’ annual reports that were the most relevant to me as a user: geographic segmentation, the auditor’s report, presentation, fuel risk, and the letter to the shareholders.
Delta Airlines was chosen as the base airline to compare the other three airlines to; China Southern Air, Emirates Air, and Lufthansa Air. The analysis resulted in a very distinct successor. Emirates Air lead all subcategories with nearly a perfect total score and ultimately provided a very user-friendly document based on the criteria assessed.
Lufthansa Air and Delta Airlines rounded out the middle with average scores. Slumps in presentation were mostly responsible for Delta Airlines average score. A slouch in the ease of access to information within the Lufthansa Air’s letter to

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

General Motors

...The Challenges of “General Motors” Joe Allagree Ohio Christian University General Motors was founded in September of 1908 by William Durant. Durant was a leading manufacturer of hoarse drawn vehicles in Flint Michigan. At its inception GM held only the Buick Motor Company, but in a matter of years would acquire more than 20 companies including Oldsmobile, Cadillac, and Oakland, today known as Pontiac. By the 1920’s the demand for automobiles had grown unexpectedly. General Motors was setting the pace of production, design, and marketing innovation that other manufacturers would have to follow if they were to survive. General Motors began to diversify by adding sever different names to the General Motors name, Chevrolet, Vauxhall, and Opel. These lines made added to the reach of GM. The GM motto was “a car for every purse and purpose”( http://www.gm.com/company/historyAndHerit age/acceleration.html). By becoming so diverse, GM proved to the world that the automobile was more than just a means of transportation. By the 60’s GM was facing new challenges and new changes. Environmental concerns were becoming more apparent, and the foreign market played a role in GM’s downsizing of its automobiles. In order to stay diverse and competitive GM was forced to reengineer many of its models. By the 1970’s, GM once again proved diverse and cutting edge ability by introducing the first engines to run off low lead, or un leaded gasoline. GM was beginning to understand that in...

Words: 690 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

General Motors

...General Motors General Motors History General Motors (also known as GM), is the world’s second largest car manufacturer based on annual sales. GM was founded on September 16, 1908, in Flint, Michigan, as a holding company for Buick, operated by William C. Durant. Later during that year, they established Oldsmobile. The following year, Durant brought Cadillac, Elmore, Oakland and several others. In 1910, William Durant lost control of GM to a bankers’ trust, because of the large amount of debt taken in the previous year. Years later, Durant started Chevrolet Motor Car Company and through this he secretly purchased a controlling interest in GM. Once ownership was reclaimed by Durant, he then reorganized General Motors Company into General Motors Corporation. Shortly after, Durant again lost control after the collapsed of the new of vehicle. In 1916, Alfred P. Sloan was chosen to take charge of the corporation and led it to its post global dominance. GM growth lasted to the early 1980s. In the 1980s, GM employed 349,000 workers and operated 150 assembly plants. They led in global sales for 77 consecutive years from 1931 to 2007, longer than any other automaker. Now in 2009, General Motors employs approximately 244,500 people around the world. GMs’ global headquarters is the Renaissance Center located in Detroit, Michigan. Last year, GM sold 8.35 million cars and trucks globally. GM is the majority shareholders in GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co. of South Korea and had collaborations...

Words: 2318 - Pages: 10

Free Essay

General Mills

...General Mills, Inc Summary General Mills is an American company that specializes in the production, packaging and distribution of food products. The company has managed to acquire a significant share of the market through mergers and acquisition. Currently, the company controls about 31 percent of the market. The industry is characterized by a moderate to low level of competition. The main competitors include Groupe Danone, Kellogg, and Kraft. Each company is able to retain its customer base since consumers tend to consume foods they are used to and hence strong brand loyalty. The company’s competitive advantage lies on its broad range of products and high level of innovation. High level of innovation has enabled the company to meet the changing customers’ need effectively while minimizing the operational costs. By providing a wide range of products, General Mills has managed to minimize risks. General Mills basically targets three groups, which include; baby boomers, Hispanics and the Minneapolis population. General Mills, Inc General Mills, Inc is an American company that is headquartered in Minneapolis in Minnesota. The history of the four industry traces back to the 1850’s and General Mills was founded in 1928 by James Ford Bell, who facilitated a merger between several milling companies in the region. The company is principally involved with the production and distribution of consumer foods. The company provides a wide range of products including meals...

Words: 625 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Dollar General

...1. Describe Dollar General according to the different types of retailers discussed in the chapter. Dollar General is a discount retailer. In comparison the Walmart, Dollar General is considered to be a small box discount chain. They sale a small selection of products at low costs but remain a relatively small threat to big-box stores. 2. As a retail brand, assess the Dollar General strategy with respect to segmentation, targeting, differentiation, and positioning. Retailers must first segment and define their target markets and then decide how they will differentiate and position themselves in the market. Dollar General acquired the word “dollar” to differentiate themselves from their competitors and gain the attention of the consumers. Particularly, consumers with incomes less than $50,000. Dollar General’s decision to sell a carefully selected assortment of mostly brand name items has positioned them to sell $14.8 billion in revenues in 2013. In addition to low prices the company emphasized convenience and quality brands. 3. List all the reasons why Dollar General has been so successful over the past 40 years. Dollar General stands for convenience, quality brands, and low prices. They save consumers time and money by offering convenience and quality name brand products. They offer named brand items 20-40% less than grocery store prices. Their prices are roughly in line with big-name discount stores. They have opened more than 10,000 stores in 40...

Words: 620 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

General Motors

...General Motors Maren Pöpsel Managerial Finance Ferhat Dastan Table of Contents Introduction 3 Historical Performance and Price 4 Historical Profitability 6 Historical Stockprice 7 Financial Statement Summary 8 Income Statement 8 Balance Sheet 9 Cash Flow Analysis 10 Ratio Analysis 11 Capital Structure 15 Equity Evaluation & Price Target 16 News and Highlights 17 Investment Upsides and Risks 18 Investment Recommendations 20 Introduction General Motor Company (NYSE: GM) is an American multinational automaker in the world. The company’s headquarter is in Detroit, Michigan. General Motor Company is one of the largest companies in the world. The company was founded on September 16, 1908 in Flint, Michigan as a holding company for Buick luxury cars and controlled by William C. Durant. General Motor Company produces cars and trucks in 37 countries and sells services for some brands such as Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, Isuzu, Holden, GMC, Jie Fang, Opel, Vauxhall, Baojun, and Wuling. Also, it is doing business with 157 countries and 202,000 employees worldwide. There are four different automotive segments for automotive operations include GM North America (GMNA), GM Europe (GME), GM International Operations (GMIO) and GM South America (GMSA). Also the company provides automotive financing services through General Motors Financial Company, Inc. (GM Financial). General Motor led global sales for 77 consecutive years from 1931 through...

Words: 2744 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

General Electric

...General Electric Company (GE) Company Overview Describe the company in general and how it operates, and the market. General Electric is a well-diversified infrastructure, media and finance company taking on the world’s roughest challenges and obstacles. General Electric is currently comprised of six distinct divisions. GE Technology Infrastructure develops technologies for transportation infrastructures. This segment includes GE Aviation, which produces and sells jet engines and other parts for military and commercial aircraft. GE Transportation provides technological parts, such as locomotives and engines, to the railroad, marine, and transit industries. GE Water manufactures pumps, filters, and other equipment needed in water treatment and desalination systems. GE Healthcare is a subunit of GE Technology Infrastructure that offers healthcare and medical-related services and goods. The division manufactures and services a range of medical equipment including CT, PET, MRI, nuclear, and X-ray imaging. GE Energy Infrastructure segment manufactures equipment for energy companies. GE Energy sells energy technologies such as gas turbines, generators, and steam turbines to power companies and industrial plants. GE Oil and Gas supplies equipment such as drilling systems, floating production platforms, compressors, and turbines for the oil and natural gas industry. Oil and Gas is one segment the company would like to expand, aiming to double its revenue to $15 billion by 2014...

Words: 3213 - Pages: 13

Premium Essay

General Electric

...Globalización en General Electric 1. ¿Por qué razón GE ha invertido tan agresivamente en su expansión en el extranjero? ¿Qué oportunidades está tratando de explotar? GE es una compañía cuya doctrina está fuertemente arraigada a la innovación, unos de los pilares que caracterizan esta empresa es la estrategia de expansión y crecimiento, siendo una multinacional altamente organizada invierte 1 billón $ en capacitación de sus empleados para desarrollar en ellos conductas de liderazgo que permitan garantizar su competitividad. Abarcan todo tipo de mercado, en donde GE toma participación pone como principal objetivo ser la compañía número 1o número 2 en todos los sectores donde tiene participación. El medio para lograrlo fue una agresiva y oportunista estrategia de inversión extranjera, aprovechando crisis económicas GE adquirió empresas de América Latina, Europa y Asia, logrando a la fecha ascender sus ingresos totales a un 60% provinentes de mercados internacionales. Actualmente GE solo busca estabilizar su mercado de finanzas ya que sus acciones se han visto afectadas por una merma en sus ventas, aunque esto muy poco daño hace a la multinacional, ya que la misma garantiza continuar con sus objetivos de innovación. Próximamente GE a comenzado a explotar el mercado de eco ambiental y de energía renovable. 2. ¿Por qué GE trata de cambiar algunas de las oficinas principales de sus negocios globales al extranjero? ¿Cómo podría beneficiar dicha mudanza a la compañía? ¿Benefician...

Words: 603 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

General Electric

...[pic] General Electric’s Operations Management & its Competitive Advantage in the Global Environment Executive Summary “GE works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies take on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health, home, transportation, and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE Works.” (GE’s company statement)[i] This report will analyze GE’s management of its operations by first listing the various products and services within their operational infrastructure and by breaking down GE’s competitive environment. It will then describe GE’s operational processes. The operational management analysis includes research into product/process designs, outsourcing, quality management, and the role of employees. The impact of GE’s Operations Management Leadership program will also be discussed. This report will conclude with how the management of these processes contributes to the firm’s overall strategy. With its beginnings tracing back to Thomas Edison, General Electric (GE) was founded in 1892. It is the only company that was listed in the Dow Jones Industrial Index both in the late 1800’s and now. At the end of 2011, GE was #6 on the list of Fortune 100 companies with over $125 million in annual revenues. Headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut and operating in over 100 countries, GE employs...

Words: 2516 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

General Motors

...This case analysis focuses on the organizational changes GM implemented in the North American market since the announcement of their bankruptcy in 2009. As you may know, General Motors Corporation is a United States based automobile manufacturer and has dominated the American Automobile industry for the past 77 years as measured by global industry sales. As of today, GM operates in approximately 120 countries, providing remarkable innovations, and they employs around 234,000 people on a worldwide basis (G.M., 2013). GM manufactures cars and trucks through the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, Opel, Vauxhall, Hummer, Wuling Pontiac, and SAAB (G.M, 2013). Thus, GM has served for decades as an automaker role model to many other automobile organizations. After decades of success, General Motors' domestic market has been declining progressively, leaving GM critically short of operating cash (GM 2013). GM was surpassed by many major competitors, including the rise of Japanese automaker, Toyota, since the 1980s. By 2009, GM filed for bankruptcy, which ended their long period of success and was one of the most shocking corporate failures that America has seen. In order to recover General Motors' had to enlist federal aid, and GM is currently operating $20 billion from government aid (Carty, 2009). In addition, GM discontinued several brands such as Hummer, and now focuses on the four core brands which include Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, and Cadillac...

Words: 497 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

General Motors

...General Motors: General Motors Corporation (GM) is a multinational automobile manufacturer created in 1908.its headquarter is in the United States. GM is the world's largest automaker as measured according to the global industry sales. GM is the proud sales leader in the automotive industry for the for the last 77 years. As of 2008, General Motors employs about 266,000 people around the world. It manufactures its cars and trucks in 35 different countries. The famous brands under the umbrella of GM are Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GM Daewoo, GMC, Holden, Hummer, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Vauxhall, and Wuling. In 2008, General Motors was the ninth largest publicly traded company in the world. In recent years the company has faced significant financial turmoils, including a 38 billion dollar loss in 2007. General Motors Today: From 1908 to 1976, it had grown expansively. But today its market share has gone down and together, with challenges posed by economic conditions, in the form of increasing healthcare costs and fuel costs and cut throat competition GM is facing a tough time in maintaining its profits. GM is deriving its 100% profits from financing cars and not from the sales of vehicles. Internal factors that account for this decline are the failure of the company to adapt to the changes in the environment such as the consumer preferences and technology, lack of differentiation applied to products and lack of effective cost leadership strategies to efficiently manage...

Words: 1537 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

General Electric

...Case: Globalization at General Electric Summary: The closing case explores General Electric’s quest to become the number one or two company in global market for every business which it take part. General Electric (GE) is the largest industrial conglomerate in America, produces a wide array of goods and services, from medical equipment, power generators, jet engines, and home appliances, to financial services and even television broadcasting. Since 1985, GE earned over 40 percent of its revenues from international sales. Besides that, analysts estimate that by 2012, GE will be generating 55 to 60 percent of its business internationally. When GE was led by Jack Welch, to reach the goal, he sanctioned an aggressive and often opportunistic foreign direct investment strategy. In present, under the leadership of Jeffery Immelt, GE is moving towards seeing a more global corporation with an interest. The expansion of GE is mainly powered by dynamics economies of Asia. Question 1 GE has invested so aggressively in foreign expansion is due to the fact that they want to achieve their main goal which was to be number 1 or 2 globally in every business in which it participate. They took opportunities to exploit countries which having economic downturn. For example, in Europe from 1989 to 1995, they manage to invest $17.5 billion in the region, half of which was used to acquire some 50 companies; in 1995, when the Mexican peso collapsed in value, they purchase companies throughout Latin...

Words: 699 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

General Mills

...BA 3103: 11/15/2015 Critical Analysis # 3- General Mills Over time, changes occur and one of those changes are consumer demands in the food industry. More people are becoming health conscious and are interested in what they're consuming down to the ingredients used. A health trend that is occurring and taking over in all aspects in health and our not only food related. Companies are becoming aware and are taking note of these changes to this “self-care” health market. In order to appeal to the consumers these companies are going to have to shift the products their manufacturing and choose healthier products or correct how their current products are be being processed. Consumers are less interested in processed products and are appealing to fresh and organic products. One company trying to improve and advance on these changes is General Mills, Inc. General is a well-known multiple manufacturer of numerous products ranging from cereals to yogurt and many more. “It’s brand portfolio includes more than 89 other leading U.S. brands and numerous category leaders around the world” (Wikipedia). General Mills is reaching many consumers and has hit the top 500 list on Forbes list of largest corporations. Last month, General Mills had a recall on Cheerios and Honey Nut Cheerios on its cereals because of the presence of wheat in supposedly gluten-free products. “Jim Murphy, senior vice president of the company's cereal division, said he was "embarrassed and truly sorry" by an...

Words: 929 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

General Electric

...General Electric Everybody has heard of Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb and the man who discovered electricity. General Electric started when a man by the name of Charles A. Coffin started a company called Thomson-Houston and they made different technology for the time, and were the main competitors for Thomas Edison. Over time, both companies couldn’t compete with each other’s different patents and inventions, so they eventually merged in the year 1892. Since the time that the two companies merged, it has become more than evident that General Electric is the number one company of its kind in the world. General Electric was sought out by the United States Government to create the first aircraft engine ‘booster’. After that, Thomas Edison began experimenting with plastic filaments for the light bulb, which led to General Electric creating the plastics department. General Electric is still expanding today and showing no signs of slowing down. They have recently purchased a company called Dresser, which is basically a company that tests different items and makes sure that they are not only working efficiently, but also working to make sure that they are using the least amount of energy possible. General Electric is also looking to expand in China, and recently signed a $700,000,000 contract with Saudi Arabia to experiment and use wind energy. I think that with all of the expansion that General Electric is doing, that their stock prices should rise. I believe...

Words: 1022 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

General Electric

...FINAL PROJECT: GENERAL ELECTRIC MGM 6110  Sección 80 Engineering Management I 16 de Febrero de 2010 Profesor: Table of Contents I II Intructions ............................................................................................................... 2 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 4 III Definition of key topics ........................................................................................... 6 IV Current Applications/Examples ............................................................................. 9 V Discussion............................................................................................................. 10 VI Bibliography .......................................................................................................... 13 1|Page POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO GRADUATE SCHOOL GRADUATE PROGRAMS IN MANAGEMENT MEM 6110 – ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT I WINTER 2010 TRIMESTER Final Project Instructions & Guideline I. Instructions for Final Project: 1. Conduct a literature research including but not limited to text books and journals on the following topic: i. Conduct a critical analysis of the following company (REFER TO THE PROJECT LIST “ON NEXT PAGE” FOR YOUR SPECIFIC TOPIC). The critical analysis should be from the managerial standpoint describing the company origins, operations and their correct or incorrect application...

Words: 2786 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

General Motors

...RESEARCH PAPER ON GM Introduction "General Motors has no bad years, only good years and better years" (Sloan, 1972). This mantra established in 1950 by former GM president Harlow H. Curtice may have been true at one point, but is called into question today by many, including Wall Street. General Motors Corporation, also known, as GM or GMC is the world’s 2nd largest auto company in sales revenue behind Toyota which took the lead in 2006. General Motors reigned as the global leader in the automobile industry for the last 76 years, which was longer than any other automaker. Today, Richard Wagoner, Jr., GM Chairman and CEO currently runs GM, which was founded in 1908. GM today employs approximately 324,000 people around the world, with their global headquarters in Detroit Michigan. Their European headquarters is based in Zurich, Switzerland. In 2006, 9.1 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM, Daewoo, Holden, Hummer, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, and Vauxhall. General Motors has a superb relationship with international connection. GM takes pride in fostering global partnerships and consumer relationships. GM is majority shareholder in GM Daewoo auto & Technology Co. of South Korea and has had collaborative ventures in technology and manufacturing with several other automakers. It also has ventures with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation of China. GM’s largest national market is the United...

Words: 6125 - Pages: 25