Important Pointers should follow in the Essay:

1. It must be a multi-year comparative study. 
2. It must include a financial analysis of the TWO companies. 
3. It must include a SWOT analysis of the TWO companies. 
4. It must include a financial valuation of the PRIMARY company.

Below are the points which you should definitely include in the essay:

• When analyzing the three main financial statements (performance, position, and cash flows) ratio analysis, vertical (i.e. columnar) analysis, horizontal analysis, a trend analysis should all be used.
• The notes to the financial statements contain further details of some of the items in the three main statements. You must utilize this information in your analysis of performance, position, and cash flows.
• At least two financial periods must be considered in your report. A longer period is expected for trend analysis. Vertical analysis is an analytical approach whereby each item shown, for example, in the Statement of Financial Performance is expressed as a percentage of Income, i.e. first data item on the statement.
• Horizontal analysis is an analytical approach whereby the same item is compared between time periods, e.g. this year –v – last year; or between entities.
• The 2 companies and their industry must be described in the Introduction. If that description is brief, a fuller description should be given at the beginning of the Study.
• The Study can be done either as a combined analysis of both companies or company by company.
• The current share price of each company must be mentioned in your report, along with relevant ratios and some discussion of what those ratios indicate.
• The Conclusion should start with a brief summary of what was done during this project.

First attachment contains examples of Horizontal and Vertical Analysis, Structure of the essay, and the focused points that need to be added in the essay. It’s a seminar notes completely for writing this essay. Request you please follow the same

Second attachment shows ratio analysis. Please follow the same, no need to follow external sources. The third attachment contains recommended readings, using them will create a good impact on the work.

FAQ for BAR 2017-18

What is BAR?

BAR stands for Business Analysis Report and it is the capstone research project for the MSc Management & Finance at the University of Sussex.

Am I a BAR student?

You are if you are studying for an MSc in Management & Finance then you will be on the BAR module.

What do BAR students have to do?

The BAR  report is  8,500  words,  with a  submission deadline usually at the beginning of September. You will be notified of the specific deadline later.

Who marks the report?

Your BAR supervisors will mark the BAR report.

Are marking criteria available?

Yes the marking criteria are shown at the end of the module handbook.

Are appendices and references included in the word count for BAR?

No.

What referencing style should I use to refer to journal articles in my report, and compile the reference list?

The Harvard style.

Will I get marks deducted for incorrect use of the Harvard style?

Yes, sloppy referencing reduces the quality of any report including the BAR report.

Should the literature review focus on the companies I have chosen for the financial statement analysis?

No. It should focus on literature relating to financial analysis, financial valuation, and SWOT analysis. 

What sort of literature should be consulted for the literature review section?

Mainly articles in academic journals, and maybe some books and some websites. All literature sources should be in English.

What is the role of the supervisor?

Your supervisor will not write the report for you. The supervisor will give you some guidance at the beginning of this module on how they wish to manage supervision.  Supervision sessions typically provide feedback on drafts of your work.

How frequently will you meet your supervisor?

It depends on the progress you are making. All meetings, except the first introductory meeting, are likely focus on written drafts. Your supervisor will decide when further meetings occur. You should attend the first meeting in person. Subsequent meetings may be in person or via Skype. After the first meeting, having a meeting with your supervisor only makes sense if there is sufficient progress on the draft compared to the previous meeting. A supervisor may insist on evidence of progress (i.e. a new draft) before a meeting can be scheduled.  Of course, a meeting may also be scheduled if the lack of progress is itself an issue.  If in doubt, please contact your supervisor.

Who arranges the first meeting with my supervisor?

Your supervisor will email you with the date and time of your first meeting.  It should be in early June.  Please contact your course convener (details below) if there are any issues with communication with your supervisor. 

What is the focus of the three lectures in May?

These lectures focus on aspects of doing the BAR, including conducting a financial statement analysis, financial valuation, and SWOT analysis.