Background:
Since Week 13, we have been studying Corporate Performance, Corporate Governance, and analysing selected UK PLCs and their Annual Reports (starting with Cineworld PLC as an example). The purpose of this has been to focus on how CEOs, Boards of Directors, and External Auditors all contribute to the financial performance of the company, plus also contribute to meeting financial, legal, CSR, ESG, and statutory requirements placed upon them by various Corporate Governance institutions (especially the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) code. That way, companies can ensure their stability and sustainability. But, as we have seen, different companies interpret Corporate Governance in different ways.
Task:
Select two UK-based PLCs from the same sector (e.g., Next plc and JD Sports plc are in the same sector – fashion retail). See: https://www.hl.co.uk/shares/stock-market-summary/ftse-all-share / OR /https://www.londonstockexchange.com/indices/ftse-all-share/constituents/table for a list of all UK PLCs within the FTSE markets. Go to their website, and download their most recent Annual Report. Read and study this Annual Report, including the sections on ‘Performance’ and ‘Corporate Governance’. Using data and information from these Annual Reports, combined with what we have studied in class since Week 12, write a 2,500-word report in pairs (two students = one pair), comparing one company’s performance with another, using the following structure:
Introduction: (max 250 words), where you explain, in detail, the industry and market your chosen companies are in, their competitors and rivals, their customer profiles, and any key trends affecting the industry / market they are in
Main Body: (max 2,000-words)
Compare and analyse, in detail, your two chosen companies, focussing on their:
financial and market performance
staff, shareholders, customers, and other key stakeholders (either internal or external)
Corporate Governance issues, covering any CSR and ESG issues, including an analysis of the profiles of the CEO, and the Board of Directors.
Conclusion: (max 250 words), where you explain how you would improve the Corporate Governance of your two chosen PLCs in the future, in order to improve their future financial, brand, market, and strategic performance