OXFORD

BROOKES
UNIVERSITY

BSc in Applied Accounting
Research and Analysis Project

The Business and Financial Performance
Of

Marks & Spencer Plc
Financial year ending 2009 to 2011

Fayzul Hasan Chowdhury
ACCA Registration Number: 1456371
November 2011
(Approximate Total Words: 6450)

Research Report

Contents
Page
1.

Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 3
1.1.1 The Topic area and Global economy ................................................................................ 3
1.1.2 Reasons for choosing the topic ........................................................................................ 3
1.1.3 Reasons for choosing Marks & Spencer ........................................................................... 3
1.1.4 Marks & Spencer and John Lewis Partnership ................................................................. 4

2.

3.

1.2

Aims and report objectives .............................................................................................. 4

1.3

Overall research approach ............................................................................................... 5

Information .............................................................................................................................. 5
2.1

Sources of information ..................................................................................................... 5

2.2

Methods used to collect information............................................................................... 6

2.3

Limitations of Information Gathering .............................................................................. 7

2.4

Ethical issues and resolution ............................................................................................ 7

2.5

Techniques used and their limitations ............................................................................. 8

Results and Analysis ................................................................................................................. 9
3.1

Company Overview .......................................................................................................... 9

3.2

Financial Performance analysis ........................................................................................ 9

3.2.1

Revenue Growth ...................................................................................................... 9

3.2.2

Profitability ............................................................................................................. 12

3.2.3

Liquidity and Efficiency .......................................................................................... 15

3.2.4

Financial position ................................................................................................... 17

3.2.5

Investor ratios........................................................................................................ 18

3.3

Strategic analysis ............................................................................................................ 19

3.3.1
3.4
4.

SWOT Analysis ........................................................................................................ 19

Non-Financial measures ................................................................................................. 22

Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 23

APPENDIX 1: Reference List .................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.24
APPENDIX 2: Financial Statements of M&S ........................................................................... 26
APPENDIX 3: Ratio used and Formulae .................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.30
APPENDIX 4: Ratios calculations and results ......................... Error!