Companies for your comparative analysis: SITUATION You are a financial analyst with HTC Corporation. HTC is an established investment banker which services an international market. A client has determined that it wants to invest $2.3 billion in either Deere & Co. or Caterpillar stock (real publicly-traded companies). Which of these companies shares is the best potential candidate for a long-term commitment? Both targeted companies are competitively favorable. However, based on some serious general and economic concerns about the fallout of companies in the industry in general, the CEO of the client-company has asked your CFO to conduct a financial analysis of both CAT and DE to determine if it is prudent to commit to either company. The cost of this investment is significant and any interruption in cash flow from the investment during the next few years would adversely affect the clients performance and profit. The CFO has given you the job of conducting this analysis. Specifically, the question is: will a commitment to invest in either Caterpillar or John Deere be financially viable over the next two to three years? YOUR SPECIFIC ASSIGNMENT Your specific assignment is to research, analyze, and prepare a report for the CFO on the actual financial performance of both DE and CAT for the most recent three years. In addition to reviewing the traditional financial performance indicators, you are also to review both targed companies past and current stock performance for the last o
ne year. Your report is to consist of three parts: (1) An evaluation of financial performance for the last three years, for both companies. (2) An evaluation of stock performance for the last one year, for both companies. (3) Finally, a specific recommendation, with supporting rationale, as to whether or not either targeted companys recent trend in financial and stock performance is of sufficient financial strength to warrant entering into a long-term commitment. To assist you in your task, the CFO has provided the following general guidance. Since it is recognized that the industry is undergoing a major contraction in selected markets, it is very important to comparatively evaluate both CAT and DE relative to financial and stock performance trends against its Industry. : You must include all necessary and relevant financial performance and stock information, trends, and projections in supporting your recommendation. These factors must include, financial ratio trends and industry comparatives, capital spending, stock growth, Beta values, credit rating service valuations, bond rating valuations, and management and investment reports when these documents are available. REPORT REQUIREMENTS YOUR SPECIFIC ASSIGNMENT Research and analyze the following information for both Caterpillar and Deere: Using this information the students have to develop evaluation of the financial performance for both targeted companies. (Totally 85% of the assignment grade)