Dillard’s Analysis

Case Assignment 2 (2nd paper) – the subject company is Dillard’s, Inc.
For the public company that you decided to analyze for this class, please answer the following and attach as a Word document. Be sure to check the SafeAssign report about plagiarism before making it your final submission! Be sure to cite the sources of your information and facts. Be sure to define terms. This is an excellent place to cite the textbook!

Answer all questions. Remember to define the main term and cite facts that you use in each answer.

1. Using the formulas in Table 4.1 (see below for snap shots of Table 4.1) and the data in the company’s latest financial statements, calculate the following and state why each is important to know. There is also a list of financial ratios in this Assignment folder.
a. Operating profit margin
b. Total return on total assets
c. Current ratio
d. Working capital
e. Long-term debt-to-capital ratio
f. Price-to-earnings ratio

2. What are the key elements of the company’s value chain? Refer to Figure 4.3 (see below for snap shots of Table 4.3) to help develop your answer.

3. Which one of the five generic competitive strategies best characterizes the company’s strategic approach to strategic competition?

4. List at least three specific strategic decisions made by the company and explain how they will help achieve a sustainable competitive advantage.

5. Is the company vertically integrated? Explain.

6. Does the company have the option to merge with or acquire other companies? If so, which one would be the best one? Explain.

7. Is the strategic approach the firm is taking in trying to compete successfully internationally global, transnational, or think-local, act-local? Is this an approach that you would recommend? If yes, why? If no, which approach would be better and why?

8. What type of entry into a foreign market does the company use? Explain whether it worked and why. See Illustration Capsule 7.1 for Walgreens example. (See below for snap shot of 7.1)