Presented here are selected data from the 10-K reports of four companies for their 2015 fiscal years. The four companies, in alphabetical order, are:
Caterpillar, Inc., a company that manufactures heavy machinery.
Oracle Corporation, a company that develops software.
Starbucks, a company that sells coffee products.
Tiffany & Company, a company that operates high-end jewelry and department stores.
The data for the companies, presented in the order of the amount of their sales in millions of dollars, are as follows:

Required
a. Divide the class into groups of four or five students per group and then organize the groups into four sections. Assign Task 1 to the first section of groups, Task 2 to the second section, Task 3 to the third section, and Task 4 to the fourth section.
Group Tasks
(1) Assume that you represent Caterpillar. Identify the set of financial data (Column A, B, C, or D) that relates to your company.
(2) Assume that you represent Oracle. Identify the set of financial data (Column A, B, C, or D) that relates to your company.
(3) Assume that you represent Starbucks. Identify the set of financial data (Column A, B, C, or D) that relates to your company.
(4) Assume that you represent Tiffany. Identify the set of financial data (Column A, B, C, or D) that relates to your company.
In addition to the ratios presented in this chapter, you might also find it useful to compute a ratio from the first course of accounting, the gross margin percentage (Gross margin ÷ Sales).
b. Select a representative from each section. Have the representative explain the rationale for the group's selection. The explanation should include a set of ratios that support the group's conclusion.

Sales Cost of goods sold 4,249.9 $15,197.3 7,787.5 2,759.3 1,306.4 719.0 12.446.1 1,712.7 484.2 2,362.1 195.2 5,180.6 7,532 9,938 314 5,618 110,903 38,226 $47,011 33,742 2,102 9,700 15,686 78,497 Net income Inventory Accounts receivable Total assets