Finance Detective Case

$($Financial Statement Analysis, A Strategic Perspective, Clyde P$.$ Stickney$/$Amos Tuck School of Business Administration, Darthmouth College$)$

Effective financial statement analysis requires an understanding of the economic characteristics of the firm being analyzed. Many of these economic characteristics are captured in the relationship between various financial statement items. The exhibit presents condensed financial statement information for firms in $13$ different industries. Balance sheet and income statements items are expressed as a percentage of total revenues $($that is$,$ all amounts are divided by total revenues for the year$).$ The $13$ companies $($all corporations except the professional basketball franchise$)$ shown represent the following industries:

Advertising agency

Aerospace manufacturer $($significant government contracts$)$

Beer brewery

Computer manufacturer

Department store chain

Distiller of hard liquor

Electric utility

Finance company $($also involved in leasing$)$

Grocery store chain

Life insurance company

II$.$ Pharmaceutical company

Professional basketball franchise $($a partnership$)$

Steel manufacture

Use whatever clues that you can to match the companies in the exhibit with the industries listed above.