This master’s thesis analyses the financial situation of a chosen company from 2008 until 2010. During the process of research and writing the theoretical starting points are stated, these are then followed by the application of certain methods of strategic and financial analysis. Conclusions drawn from the analytical part form the base for making suggestions, which will lead to the increase in the competitiveness of the company.

The ability to measure the financial health of a company is becoming an increasingly serious issue. One only needs to think of the widely published irregularities in companies such as Enron, Parmalat and Macmed to grasp something of the magnitude of the losses and other problems that investors can face if they do not have the ability to “predict” possible problems. There are individuals who are constantly identifying new and ingenious ways to deceive their customers, investors, the government and others. It is important for parties with an interest in a company to devise new ways to identify how financial analyses can be used to protect their interests. Managers are primarily responsible for the prevention and identification of accounting irregularities. Unfortunately, at the same time, they may also be assumed to be the primary perpetrators of accounting irregularities, because they are in a position to manipulate accounting records and bypass control measures more easily than anyone else in a company. The main aim of this study is to determine whether financial analysis and interpretation can be applied by interested parties to measure financial health and by implication identify accounting irregularities. Proof that this is possible has the potential to be used in analyses, by all parties with an interest in a company, to determine financial health and to identify irregularities in the financial statements. The study begins with a literature review, which provides an explanation of accounting irregularities and related matters, as well as an overview of previous uses of financial analyses to determine whether such analyses are useful in the identification of irregularities in the financial statements.   The objectives of the study are as follows: <ul> <li> An investigation into the characteristics, as identified by researchers locally and abroad, that are displayed by companies with a higher risk of or occurrence of accounting irregularities.</li> <li> A survey of the media by means of a literature review to identify case study companies that had allegations of accounting irregularities against them.</li> <li> The analysis of the case study companies in a quantitative and qualitative way to determine whether the characteristics that are identified as part of the first objective hold true in practice.</li> <li> Statistical analyses of the share price data of the case study companies in the form of an event study, a regression analysis and a structural break analysis to determine when and under what circumstances significant changes happened.</li> <li> Conduct a survey involving the creators and the users of financial statements in order to observe their experience regarding the usefulness of financial statements to reveal financial health. This is done by means of questionnaires that are analysed statistically, designed to derive conclusions of what practitioners tend to experience in practice and what their feelings are regarding the use of financial statements and accounting data in an analysis of the financial health of a company.</li></ul> On the basis of the case studies, nine of 18 identified characteristics were found to be useful in the identification of accounting irregularities by parties other than managers. They are: 1. company age; 2. company culture; 3. debt levels; 4. directors’ behaviour and character; 5. financial distress; 6. industry or sector; 7. liquidity; 8. management’s behaviour and character; and 9. remuneration policies. A further eight additional characteristics were also identified as useful in the identification of accounting irregularities. They are: 1. acquisitions, mergers and other restructuring; 2. dividends; 3. opposite movements from the industry or sector; 4. period before irregularities are detected; 5. “preparing” interested parties for the annual report; 6. share price changes; 7. significant changes; and 8. tax. The results of the review of the companies’ financial information are supplemented with a statistical analysis of the companies’ share price data as well as a questionnaire that are submitted to the users and compilers of financial statements. The aim of the first statistical analysis, consisting of event studies, regression analyses and structural break analyses, is to support the findings regarding the characteristics of companies with increased risk of accounting irregularities. The questionnaire set out to relate the subjective opinions of the users and compilers of financial statements with the findings of the study. The results of the study provide proof that interested parties have the ability to use the identified company characteristics to indicate increased accounting irregularity risk. / Thesis (DCom)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Financial Management / unrestricted

Yes / Cattle (Bos taurus) are biologically able to breed year-round, potentially giving farmers the freedom to choose a calving strategy to best meet their economic goals. Thus, an accurate method to determine cattle birth seasonality from archaeological remains would prove to be a valuable tool when investigating a prehistoric farming community. This paper presents the results of intra-tooth isotope ratio analysis (δ18O, δ13C) of first, second and third molars from 15 cattle. The principal outcome is a possible new approach to determining cattle birth seasonality utilizing both carbon and oxygen isotope ratio measurements of first molar enamel. Although this technique requires verification through more extensive testing, particularly of modern material, initial results suggest that it may produce more accurate predictions of birth seasonality than techniques based on intra-tooth δ18O measurements of second and third molars.

The objective of this study investigated the successful prediction of business failure of JSE listed companies using financial ratio analysis. During the research, financial statement data of failed and non-failed JSE listed companies during 2007-2012 financial periods were analysed, compared and interpreted. The interpretation of the trends and comparisons is of a quantitative nature, together with a qualitative genre which examines the tables, figures and equations in order to get the entire picture of the company’s performance for a five year period. The combination of literature on various failure predictor models and experience of these models resulted in the development of a modified model. The conclusion from the study indicated that financial ratio analysis successfully predicts failure and non-failure of the 16 companies that were investigated. These companies were grouped into eight delisted (failed) and eight listed (non-failed) JSE companies, which were paired in accordance to industry, fiscal period and closest asset size. The adoption of the traditional ratio analysis methods and EMS model yielded some interesting findings. The traditional ratio analysis methods (trend and comparative ratio analysis) were used with the Emerging Market Score (EMS) Model. The outcomes indicated the traditional methods are viable company failure prediction tools and the EMS model points out companies at a score of 2.60 and above as being financially stable. Between 2.60 and 1.10 the results are not very dependable because it is known that the company is in distress, yet uncertain whether the company has financially failed and below 1.10 the company has failed. It was concluded that a combination of the various prediction models enhances the accuracy of failure prediction. Therefore further research is required to assist stakeholders of South African companies to predict business failure by developing an adjusted model in a South African context. / MCom (Accountancy)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2015

The objective of this study investigated the successful prediction of business failure of JSE listed companies using financial ratio analysis. During the research, financial statement data of failed and non-failed JSE listed companies during 2007-2012 financial periods were analysed, compared and interpreted. The interpretation of the trends and comparisons is of a quantitative nature, together with a qualitative genre which examines the tables, figures and equations in order to get the entire picture of the company’s performance for a five year period. The combination of literature on various failure predictor models and experience of these models resulted in the development of a modified model. The conclusion from the study indicated that financial ratio analysis successfully predicts failure and non-failure of the 16 companies that were investigated. These companies were grouped into eight delisted (failed) and eight listed (non-failed) JSE companies, which were paired in accordance to industry, fiscal period and closest asset size. The adoption of the traditional ratio analysis methods and EMS model yielded some interesting findings. The traditional ratio analysis methods (trend and comparative ratio analysis) were used with the Emerging Market Score (EMS) Model. The outcomes indicated the traditional methods are viable company failure prediction tools and the EMS model points out companies at a score of 2.60 and above as being financially stable. Between 2.60 and 1.10 the results are not very dependable because it is known that the company is in distress, yet uncertain whether the company has financially failed and below 1.10 the company has failed. It was concluded that a combination of the various prediction models enhances the accuracy of failure prediction. Therefore further research is required to assist stakeholders of South African companies to predict business failure by developing an adjusted model in a South African context. / MCom (Accountancy)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2015

Dissertation (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Financial performance ratios are generally based on a set of financial statements without taking cognisance of other factors that could affect the measurement of performance. The behaviour of financial performance indicators during an upswing and decline phase of the economic cycle, together with the nature and scope of an enterprise's activities may have an effect on the manner in which financial performance indicators are used by an enterprise. The question may arise whether or not a ratio's behaviour for capital intensive (CI) and labour intensive (LI) enterprises could capture the essence of external factors such as an upswing or decline in the economic cycle as measured by the Gross Domestic Product (GOP). In this study an upswing phase (1987-1989) of three years and a decline phase (1990-1992) of three years have been selected after an analysis of the economic cycle over the period 1970 to 1996. The distinction between the capital and labour intensity of an enterprise is based on an analysis of the total assets, fixed assets and number of employees of industrial enterprises listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). The initially selected 62 financial performance indicators categorised under profitability, growth, cash flow, value-added and inflation-adjusted ratios are calculated for each enterprise of the CI (33) and LI (36) groups and for each year of the research period. The primary objectives of the research are: • To distinguish between the CI and LI nature of enterprises listed in the industrial sector of the JSE by using measures of capital and labour intensity; • To obtain patterns and identify differences in the behaviour of the selected financial indicators between CI and LI enterprises during an upswing and decline phase of the economic cycle, as measured by the GOP; • To analyse and investigate patterns and differences to determine whether or not there is specific justification(s) for the behaviour exhibited by the CI and LI enterprises for a particular ratio during either or both the upswing and decline phases of the economic cycle; • To identify key financial indicators, which could possibly be used by CI and LI enterprises to forecast financial performance and to identify lead and lag patterns in the economic cycle. An elaborate statistical analysis is conducted of the ratios to satisfy the objectives stipulated above. The first part of the analysis is based on a single representative measure, which represents an average of the three-year upswing and three-year decline phases respectively. Mean and median values are calculated for the CI and LI enterprises for both the upswing and decline phases. A profile analysis based on Hotelling's T2 test is used for the analysis of ratios that exhibit approximate normal distributions. Non-parametric tests, Mann-Whitney Utest and Wilcoxon matched-pairs test, are used for the analysis of ratios that do not indicate approximately normal distributions. The second part of the study focuses on an analysis of the ratios based on the individual years of the research period. The statistical techniques used for the analysis of the ratios based on a single representative measure are also used in the analysis of the ratios based on the individual years. The limitations identified during the analysis based on a single representative measure are addressed to a large extent in this section of the statistical analysis. By analysing the mean and median values based on the individual years, it is possible to classify the ratios as one of five pattern groups exhibited by the CI and LI enterprises, i.e. normal expected, lag, lead, cyclical and mixed. The patterns of the various ratios within each of the pattern groups are also analysed from a financial management perspective. The findings of the study confirm the stated hypothesis that there are differences in the behaviour of financial indicators based on a single representative measure and over the individual years of the research period between CI and LI enterprises during either or both an upswing and decline phase of the economic cycle. Furthermore, the analysis highlights several ratios based on a single representative measure that could not be used universally by all enterprises to measure financial performance and only during either an upswing or decline phase of the economic cycle. Ratios which are part of this category include return on total net assets (before tax), return on total net operating assets, dividend per share, sales to total net assets and interest-bearing debt to total shareholders' interest. The results based on the individual years of the analysis indicate that a large number of ratios exhibit normal expected patterns. Among the traditional profitability indicators, 80% exhibit normal expected patterns for the CI and LI enterprises during the upswing and decline phases. Traditional profitability ratios such as return on total net assets, return on net operating assets, return on total shareholders' interest and the value-creation ratio, economic value added form part of the normal expected group of patterns. All the inflation-adjusted ratios indicate normal expected patterns. These ratios indicate relative stability over the economic cycle and may be appropriate for the purposes of medium- and long-term financial forecasting as they follow the trade cycle. Approximately 39% of the ratios indicate mixed patterns, i.e. different patterns for the CI and LI enterprises. The growth in attributable earnings, cash flow to interest payments, market value of equity to book value of equity and market value added ratios indicate behaviour patterns for the CI and LI enterprises which may lead the economic cycle. These ratios may indicate the possibility of anticipating upswing and decline phases in the economic cycle. The relevance of the results for a CI enterprise alludes to the use of more debt financing during the decline phase to cover costs and working capital requirements when demand for products and services decreases as a result of a slow-down in the economy. The pattern exhibited by EPS may allude to an anticipated upswing phase in the economic cycle. An increase in the cash flow to interest payments ratio during the decline phase may indicate an imminent change in the cycle of the economy. The relevance of the results for LI enterprises indicates that an upswing in the economic cycle may be anticipated by an increase in the working capital to operating cash flow ratio. More debt financing is used during the upswing period, which may be attributed to greater demand and consequently results in a higher gearing position for LI enterprises. An increase in the cash flow to interest payments ratio during the decline phase may indicate an imminent upswing in the economic cycle. Several limitations of the study include the use of a single upswing and decline phase to represent the movements of the economic cycle; the approach used to distinguish between the CI and LI enterprises requires further analysis, and the large number of ratios could in future research be limited to several indicators. The more important recommendations of the study include the use of multiple upswing and decline phases of the economic cycle; more research into the lags and leads exhibited by the CI and LI enterprises for specific ratios should be conducted; the possibility of adopting a different approach to distinguish between CI and LI enterprises could also be considered; and further research is required to ascertain the reliability of indicators that highlight lead patterns for forecasting an upswing or decline phase in the economic cycle. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Finansiele verhoudingsgetalle word algemeen op 'n stel finansiele state gebaseer sonder dat ander faktore wat die meting van prestasie kan beinvloed, in ag geneem word. Die gedrag van finansiele verhoudingsgetalle tydens 'n opswaai en afswaai-fase van die ekonomiese siklus, tesame met die aard en omvang van 'n ondememing se aktiwiteite, mag die manier waarop 'n ondememing finansiele verhoudingsgetalle gebruik, beinvloed, Die vraag mag ontstaan of 'n verhoudingsgetal se gedrag vir kapitaalintensiewe (KI) en arbeidsintensiewe (AI) ondememings die essensie van eksteme faktore soos 'n opswaai en afswaai in die ekonomiese siklus soos gemeet deur die Bruto Binnelandse Produk (BBP), sal kan omvat. In hierdie studie is 'n opswaai-fase van driejaar (1987-1989) en 'n afswaai-fase van driejaar (1990-1992) geselekteer na 'n analise van die ekonomiese siklus vir die peri ode 1970-1996. Die onderskeid tussen die kapitaal- en arbeidsintensiteit van 'n ondememing is op 'n analise van totale bates, vaste bates en die aantal werknemers van nywerheidsondememings wat op die Johannesburg Aandelebeurs (JAB) genoteer is, gebaseer. Die 62 gekose finansiele verhoudingsgetalle wat as winsgewindheid-, groei-, kontantvloei-, toegevoegdewaarde- en inflasie-aangepaste verhoudingsgetalle gegroepeer is, is vir elkeen van die 33 KI ondememings en die 36 AI ondememings, sowel as vir elke jaar van die ondersoekperiode, bereken. Die primere doelstellings van die navorsing is: • Om tussen die KI en AI aard van ondememings wat in die industriele sektor van die JAB genoteer is, te onderskei deur maatstawe van kapitaal- en arbeidsintensiwiteit te gebruik. • Om patrone te verkry en verskille in die gedrag van die gekose verhoudingsgetalle gedurende opswaai- en afswaai-fases van die ekonomiese siklus soos gemeet deur die BBP, tussen KI en AI ondememings te identifiseer. • Om patrone en verskille te ontleed en ondersoek ten einde te bepaal of daar spesifieke regverdiging is vir die gedrag wat deur KI en AI ondememings vir 'n bepaalde verhoudingsgetal gedurende een of albei van die opswaai- en afswaai-fases van die ekonomiese siklus getoon word. • Om bepaalde finansiele verhoudingsgetalle vir KI en AI ondememings te identifiseer wat moontlik gebruik kan word om finansiele prestasie te voorspel en om lei- en sloerpatrone in die ekonomiese siklus te identifiseer. 'n Omvattende statistiese analise van die verhoudingsgetalle is uitgevoer om bogenoemde doelwitte te bevredig. Die eerste deel van die analise is op 'n enkel verteenwoordigende maatstaf gebaseer wat 'n gemiddelde van die drie-jaar opswaai en drie-jaar afswaai-fases onderskeidelik verteenwoordig. Gemiddelde en mediaanwaardes is vir die KI en AI ondememings vir die opswaai- en afswaai-fases bereken. 'n Profiel-analise gebaseer op Hotelling se T2 toets is gebruik om die verhoudingsgetalle wat benaderd normaal verdeel is, te ontleed. Die nie-parametriese toetse "Mann-Whitney U-test" en "Wilcoxon matched-pairs test" is gebruik om die verhoudings wat nie benaderd normaal verdeel is nie, te ontleed. Die tweede dee I van die studie fokus op 'n analise van die verhoudingsgetalle wat op die individuele jare van die navorsingsperiode gebaseer is. Die statistiese tegnieke wat in die analise van die verhoudingsgetalle gebaseer op 'n enkel verteenwoordigende maatstaf gebruik is, is ook vir die analise van die verhoudingsgetalle gebaseer op die individuele jare gebruik. Die beperkings wat deur die analise gebaseer op 'n enkel verteenwoordigende maatstaf geidentifiseer is, word tot 'n groot mate in hierdie afdeling van die statistiese analise aangespreek. Deur die gemiddelde en mediaanwaardes gebaseer op die individuele jare te ontleed, is dit moontlik om die verhoudingsgetalle as een van 'n aantal patroongroepe, naamlik normaal verwagte, sloer-, lei-, sikliese en gemengde patrone, vir die Kl en AI ondememings te klassifiseer. Die patrone van 'n verskeidenheid van verhoudingsgetalle binne elk van die patroongroepe word ook uit 'n finansiele bestuursperspektief ontleed. Die bevindings van die studie bevestig die gestelde hipotese dat daar verskille in die gedrag van finansiele verhoudingsgetalle, gebaseer op 'n enkel-verteenwoordigende maatstaf en vir individuele jare van die navorsingsperiode, tussen Kl en AI ondememings gedurende een of albei van die opswaai- en afswaai-fases van die ekonomiese siklus is. Die analise beklemtoon verder dat 'n aantal verhoudingsgetalle wat op 'n enkel verteenwoordigende maatstaf gebaseer is, nie universeel vir alle ondememings en slegs gedurende 6f 'n opswaai- 6f 'n afswaai-fase van die ekonomiese siklus gebruik kan word nie. Verhoudingsgetalle wat deel van hierdie kategorie vorm, sluit ondememingsrentabiliteit (voor belasting), rentabiliteit van totale netto vaste- en bedryfsbates, dividend per aandeel, verkope tot totale netto bates, en rentedraende skuld tot totale aandeelhouersbelang in. Die resultate gebaseer op die individuele jare van die analise toon dat die oorgrote meerderheid van die verhoudingsgetalle normaal verwagte patrone volg. Van die tradisionele winsgewindheidsverhoudingsgetalle vertoon 80% normaal verwagte patrone vir die KI en AI ondememings gedurende die opswaai- en afswaai-fase. Tradisionele winsgewindheidsverhoudingsgetalle soos ondememingsrentabiliteit, rentabiliteit van netto vaste- en bedryfsbates, rentabiliteit van eie kapitaal en die waardeskeppingsverhoudingsgetal EVA, vorm deel van die normaal verwagte groep van patrone. Al die inflasie-aangepaste verhoudingsgetalle toon ook normaal verwagte patrone. Hierdie groep van verhoudingsgetalle toon relatiewe stabiliteit gedurende die ekonomiese siklus en is vir medium- en langtermyn finansiele vooruitskatting geskik omdat hulle die besigheidsiklus volg. Ongeveer 39% van die verhoudingsgetalle toon gemengde patrone, m.a.w. verskillende patrone vir die KI en AI ondememings. Die groei in verdeelbare inkomste, kontantvloei tot rentebetalings, markwaarde van aandeelhouersbelang tot boekwaarde van aandeelhouersbelang en mark-toegevoegde waarde verhoudingsgetalle toon gedragspatrone vir die KI en AI ondememings wat moontlik die ekonomiese siklus kan lei. Hierdie verhoudingsgetalle mag 'n aanduider van verwagte opswaai- en afswaai-fases in die ekonomiese siklus wees. Die relevansie van die resultate vir KI ondememings dui op die groter gebruik van vreemde kapitaal gedurende die afswaai-fase om kostes en bedryfskapitaal behoeftes te dek wanneer die vraag na produkte en dienste afneem as gevolg van 'n daling in die ekonomie. Die patroon wat deur verdienste per aandeel aangedui word, gee 'n moontlike aanduiding van 'n verwagte opswaai-fase in die ekonomiese siklus. 'n Toename III die kontantvloei-totrentebetalingsverhoudingsgetal gedurende die afswaai-fase mag 'n aanduider van 'n naderende opswaai in die ekonomiese siklus wees. Die relevansie van die resultate vir AI ondememings toon dat 'n opswaai in die ekonomiese siklus deur 'n toename in die bedryfskapitaal tot kontant uit ondememingsaktiwiteite verhoudingsgetal verwag kan word. Meer vreemde kapitaal word gedurende die opswaai-fase gebruik wat aan 'n toename in die vraag toegeskryf kan word en gevolglik tot 'n hoer hefboomsituasie vir AI ondememings lei. 'n Toename in die kontantvloei tot die rente betaal verhoudingsgetal gedurende die afswaai-fase mag 'n aanduider van 'n naderende opswaai in die ekonomiese siklus wees. 'n Aantal beperkings van die studie sluit in: die gebruik van 'n enkele opswaai- en afswaaifase wat die ekonomiese bewegings verteenwoordig; die benadering wat gevolg is om tussen die KI en AI ondememings te onderskei benodig verdere ondersoek; en die groot aantal verhoudingsgetalle kan in toekomstige studies tot 'n sekere aantal indikatore beperk word. Die belangrikste aanbevelings van die studie sluit in: die gebruik van veelvoudige opswaai- en afswaai-fases van die ekonomiese siklus; meer navorsing op die sloer- en leipatrone wat deur die KI en AI ondememings vir spesifieke verhoudingsgetalle getoon word; die moontlikheid om 'n ander benadering te volg om tussen KI en AI ondememings te onderskei, kan oorweeg word; en verdere navorsing word benodig om die betroubaarheid te bepaal van die indikatore wat dui op lei patrone wat 'n opswaai- of afswaai-fase in die ekonomiese siklus kan voorspel.

<p>This paper deals with three mediaeval churches in the town Visby, Gotland. These churches were located in different areas in Visby. Allegedly the areas where St Hans and Ste Gertrud were located were inhabited by wealthier people, and the more peripheral area where St Mikael was located was where the poor lived. Therefore, the people that were buried at St Mikael should be of lower social status than the people buried at St Hans and Ste Gertrud. Based on the fact that an individuals diet was dependant on his or hers social status, dietary studies on skeletal remains from the three different churches have been conducted to find out dietary patterns among the individuals buried at each church respectively. The studies have included stable isotope ratio analyses, δ13C and δ15N, in human bone collagen. The results support the hypothesis that there were differences between individuals buried at different churches as stated above.</p>

<p><strong>Syfte: </strong>Huvudsyftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka betydelsen av finansiella rapporter genom att studera aktiekursens reaktion på Stockholmsbörsen för tidpunkten när företags finansiella rapporter blir offentliga. Detta bryts ned i två delsyften; <em>Skapar årsrapporter synbara reaktioner på svenska aktiemarknaden OMX vid tidpunkten för offentlighetsdatumet? </em>samt <em>följer reaktionerna på svenska aktiemarknaden årsrapporternas status? </em></p><p><strong>Metod: </strong>Undersökningen är uppdelad i två delar. Den första utgörs av en nyckeltalsanalys, på 81 finansiella rapporter mellan åren 1991-2009, för att fastställa rapporternas status och den senare är en eventstudie som behandlar aktieutvecklingen vid offentlighetsdatumet för rapporterna. Undersökningen har en kvantitativ ansats där empirin består av sekundärdata i form av årsredovisningar, delårsrapporter och börskursindex.</p><p><strong>Teori: </strong>Rapporten bygger på hypotesen om effektiva marknader, signalteorin samt teorin om insiderinformation.</p><p><strong>Empiri: </strong>Utav 81 undersökta rapporter var 32 stycken starka, 27 stycken svaga, och 22 stycken neutrala.  Alla rapporters eventfönster för offentliggörandet gav antingen ett positivt eller negativt AAR. Åren 1991, -99, -07, -08 och -09 fick ett positivt AAR medan åren 1992, -93, -00 och -01 fick ett negativt AAR. Varje status AAR blev 0,123 för de starka, -0,124 för de svaga och 0,011 för de neutrala.</p><p><strong>Analys/Slutsats </strong></p><ul><li>Då en rapport offentliggörs kan en reaktion på aktiemarknaden generellt urskiljas. </li><li>I majoriteten av fallen har rapporten medfört svagt positiva priseffekter vid offentliggörandet av en stark rapport, svagt negativa effekter vid en svag rapport och ingen signifikant reaktion vid en neutral rapport som inte bringar några större nyheter. </li><li>Det finns dock inget statistiskt samband mellan marknadsreaktionen och rapportens status vid en korrelationsanalys. Detta kan bero på att antalet studieobjekten kan ha varit för få och avvikelserna har därmed fått ett stort inflytande på det totala resultatet.</li><li>På det hela taget motsäger sig inte studien den effektiva marknadshypotesen, det skapas reaktioner av olika storlek vid offentliggörandet men för att kunna fastställa ett säkert samband mellan status och reaktioner krävs en djupare och bredare undersökning. </li></ul> / <p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The aim of this study is to investigate the significance of financial reports through stock market reactions when financial reports become public. This is broken down into two part purposes; <em>do annual reports create reactions on the Swedish stock market OMX for the date of public enunciation?</em> and <em>does the reaction on the Swedish stock market follow the nature of the financial report?</em></p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study has two methodological aspects. The first one consists of a ratio analysis, of 81 financial reports between 1991-2009, in order to determine the report's status. The second one is an event study that deals with share developments for the time of annual reports public enunciation. The study has a quantitative approach where the empirical data consists of information from annual reports, interim reports and share price index.</p><p><strong>Theoretical: </strong>This paper relies on the efficient market hypothesis, signal theory and the theory perspectives of insider information.</p><p><strong>Empirical</strong>: Out of 81 examined annual reports 32 had a strong approach, 27 had weak and 22 had neutral. All the reports event windows for time of public enunciation had either a positive or negative AAR. The years 1991, -99, -07, -08 and -09 had a positive AAR while the years 1992, -93, -00 and -01 had a negative AAR. Every natures AAR become, 0,123 for the strong, -0,124 for the weak and 0,011 for the neutral.</p><p><strong>Conclusion</strong></p><ul><li>When a financial report is published and becomes available to stakeholders a reaction on the stock market tends to occur. </li><li>In the majority of cases the report provides positive reactions on the stock market when the underlying report is of a strong nature, negative reactions when the report is weak and no significant reaction when it is neutral. </li><li>There is, however, no immediate correlation between the market reaction and the nature of the report.  This may be due to the number of research objects that can have been too few and there for have gotten an excessive influence on the overall result. </li><li>Overall, the study does not contradict the efficient market hypothesis, reactions do accrue but to determine the correlation between the nature of the report and the effects on stock direction it require a deeper and wider study then this. </li></ul>

This paper deals with three mediaeval churches in the town Visby, Gotland. These churches were located in different areas in Visby. Allegedly the areas where St Hans and Ste Gertrud were located were inhabited by wealthier people, and the more peripheral area where St Mikael was located was where the poor lived. Therefore, the people that were buried at St Mikael should be of lower social status than the people buried at St Hans and Ste Gertrud. Based on the fact that an individuals diet was dependant on his or hers social status, dietary studies on skeletal remains from the three different churches have been conducted to find out dietary patterns among the individuals buried at each church respectively. The studies have included stable isotope ratio analyses, δ13C and δ15N, in human bone collagen. The results support the hypothesis that there were differences between individuals buried at different churches as stated above.

Syfte: Huvudsyftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka betydelsen av finansiella rapporter genom att studera aktiekursens reaktion på Stockholmsbörsen för tidpunkten när företags finansiella rapporter blir offentliga. Detta bryts ned i två delsyften; Skapar årsrapporter synbara reaktioner på svenska aktiemarknaden OMX vid tidpunkten för offentlighetsdatumet? samt följer reaktionerna på svenska aktiemarknaden årsrapporternas status? Metod: Undersökningen är uppdelad i två delar. Den första utgörs av en nyckeltalsanalys, på 81 finansiella rapporter mellan åren 1991-2009, för att fastställa rapporternas status och den senare är en eventstudie som behandlar aktieutvecklingen vid offentlighetsdatumet för rapporterna. Undersökningen har en kvantitativ ansats där empirin består av sekundärdata i form av årsredovisningar, delårsrapporter och börskursindex. Teori: Rapporten bygger på hypotesen om effektiva marknader, signalteorin samt teorin om insiderinformation. Empiri: Utav 81 undersökta rapporter var 32 stycken starka, 27 stycken svaga, och 22 stycken neutrala.  Alla rapporters eventfönster för offentliggörandet gav antingen ett positivt eller negativt AAR. Åren 1991, -99, -07, -08 och -09 fick ett positivt AAR medan åren 1992, -93, -00 och -01 fick ett negativt AAR. Varje status AAR blev 0,123 för de starka, -0,124 för de svaga och 0,011 för de neutrala. Analys/Slutsats Då en rapport offentliggörs kan en reaktion på aktiemarknaden generellt urskiljas. I majoriteten av fallen har rapporten medfört svagt positiva priseffekter vid offentliggörandet av en stark rapport, svagt negativa effekter vid en svag rapport och ingen signifikant reaktion vid en neutral rapport som inte bringar några större nyheter. Det finns dock inget statistiskt samband mellan marknadsreaktionen och rapportens status vid en korrelationsanalys. Detta kan bero på att antalet studieobjekten kan ha varit för få och avvikelserna har därmed fått ett stort inflytande på det totala resultatet. På det hela taget motsäger sig inte studien den effektiva marknadshypotesen, det skapas reaktioner av olika storlek vid offentliggörandet men för att kunna fastställa ett säkert samband mellan status och reaktioner krävs en djupare och bredare undersökning. / Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate the significance of financial reports through stock market reactions when financial reports become public. This is broken down into two part purposes; do annual reports create reactions on the Swedish stock market OMX for the date of public enunciation? and does the reaction on the Swedish stock market follow the nature of the financial report? Methods: The study has two methodological aspects. The first one consists of a ratio analysis, of 81 financial reports between 1991-2009, in order to determine the report's status. The second one is an event study that deals with share developments for the time of annual reports public enunciation. The study has a quantitative approach where the empirical data consists of information from annual reports, interim reports and share price index. Theoretical: This paper relies on the efficient market hypothesis, signal theory and the theory perspectives of insider information. Empirical: Out of 81 examined annual reports 32 had a strong approach, 27 had weak and 22 had neutral. All the reports event windows for time of public enunciation had either a positive or negative AAR. The years 1991, -99, -07, -08 and -09 had a positive AAR while the years 1992, -93, -00 and -01 had a negative AAR. Every natures AAR become, 0,123 for the strong, -0,124 for the weak and 0,011 for the neutral. Conclusion When a financial report is published and becomes available to stakeholders a reaction on the stock market tends to occur. In the majority of cases the report provides positive reactions on the stock market when the underlying report is of a strong nature, negative reactions when the report is weak and no significant reaction when it is neutral. There is, however, no immediate correlation between the market reaction and the nature of the report.  This may be due to the number of research objects that can have been too few and there for have gotten an excessive influence on the overall result. Overall, the study does not contradict the efficient market hypothesis, reactions do accrue but to determine the correlation between the nature of the report and the effects on stock direction it require a deeper and wider study then this.