Assignment 1: Amazon.com Business Combinations and Financial Results Analysis

Search the Internet for acquisitions and equity investments made by Amazon.com during the last five (5) years. Review the 10-K of Amazon.com located at http://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?company=&match=&CIK=AMZN&filenum=&State=&Country=&SIC=&owner=exclude&Find=Find+Companies&action=getcompany.

Write a four (4) page paper in which you:

1. Examine how at least three (3) growth strategy alternatives utilized by Amazon.com in the global and domestic retail markets influenced profitability, and indicate if the strategies were successful.

2. Assess the financial value of the acquisitions and investments made by Amazon.com, and the influence of the acquisitions and investments on profitability during the accounting period.

3. Analyze the effect of the equity investments and impairments resulting from the acquisitions and investments by Amazon.com on the financial statements, and indicate whether or not the strategy was a creatable one. Provide support for your rationale.

4. Create an argument that growth in the European market can have a significant impact on current earnings and profit for Amazon.com. Provide support for your rationale.

5. Use at least two (2) quality academic resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not qualify as academic resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

· Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

· Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

· Analyze accounting situations to apply the proper accounting rules and make recommendations to ensure compliance with generally accepted accounting principles.

• Use technology and      information resources to research issues in accounting.

· Write clearly and concisely about accounting using proper writing mechanics.

Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric.

Points: 240

Assignment 1: Amazon.com Business Combinations and Financial Results   Analysis

Criteria

Unacceptable

Below   60% F

Meets   Minimum Expectations

60-69%   D

Fair

70-79%   C

Proficient

80-89%   B

Exemplary

90-100%   A

1. Examine how at least three (3) growth strategy   alternatives utilized by Amazon.com in the global and domestic retail markets   influenced profitability, and indicate if the strategies were successful.

Weight: 20%

Did not submit or incompletely   examined how at least three (3) growth strategy alternatives   utilized by Amazon.com in the global and domestic retail markets influenced   profitability; did not submit or incompletely indicated if the strategies   were successful.

Insufficiently examined how at least   three (3) growth strategy alternatives utilized by Amazon.com in the global   and domestic retail markets influenced profitability; insufficiently   indicated if the strategies were successful.

Partially examinedhow at least three   (3) growth strategy alternatives utilized by Amazon.com in the global and   domestic retail markets influenced profitability; partially indicated if the   strategies were successful.

Satisfactorily examinedhow at   least three (3) growth strategy alternatives utilized by Amazon.com in the   global and domestic retail markets influenced profitability; satisfactorily   indicated if the strategies were successful.

Thoroughly examinedhow at least   three (3) growth strategy alternatives utilized by Amazon.com in the global   and domestic retail markets influenced profitability; thoroughly indicated if   the strategies were successful.

2. Assess thefinancialvalue of the acquisitions and investments made by   Amazon.com, and the influence of the acquisitions and investments on profitability   during the accounting period.
  Weight: 20%

Did not submit or incompletely   assessed thefinancial value of the   acquisitions and investments made by Amazon.com, and the influence of the   acquisitions and investments on profitability during the accounting period.

Insufficiently assessed thefinancial value of the acquisitions and investments made by   Amazon.com, and the influence of the acquisitions and investments on   profitability during the accounting period.

Partially assessed thefinancialvalue of the   acquisitions and investments made by Amazon.com, and the influence of the   acquisitions and investments on profitability during the accounting period.

Satisfactorily assessed thefinancialvalue of the   acquisitions and investments made by Amazon.com, and the influence of the   acquisitions and investments on profitability during the accounting period.

Thoroughly assessed thefinancialvalue of the   acquisitions and investments made by Amazon.com, and the influence of the   acquisitions and investments on profitability during the accounting period.

3. Analyze the effect of the equity investments and   impairments resulting from the acquisitions and investments by Amazon.com on   the financial statements, and indicate if it was a creatable strategy.   Provide support for your rationale.

Weight: 20%

Did not submit or incompletely   analyzed the effect of the equity investments and impairments   resulting from the acquisitions and investments by Amazon.com on the financial   statements; did not submit or incompletely indicated if it was a creatable   strategy. Did not submit or incompletely provided support for your rationale.

Insufficiently analyzed the effect of   the equity investments and impairments resulting from the acquisitions and   investments by Amazon.com on the financial statements; insufficiently   indicated if it was a creatable strategy. Insufficiently provided support for   your rationale.

Partially analyzed the effect of   the equity investments and impairments resulting from the acquisitions and   investments by Amazon.com on the financial statements; partially indicated if   it was a creatable strategy. Partially provided support for your rationale.

Satisfactorily analyzed the effect of   the equity investments and impairments resulting from the acquisitions and   investments by Amazon.com on the financial statements; satisfactorily   indicated if it was a creatable strategy. Satisfactorily provided support for   your rationale.

Thoroughly analyzed the effect of   the equity investments and impairments resulting from the acquisitions and   investments by Amazon.com on the financial statements; thoroughly indicated   if it was a creatable strategy. Thoroughly provided support for your   rationale.

4. Create an argument that growth in the European market can   have a significant impact on current earnings and profit for Amazon.com.   Provide support for your rationale.

Weight: 25%

Did not submit or incompletely   created an argument that growth in the European market can have a   significant impact on current earnings and profit for Amazon.com. Did not   submit or incompletely provided support for your rationale.

Insufficiently created an argument   that growth in the European market can have a significant impact on current   earnings and profit for Amazon.com. Insufficiently provided support for your   rationale.

Partially created an argument   that growth in the European market can have a significant impact on current   earnings and profit for Amazon.com. Partially provided support for your   rationale.

Satisfactorily created an argument   that growth in the European market can have a significant impact on current   earnings and profit for Amazon.com. Satisfactorily provided support for your   rationale.

Thoroughly created an argument   that growth in the European market can have a significant impact on current   earnings and profit for Amazon.com. Thoroughly provided support for your   rationale.

5. 2 references

Weight: 5%

No references provided

Does not meet the required number   of references; all references poor quality choices.

Does not meet the required number   of references; some references poor quality choices.

Meets number of required   references; all references high quality choices.

Exceeds number of required   references; all references high quality choices.

6. Clarity, writing mechanics, and   formatting requirements

Weight: 10%

More than 8 errors present

7-8 errors present

5-6 errors present

3-4 errors present

0-2 errors present