The Data Institute Acquisition Manual

Volume 2

Up Overview Volume 1 Volume 2 Volume 3 Volume 4 Contents Notes

 

The Tactical & Strategic Company Report

Volume 2:

 

The Tactical Analysis of the Target Company

Volume 2

750 pages

   

The TACTICAL ANALYSIS undertakes an appraisal of the Target Company which is used to evaluate and forecast short term tactical issues & factors; plus highly detailed forecasts on the Company's sales, financial, operational & marketing performance during the next 7-14 years.

A DETAILED FORECAST

Turnover, Profitability, Productivity, Market Shares, Awareness + Perceptions, Rating, Sales, Advertising, Products, Competence, Quality, Pricing, Competitors, Performance, Superiority, Service, Customer Base, Costs, Margin, Distribution.

FINANCIAL FORECAST:  90 pages of Financial + Accounts Data.

OPERATIONAL FORECAST:  Operating Finances, Margins + Costs.

The Financial & Operational Data forecasts given make the following assumptions:-


1. Forecasts are based on an interaction of all external factors including:
a) Market Growth (Medium + Long Term),

b) Competitive Factors &

c) Industry Factors


2. Forecasts assume 'ceteris paribus' in terms of internal factors.


3. The forecast assumptions use Competitor databases to forecast changes in competitive situations which will affect the Company.

THE INDUSTRY: Figures given by EACH COUNTRY, STATE, REGION by YEAR. Structure: Concentration: Immediate Customer Base Profile: Employment: Cost Structure: Inventory Structure: Capital Expenditure Structure: Industry Finances.

MARKETING FORECASTS:  Marketing + Competitive Forecast & Analysis.

SHORT TERM STRATEGY + TACTICS: Product Markets, Product Conclusions, Product & Market Price, Segmentation, Quality, Availability, Performance Variances, Technological & Technical Factors, Service, Product Fragmentation, Distribution, Customer Factors, Psychographics, Market Stretching, Merchandising, Pricing, Selling, Marketing Back-up, Market-places, Customer Base, Distribution, Market Routes, Distribution Logistics, Control Systems, Distribution, Handling Costs, Advertising + Sales Promotion, End User Targets, End User Factors, End User Sectors, Joint Ventures, Short Term Investment.

COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS:  The basis of the Competitive analysis is the comparison of the Company and the competitors which exist in the major Trade Cell markets and industries in which the Company operates. The comparison is made in terms of the Strengths and Weaknesses of the Company and its major competitors who together account for 80% of the cumulative Market Share in the Trade Cell. The data is gained from research into the Company's Customer and Distribution Channel Bases as well as those of the other major competitors in each of the Trade Cell markets. The forecasted performance of the Company is a function of the Company's strengths and weaknesses in relation to that of its Competitors.

TACTICAL ANALYSIS: The tactical analysis is designed to review, analyse and isolate certain critical tactical questions which indicate the short term prospects for the Company. These issues are fundamental to the profitability of the Company and will indicate the performance during the next six years.

SHORT TERM TACTICAL ISSUES: A DATABASE analysis of various aspects of the Company's short term tactical issues and relative performance in the Market-Place. The data is given as a matrix by Subsidiary, Division, Unit or Market sector.

 

VOLUME 2.1  

7-14 YEARS of Forecast Data for the Company.

FINANCIAL + OPERATIONAL FORECAST FOR THE TARGET COMPANY

Total Sales; Domestic Sales; Exports; Pre-tax Profit; Interest Paid; Non-trading Income; Operating Profit; Depreciation; Trading Profit; Fixed Assets; Intangible Assets; Intermediate Assets; Total Fixed Assets; Stocks; Debtors; Other Current Assets; Total Current Assets; Total Assets; Creditors; Short Term Loans; Other Current Liabilities; Total Current Liabilities; Net Assets; Shareholders' Funds; Long Term Loans; Other Long Term Liabilities; Capital Employed; Directors' Remunerations; Employees' Remunerations; Total Employees

New Technology Expenditure; New Physical Process Technology Expenditure; Total Research & Development Expenditure; Plant & Equipment in Use in the range 0-3 years; Plant & Equipment in Use in the range 3-6 years; Plant & Equipment in Use in the range 6-9 years; Plant & Equipment in Use: 9+ years old; Plant & Equipment Investment greater than Depreciation; Plant & Equipment Investment Less than Depreciation; Capital Expenditure on Plant & Equipment; Capital Expenditure on Structures; Capital Expenditure - other.

Return on Capital; Return on Assets; Return on Shareholders' Funds; Pre-tax Profit Margins; Operating Profit Margin; Trading Profit Margin; Assets Utilization; Sales as a ratio of Fixed Assets; Stock Turnover; Credit Period; Creditors' Ratio; Working Capital / Sales; Current Ratio; Quick Ratio; Borrowing Ratio; Equity Ratio; Income Gearing; Total Debt as a ratio of Working Capital; Debt Gearing Ratio; Average Remuneration; Profit per Employee; Sales per Employee; Remunerations / Sales; Fixed Assets per Employee; Capital Employed per Employee; Total Assets per Employee; Exports as a % of Sales Materials & Energy Costs; Payroll Costs; Total Process Costs; Sales Costs; Distribution & Handling Costs; Advertising Costs; After-Sales Costs; Total Marketing Costs; Added Value

Capacity Utilization as a measure of Standard Capacity; Relative output of Products of a Superior Quality as a % of the Total; Product Pricing as a % of the Market Average; New Products as a % of the Total Output; Index of Comparative Salesforce & Selling Expenditure; Index of Comparative Advertising Expenditure; Index of Comparative General Promotional Expenditure; Wholesale Customers; End User Customers; OEM & Manufacturing Customers; Consumer & End User Customers; Governmental Customers; Non-Specific Customers.

VOLUME 2.2.1 

PRODUCT MARKETING FACTORS

Figures for Products are given:-
              by EACH COUNTRY / STATE / REGION
              by YEAR.

PRODUCT FACTORS:  Quality. Approvals. Design factors / design specifications. Physical criteria / physical parameters. R&D costs / development costs / customization. Technology / technology factors & development. Product life / longevity. Performance / product efficiency / product integrity. Reliability / product failure / product defects. Operating criteria / product operation or usage. Probability of technical development / technical. Product life cycle / product obsolescence.

MARKETING FACTORS:  Distribution / warehousing / handling costs. Costs/prices at supplier sale price. Costs/prices at end user / retail sale price. Stock availability / lead times / delivery. Sales promotion & sales costs. Advertising posture & advertising costs. Competition / competitors' aggressiveness & posture. Market share / relative market shares. Seasonality / cyclical demand / demand fluctuations. Sensitivity to economic climate & conditions. After-sales factors.

SUPPLIER FACTORS:  Processing / production / handling facilities & capacity. Processing/ handling capacity / flexibility of plant. Dependence on sub-contractors / in-house supplies. Technical capabilities / new product developments. Technological aptitude & innovations. Other capacity. Own buying influence / economies of scale. Alternative suppliers base. Commitment/capacity of other suppliers. Price advantages & pricing amongst other suppliers. Conditions of sale / terms of trading.

DISTRIBUTION / CUSTOMER INTERFACE FACTORS:  Technical / marketing capabilities & capacity. Distribution facilities & manpower availability. Commitment to other suppliers. Sales volumes / turnover required. Margins / added value. Captive customer base / customers handled. Area/s serviced & geographic coverage. Sales promotion / advertising / salesforce. Effects on existing products & customer base. Cash-flow requirements of distribution channel. Capital requirements.

CUSTOMER FACTORS:  Propensity to consume / demand factors. Product purchase background / past product purchase. Purchasing criteria - commercial. Purchasing criteria - motivational. Purchase price / acquisition costs / product costs. DMU susceptibility / customer awareness.

VOLUME 2.2.2

MARKET SEGMENTATION

Figures for Products are given:-
         by EACH COUNTRY / STATE / REGION

MARKET SEGMENTATION:  Pricing - lower price; pricing - higher price; availability - greater availability; availability - reduced availability; convenience factors; distribution factors; customer factors; Psychographics; branding; multi-branding; market stretching.

PRODUCT SEGMENTATION:  Quality - higher quality; quality - lower quality; performance variances; technological & technical factors; warranty variances; service factor variances; product fragmentation.

VOLUME 2.2.3

PRODUCT LAUNCH / REVISION DATA

Figures for Products are given:-
         by EACH COUNTRY / STATE / REGION
         by YEAR

PRODUCT LAUNCH / REVISION DATA:  By year. Adoption rates : product revisions

ADOPTION RATES: New products; conversion ratios : product revisions; conversion ratios : new products

POTENTIAL FIRST YEAR GROWTH:  Product revisions; potential first year growth : new products.

VOLUME 2.2.4

PRODUCT MARKETING COSTS

Figures for Products are given:-
       by EACH COUNTRY / STATE / REGION
       by YEAR.

MARKETING COSTS: BY YEAR:  Sales & selling costs. Sales & selling costs : during product launch. Distribution / warehousing / handling / processing costs. Distribution / warehousing / handling / processing costs : during product launch. Advertising / promotional costs. Advertising / promotional costs : during product launch. After-sales costs. After-sales costs : during product launch. Total marketing costs. Total marketing costs : during product launch.

VOLUME 2.3

TACTICAL PRODUCT PROFILES

Tactical Product Profiles consists of a breakdown giving data for each Product covered in the report.

TACTICAL PRODUCT PROFILES:     Product figures are given:-
                                      by EACH COUNTRY / STATE
                                      by EACH PRODUCT Group
                                      by YEAR 1997-2016 + PRODUCT data & forecasts

VOLUME 2.4 

TACTICAL PRODUCT SUMMARY

The PRODUCT SUMMARY section provides an overview for each Product Sector in the Present & Medium-Term.

MARKET GROWTH RATES: Average Annual Growth Rate to 2016;

MARKETING COSTS: % of Turnover: ~ Sales & selling costs ~ Handling costs ~ Advertising costs ~ After-sales costs ~ Marketing costs;

INVESTMENT: INVESTMENT % of Turnover ~ New technology investment ~ Process technology investment;

PLANT & EQUIPMENT: % of Total P&E by Age groups;

P&E INVESTMENT:  % of Companies by Depreciation levels;

INDUSTRY FINANCIAL DATA:  Profit/ total asset ~ Profit/ sales ~ Sales/ total assets ~ Profit/ capital employed ~ Sales/ employee remunerations ~ Capital employed/ remunerations ~ Sales/ stocks ~ Current ratio ~ Credit taken;

INDUSTRY PROFILE: INDUSTRY CONCENTRATION % OF TOTAL REVENUE by Company size ranges;

CUSTOMER BASE PROFILE: % OF TOTAL REVENUE ~ Wholesale ~ End User ~ OEM + trade buyers ~ Government ~ Other customers;

COST STRUCTURE: % OF TOTAL REVENUE ~ Payroll ~ Materials ~ Value added;

INVENTORY STRUCTURE: % OF TOTAL REVENUE ~ Total inventory ~ Finished products ~ Work in progress ~ Materials;

CAPITAL EXPENDITURE: % OF TOTAL REVENUE ~ Total capital expenditure ~ Plant & equipment ~ Structures ~ Other expenditure.

COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

     The general basis of the following analysis is the comparison of the Company and the various competitors which exist in the major Trade Cell markets and industries in which the Company operates. The comparison is made in terms of the Strengths and Weaknesses of the Company and its major competitors who together account for 80% of the cumulative Market Share in the Trade Cell.

     The data is gained from research into the Company's Customer and Distribution Channel Bases as well as those of the other major competitors in each of the Trade Cell markets. The forecasted performance of the Company is a function of that company's strengths and weaknesses in relation to that of its competitors. This function and the conclusions thereof drawn are projected from the various forecasts contained below.

PRESENTATION OF THE ANALYSIS

     This section analyses some 180 major items in relation to product and market sectors. Thus some 2700 competitive considerations and issues are discussed and analysed. Clearly it would be extremely difficult, and indeed overwhelming in length, to produce this analysis only in prose and thus the data is presented in terms of a database analysis.

In order to interpret this presentation it is necessary to understand the various factors being considered in the analysis:-

1. The relative strength, weakness and performance of the Company in terms of all relevant product and market sectors.

2. The relative strengths, weaknesses and performance of the competitors in terms of all relevant product and market sectors.

3. The average strengths, weaknesses and performance of the competitors in terms of all relevant product and market sectors.

4. The Market and Industry in which the Company operates and the prevailing norms and expectations.

5. All the above factors when forecast individually, in relation to the Products, Markets and Industries, are projected in the Medium Term.

VOLUME 2.5.1

ADVERTISING + MARKETING APPRAISAL CURRENT STANDING

This section covers each of the Major Products offered by the Company as well as Product Groups and Product Areas covered by the Company.

PRODUCT & MARKET SECTOR COVERAGE: Overall awareness by customers ~ Overall reputation ~ Reputation of products ~ Reputation of product quality ~ Reputation of service provided ~ Reputation of customer handling ~ Rating of overall sales promotion activity ~ Rating of advertising ~ Rating of sales personnel ~ Rating of sales print ~ Rating of product availability ~ Rating of product specifications ~ Rating of on-time delivery ~ Rating of complete order delivery ~ Rating of order handling ~ Rating of ability to supply ~ Rating of marketing competence ~ Rating of marketing awareness ~ Rating of marketing technology ~ Rating of promotional documentation ~ Rating of promotional + sales decay ~ Rating of advertising competence ~ Perception of product pricing ~ Product superiority ~ Customer service ~ Prompt delivery ~ Service promptness ~ Service levels ~ Service procedures ~ Service convenience ~ Product delivery system ~ Flexibility of customer handling ~ Perceptions of terms of trading ~ Initial contact ~ Order handling staff ~ Sales staff ~ Administration staff ~ Sales management ~ Sales personnel ~ Upstream sales integration ~ Downstream promotional integration ~ Captive sales channels ~ Reliance on selling outlets ~ Utilization of other promotional effort ~ Benefits of other marketing ~ Captive customer bases ~ Warehousing & handling ~ Packing & packaging ~ Sales activity ~ Product availability ~ Customer satisfaction ~ Location of customers ~ Captiveness of the customer base ~ Customer base loyalty ~ Concentration of purchases ~ Purchase frequency ~ Order size ~ Customer servicing ~ Seasonality ~ Advertising & sales promotion ~ Marketing ~ Sales promotion ~ Salesforce ~ Advertising ~ Pricing policy ~ Economic conditions ~ Relative marketing effort ~ Reaction to competitors ~ New competitors ~ Prices at MSP ~ Price increases ~ Prices at RSP ~ Market share

VOLUME 2.5.2 

CURRENT ENVIRONMENT

This section covers each of the Major Subsidiaries, Divisions and Operations (which comprises the Company) as well as Geographic Market areas covered by the Company.

CORPORATE COVERAGE: Physical marketing difficulties ~ Physical marketing capacity ~ Physical advertising capacity ~ Flexibility of advertising response ~ Ability to vary marketing effort ~ Customer handling systems & equipment~ Advertising + marketing materials acquisition & sources ~ Advertising & marketing materials stock levels ~ Dependence on advertising + marketing contractors & agents ~ Advertising buying influence ~ Sales manpower availability ~ Sales staff relations ~ Pressure of salesforce wage rises ~ Relative sales payroll levels ~ Relative sales incentive levels ~ Salesforce technical capabilities ~ Marketing materials stock levels ~ Variable marketing costs ~ Fixed marketing costs ~ Marketing payroll costs ~ Direct marketing costs relative to competitors ~ Product development costs ~ Quality ~ Product specifications ~ Design ~ Operating criteria ~ Product efficiency ~ Product reliability ~ Product longevity ~ Product life cycle ~ Product customization ~ Product technology ~ Product usage ~ Management strengths: senior marketing personnel ~ Management strengths: salesforce managers ~ Management strengths: sales & marketing staff ~ Management strengths: customer handling managers ~ Management strengths: technical aptitude ~ Management strengths: customer handling reliability ~ Upstream marketing strategies ~ Downstream marketing tactics ~ Captive marketing channels ~ Dependence on external marketing ~ Dependence on external promotion ~ Dependence on external marketing support ~ Dependence on customers attitudes ~ Warehousing & handling ~ Packing & packaging ~ Distribution ~ Product availability ~ Order processing ~ Location of customers ~ Dependence on customer base ~ Captive customer base ~ Concentration of customers ~ Product usage frequency ~ Order value ~ Relative customer servicing ~ Seasonality of demand ~ Advertising & sales promotion ~ Marketing costs ~ Sales promotion costs ~ Selling costs ~ Advertising costs ~ Competitors' pricing policy ~ Sensitivity to economic conditions ~ Relative marketing spend ~ Competitors' aggressiveness ~ Entry of new competitors ~ Prices at MSP ~ Price increases at MSP ~ Prices at RSP ~ Market share.

VOLUME 2.6.1

COMPANY SHORT-TERM COMPETITIVE ISSUES

CORPORATE COVERAGE:

THIS SECTION COMPARES THE COMPANY WITH THEIR MAJOR COMPETITORS WITHIN THE TRADE CELL: Overall awareness by customers ~ Overall reputation ~ Reputation of products ~ Reputation of product quality ~ Reputation of service provided ~ Reputation of customer handling ~ Rating of overall sales promotion activity ~ Rating of advertising ~ Rating of sales personnel ~ Rating of sales print ~ Rating of product availability ~ Rating of product specifications ~ Rating of on-time delivery ~ Rating of complete order delivery ~ Rating of order handling ~ Rating of ability to supply ~ Rating of marketing competence ~ Rating of marketing awareness ~ Rating of marketing technology ~ Rating of promotional documentation ~ Rating of promotional + sales decay ~ Rating of advertising competence ~ Perception of product pricing ~ Product superiority ~ Customer service ~ Prompt delivery ~ Service promptness ~ Service levels ~ Service procedures ~ Service convenience ~ Product delivery system ~ Flexibility of customer handling ~ Perceptions of terms of trading ~ Initial contact ~ Order handling staff ~ Sales staff ~ Administration staff ~ Sales management ~ Sales personnel ~ Upstream sales integration ~ Downstream promotional integration ~ Captive sales channels ~ Reliance on selling outlets ~ Utilization of other promotional effort ~ Benefits of other marketing ~ Captive customer bases ~ Warehousing & handling ~ Packing & packaging ~ Sales activity ~ Product availability ~ Customer satisfaction ~ Location of customers ~ Captiveness of the customer base ~ Customer base loyalty ~ Concentration of purchases ~ Purchase frequency ~ Order size ~ Customer servicing ~ Seasonality ~ Advertising & sales promotion ~ Marketing ~ Sales promotion ~ Salesforce ~ Advertising ~ Pricing policy ~ Economic conditions ~ Relative marketing effort ~ Reaction to competitors ~ New competitors ~ Prices at MSP ~ Price increases ~ Prices at RSP ~ Market share.

VOLUME 2.6.2

COMPANY SHORT-TERM COMPETITIVE CONSIDERATIONS

CORPORATE COVERAGE: 

THIS SECTION COMPARES THE COMPANY WITH THEIR MAJOR COMPETITORS WITHIN THE TRADE CELL:  Physical marketing difficulties ~ Physical marketing capacity ~ Physical advertising capacity ~ Flexibility of advertising response ~ Ability to vary marketing effort ~ Customer handling systems & equipment ~ Advertising + marketing materials acquisition & sources ~ Advertising & marketing materials stock levels ~ Dependence on advertising + marketing contractors & agents ~ Advertising buying influence ~ Sales manpower availability ~ Sales staff relations ~ Pressure of salesforce wage rises ~ Relative sales payroll levels ~ Relative sales incentive levels ~ Salesforce technical capabilities ~ Marketing materials stock levels ~ Variable marketing costs ~ Fixed marketing costs ~ Marketing payroll costs ~ Direct marketing costs relative to competitors ~ Product development costs ~ Quality ~ Product specifications ~ Design ~ Operating criteria ~ Product efficiency ~ Product reliability ~ Product longevity ~ Product life cycle ~ Product customization ~ Product technology ~ Product usage ~ Management strengths: senior marketing personnel ~ Management strengths: salesforce managers ~ Management strengths: sales & marketing staff ~ Management strengths: customer handling managers ~ Management strengths: technical aptitude ~ Management strengths: customer handling reliability ~ Upstream marketing strategies ~ Downstream marketing tactics ~ Captive marketing channels ~ Dependence on external marketing ~ Dependence on external promotion ~ Dependence on external marketing support ~ Dependence on customers attitudes ~ Warehousing & handling ~ Packing & packaging ~ Distribution ~ Product availability ~ Order processing ~ Location of customers ~ Dependence on customer base ~ Captive customer base ~ Concentration of customers ~ Product usage frequency ~ Order value ~ Relative customer servicing ~ Seasonality of demand ~ Advertising & sales promotion ~ Marketing costs ~ Sales promotion costs ~ Selling costs ~ Advertising costs ~ Competitors' pricing policy ~ Sensitivity to economic conditions ~ Relative marketing spend ~ Competitors' aggressiveness ~ Entry of new competitors ~ Prices at MSP ~ Price increases at MSP ~ Prices at RSP ~ Market share.

TACTICAL ANALYSIS

TACTICAL ANALYSIS

The tactical analysis is designed to review, analyse and isolate certain critical tactical questions which indicate the short term prospects for the Company. These issues are fundamental to the profitability of the Company and will indicate the company's performance during the next few years.

Profitability ~ Productivity ~ Market Shares ~ Customers' Awareness ~ Customers' Perceptions ~ Customers' Rating of Sales Promotion Activity ~ Customers' Rating of Advertising Posture ~ Customers' Rating of Product Availability ~ Customers' Rating of Technical Competence ~ Customers' Awareness of Products ~ Customers' Awareness of Product Quality ~ Customers' Awareness of Product Pricing ~ Customers' Perception of Pricing Relative to Competitors ~ Customers' Perception of Quality Relative to Competitors ~ Customers' Perception of Relative Product Performance ~ Customers' Perception of Relative Technical Superiority ~ Customers' Perception of Relative Service Factors ~ Current Customer Base ~ Annual Sales of Products & Services ~ Current Sales ~ Costs & Margins ~ Distribution Channels & Networks ~ Pre-Tax Profit / Total Assets ~ Pre-Tax Profit / Sales ~ Pre-Tax Profit / Capital Employed ~ Pre-Tax Profit Per Employee ~ Investment / Sales ~ Receivables / Sales ~ Inventory / Sales ~ Physical Process Costs / Sales ~ Total Marketing Costs / Sales ~ R&D Expenditure / Sales ~ Added Value ~ Capacity Utilization ~ Relative Product Quality ~ Relative Product Pricing ~ Competitors ~ Competitors' Strength ~ New Products ~ Product Life Cycle ~ New Product Horizons ~ Relative Competitive Sales-Force Expenditure ~ Relative Competitive Advertising Expenditure ~ Relative Competitive Promotional Expenditure.

SHORT TERM TACTICAL ISSUES

SHORT TERM TACTICAL ISSUES

This section has a DATABASE analysis of the various aspects of the Company's short term tactical issues and relative performance in the Market-Place. The data is given as a matrix by Subsidiary, Division, Unit or Market sector.

Market Values for the Company

Conclusions on the Company's Products

Product & Market Segmentation: Pricing, Quality, Availability, Performance Variances, Technological & Technical Factors, Warranty Variances, Service Factors, Product Fragmentation, Convenience Factors, Distribution Factors, Customer Factors, Psychographics, Branding, Multi-Branding, Market Stretching

Merchandising

Pricing & Pricing Structures: Recommendations on Pricing

Salesforce Requirements: Comments on Salesforce & Recommendations

Marketing Back-up for Salesforce & Distribution Networks

The Market-Place for the Company: Customer Base -v- Distribution Channels

Routes to the Company's Market: Distribution Recommendations

Distribution Logistics & Distribution Support Systems: The Distribution Control System - Facilities, Network, et cetera

Distribution & Handling Costs

Inventory & Sales/Stock Levels & Norms

Buying & Service Promptness Norms

Warranty & After-Sales Services: Warranty & After-Sales Cost: Rating of the Company's Warranty & After-Sales Services

Advertising & Sales Promotion: Advertising & Sales Promotion Costs

End User Targets, End User Factors

Relative Quality Demanded by End User Sectors

Branding & the Company's Products

Joint Ventures for the Company

Short Term Investment Areas for the Company.


 

 

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