Need business and finance help with a Discussion response to 3 attached financial analysis projects

Provide a 2-3 paragraph discussion response on each attached topic:  The discussion should be a response to the files attached (provide works cited if used). 

1. Under Armour VS Adidas

2. McDonald’s VS Burger King

3. Fedex VS UPS

*Here is an example of a discussion response, please provide something similar- (thought provoking): 

Very nice presentation on The Home Depot VS Lowe’s.  One thing I noticed, was that the cost of depreciation was about the same regardless of net income.  Is this because of how each company’s business models are aligned.  THD wants to improve the supply chain, and from my recent experience seems to stock a lot less in stores.  It feels like they are moving to a zero inventory system.  While Lowes, on the other hand is customer service-based, with perhaps more in-store offerings.  This very idea seems to contradict itself.  Just the other night (and on several occasions in the recent past) I venture to Home Depot only to find out they do not have what I am looking for in the store.  But, they can get it for me.  They’ll even ship it to my house for free.  So I decide to drive the extra 10 minutes to Lowes to find what I am looking for and typically problem is solved.  Logically it would seem like Lowes would generate more consumer revenue, but, according to your analysis, it’s actually the contrary.  Is this due to the contractor market.  I know that both companies do contractor supply.  Is THD more contractor-focused or, does it simply manage it’s property, plant, and equipment better?  Or does Lowes have a lot of old properties that it has to account for?  It seems like it would be a concern.

I also noted that THD has much larger accounts payable.  Is this due to a just in time style inventory?  Whatever they are doing seems to be working.  What future plans does Lowes have to stay competetive?

A few aesthetic things I noticed, the finance sheets are hard to follow broken up on multiple pages, BUT I know it’s hard to get them on one page.  Regarding the ROA’s, I get that THD invests their money “better” than Lowes, but where is that money going?  If I were picking between these two companies I would want to know how they make their money, so I could better judge the likelihood that each business model would continue to be successful.  

Overall, fantastic.  You did a great job at explaining the numbers (better than I could) in so far as this + this = that.  But, what do the numbers mean? What does THD invest their money in to generate better returns than Lowes?  Do both companies contract their lumber, or does one company own the lumber segment cradle-to-grave?  How does this tie to their social responsibility?  Do both companies deal in “well-managed” lumber?”  These are things I would also want to know If I were choosing between two companies to invest in, and had a reputation to protect.  Both companies look like decent investing options, but I would not want to tie my name with the company that was destroying what little natural rain forest there is left.

discussion_rubric.docx

armour_vs_adidas.doc

mcdonaldsvsburgerking.pptx

fedexvsups.docx