Assignment Brief
Module Code
& Title
Quantitative Methods
Assessment
Type
Report
Word Count
1500 words (+/- 10%)
Deadline
The final report must be submitted via Turnitin on Moodle on Monday 16th March 2026 by 23:30.
Submit a draft on 18th February 2026, by 23:30 on Moodle.
Weighting
100%
Alternative assessment
Alternative assessment arrangements may be made where students are unable to undertake an assessment in its standard form. However, these will only be implemented upon the advice of Student Services. Students wishing to be considered for alternative assessment arrangements must give notification in writing (with evidence) to Student Services. Please ask the UGIC
Welfare Officer, your personal tutor or your programme coordinator for help if you require alternative assessment arrangements.
This assessment covers the following module learning outcomes:
Apply basic quantitative methods in the analysis of problems arising in a business management context Use computer packages to support completion of the tasks set Use quantitative techniques to carry out an investigation into a financial problem put in the form of a case study Write an effective report Assignment Brief:
As a junior equity analyst, your task is to assist the fund manager in evaluating the share price performance of companies that are publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange. (Select from the list at the end of this assignment brief)
This involves conducting a comprehensive assessment of the various factors that influence stock prices, including financial performance, market trends, economic conditions, competitive landscape, and other relevant variables that may impact investor sentiment and market perception.
To fulfil this task, you are required to select a company from the list provided in the appendix.
Once a company has been chosen, you should undertake a thorough analysis of its share price performance, identifying key drivers and events that have contributed to its historical trends.
Your report should also consider external and internal factors that might have influenced the company’s market performance, such as changes in industry dynamics, macroeconomic shifts, regulatory developments, or company-specific news and financial disclosures.
You are expected to compile your findings into a detailed report of 1500 words (+/- 10%), adhering to the specific guidelines outlined below. Your report should be structured to provide a clear, well-supported analysis that will aid the fund manager in making informed investment decisions.
Introduction (100 words) Stock Selection and Rationale (100 words): Select a company listed in appendix. Provide a rationale for the stock selection, considering industry trends, market conditions, or any other relevant factors.
Data Collection and Compilation (100 words): Collect monthly closing prices of your chosen stock and calculate the monthly changes in prices. Total number of observations should be at least 60. Briefly describe the process of collecting and organising historical stock data.
Descriptive Statistics and Trend Analysis (200- 300 words): Calculate and analyse descriptive statistics for the change in stock prices, including mean, median, standard deviation, and any other relevant metrics. Utilise charts to visually represent trends over the selected time period.
Correlation and Regression Analysis (200- 300 words): Choose one external factor (e.g. stock index, interest rate, economic data, etc) and examine correlations between the stock`s performance and the factor. Explain the rationale of the external factor chosen.
Conduct regression analysis to model the stock`s performance based on the selected external factors (independent variable). Interpret the result.
Hypothesis Testing (100-200 words): Your fund manager expects you to test one of the following:
i) whether the correlation coefficient you estimated in part 5 is statistically significant
ii) whether the average monthly stock price change is above zero.
Perform the hypothesis testing following the steps discussed in class, using a significant level of 5%.
Discussion and Interpretation (200-300 words): Discuss the implications of descriptive statistics, trend analysis, correlation, regression, and hypothesis testing results.
Recommendations and Future Outlook (100-200 words): Provide actionable recommendations for potential investors based on the analysis.
Discuss potential future trends or events that may impact your selected stock.
Conclusion (50 words): Summarise key insights and reflect briefly on the significance of findings.
References You must use the two suggested books (see moodle and handbook):
Barrow, M 2017, Statistics for Economics, Accounting and Business Studies, Pearson Education, Limited, Harlow.
(https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/gre/detail.action?docID=5186281)
Groebner, D, Shannon, P, & Fry, P 2018, Business Statistics, Global Edition, Pearson Education, Limited, Harlow.
(https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/gre/detail.action?docID=5186156).
You can use the selected company’s website and published financial reports.Any additional academic sources must be approved by your tutor. All sources of material used must be properly referenced. Use Harvard referencing. Minimum 5 sources should be used and maximum 7.
Appendix: Include an appendix with screenshots of MS Excel files used for analysis.
Ensure proper organisation, clear labels, and comments within the spreadsheet.
Submission
Format Calibri or Arial, font size 12 (sub-headings, titles allow up to size 14), justified ,
with 1.5 spacing and page numbers (bottom right footer)
All sources of material used must be properly referenced and cited using the
Harvard method of referencing.
You will submit your work on Moodle on the above-mentioned date.
Upload an MS Word file using the UGIC naming convention:
ACCO1169 – Report-00XXXXXXX (where XXXXXXX indicates the last 7 digits of your student number).
DO NOT write your name on your assignment or include it in the file name.
Artificial Intelligence The university believes that artificial intelligence (AI) can be a very useful tool to aid learning, and its effective, responsible use is likely to be a desired trait for employers. However, its use must be guided by principles of academic integrity and with awareness of the risks it poses, when not used with care.
Please append this page to the end of your assignment when you have used AI during the process of undertaking the assignment to acknowledge the ways in which you have used it.
All submissions must include the AI Declaration: https://www.gre.ac.uk/docs/rep/sas/declaration-of-ai-use
Misuse of AI tools is a serious academic offence that can result in failure of the assignment and failure of the module. Repeated misuse may result in failure of the year.
This assignment has been designed to encourage you to use and demonstrate your own research, analytic, and writing skills. Other than in-built spelling and grammar checks (e.g. as in MS Word or LibreOffice word processing software) you should not need to use any AI tools to complete the assignment.
Late submission Submissions received up to two working days after the deadline but before 23:30 are marked and graded normally. Submissions received up to 10 working days after the original deadline and before 23:30 will be marked and graded as late work and will be capped at 40% unless subject to a successful claim for Extenuating Circumstances.
Submissions received after 23:30 more than 10 working days after the submission date will not be marked. For queries relating to late submissions, please email the module leader.
Assessment Criteria: Please see the next section on assignment submitted on moodle:
What happens next:
Your paper will be marked and we will endeavour to return your grade and feedback within three working weeks via Moodle.
Grades are provisional until confirmed by the Progression and Award Board.
Students who fail a module may be permitted to resubmit the assignment at a later date provided that the student is in good standing, subject to official academic policy. Students who are required to resubmit assignments or repeat modules will be advised after the Progression and Awards Board
See Appendix for List of Organisations for the Assignment below in the next page
All companies are UK-based and listed on the LSE Main Market or AIM, and are broadly small-cap by UK standards.
Industrial Services & Equipment Hire
Construction, infrastructure & industrial support
Speedy Hire plc (Main) Vp plc (Main) Ashtead Technology Holdings plc (AIM) Restore plc (Main) Marlowe plc (Main) Vp Hire Station (division-level comparison) Retail – UK Consumer & High Street
Brick-and-mortar and omnichannel retail
Card Factory plc (Main) WH Smith plc (Main, small-cap end) Superdry plc (Main) Quiz plc (AIM) Motorpoint Group plc (Main) The Works Stores Group plc (Main) Consumer Goods – Personal Care & Brands
Everyday consumer and discretionary brands
PZ Cussons plc (Main) Warpaint London plc (AIM) Creightons plc (AIM) Revolution Beauty Group plc (AIM) McBride plc (Main) SigmaRoc plc (brand-led materials comparison) (Main) Healthcare Products & Diagnostics
Non-pharmaceutical healthcare
Tristel plc (Main) EKF Diagnostics Holdings plc (AIM) Genedrive plc (AIM) Shield Therapeutics plc (AIM) Synairgen plc (AIM) Abingdon Health plc (AIM) Technology – Software & SaaS
Recurring revenue, B2B technology
Cerillion plc (AIM) Idox plc (AIM) Accesso Technology Group plc (AIM) Kainos Group plc (lower-end mid/small cap) (Main) Tracsis plc (AIM) Learning Technologies Group plc (AIM) Telematics, Data & Transport Tech
Fleet management, analytics, and logistics tech
Quartix Technologies plc (AIM) Microlise Group plc (AIM) Journeo plc (AIM) Seeing Machines Ltd (AIM) TPXimpact Holdings plc (AIM) Craneware plc (data-driven services) (AIM) Financial & Professional Services
Advisory, restructuring, asset management
Begbies Traynor Group plc (AIM) FRP Advisory Group plc (AIM) Foresight Group Holdings plc (AIM) Brooks Macdonald Group plc (AIM) Canaccord Genuity Group Inc (UK-listed) (Main) MJ Hudson Group plc (historical comparison case) Property & Real-Estate Related
Property exposure without being large housebuilders
Foxtons Group plc (Main) LXI REIT plc (Main) Safestore Holdings plc (Main) Workspace Group plc (small-cap end) (Main) Assura plc (healthcare property) (Main) Target Healthcare REIT plc (Main) Electrical, Infrastructure & Engineering Products
Energy transition & infrastructure demand
Luceco plc (Main) Dialight plc (Main) Morgan Advanced Materials plc (Main) Smiths News plc (logistics/infrastructure link) (Main) Vp plc (specialist divisions) Renew Holdings plc (Main) Sustainability, Environmental & Services
Regulation-driven and ESG-linked businesses
Renew Holdings plc (Main) Centrica Business Solutions (peer comparison) James Fisher and Sons plc (Main) Vp plc – Renewable services angle Time Out Group plc (services comparison) (Main) Treatt plc (natural ingredients) (Main)
