Final answer:
To compute the Z-scores for S & P retailers, identify the relevant retailers, calculate EBIT, and determine the Z-score. Use a data visualization package to find the firm with the highest Z-score in 2018.
Step-by-step explanation:
To compute the Z-scores for all S & P retailers for all years in the data set, you need to follow these steps:
- Identify the retailers with 3-digit NAICS codes from 443 to 454.
- Calculate the EBIT (Earnings Before Interest and Taxes) for each year using the formula: EBIT = Pretax Income + Interest and Related Expenses.
- For each retailer and year, calculate the Z-score using the formula: Z-score = (EBIT - Mean EBIT) / Standard Deviation EBIT.
To find the firm with the highest Z-score in 2018, use a data visualization package like Power BI or Tableau to plot the Z-scores for all firms and identify the one with the highest value.