Research Paper on:
BANK OF AMERICA: ANALYSIS

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
of America Corp. (BoA) is a good investment for her fund and its investors. According to Hoovers analyst Diane Ramirez, BoA is  large in many respects. Headquartered in Charlotte, NC, the company is one of the largest banks in the United States, based on assets, and has one of the countrys most  extensive branch network (to the tune of some 6,000 throughout the U.S. and abroad) (Ramirez, 2011). Furthermore, its 2009 purchase of Merrill Lynch has made BoA one of the worlds  leading wealth managers - it has more than $2 trillion under management (Ramirez, 2011). Still, despite its huge size, this is a company  that is undergoing some struggles. The credit freeze of late 2008, combined with acquisitions of Countrywide (2007) and Merrill Lynch (2009) continue to give this companys executives headaches. As well  see in the SWOT analysis and discussion afterward, there are good points and not so good points to being the big guy in town. SWOT Analysis Strengths  Weaknesses * Return to health. Though "toxic" mortgages continue to be a problem, other BoA businesses are becoming healthier (Sinegal, 2011). * Large nationwide network. The companys sheer size  is good news for consumers - and helps when it comes to developing and maintaining a competitive advantage. * Diverse products. Hoover analyst Diane Ramirezs comment of "Welcome to  the machine" is apt, but in this case, diverse products helps prevent over-dependence on a single one. * Globally leading franchises. This helps boost economies of scale, while  diversified revenue streams help stabilize earnings and revenue (Bank of America Corporation, 2011). * Acquisitions. Though Countrywide continues to give the company headaches, the Merrill Lynch acquisition has helped