Question: Consider the debt ratio. Explain a position

> Zebra Company has incurred substantial financial losses in recent years. Because of its financial condition, the ability of the company to keep operating is in question. Management prepares a set of financial statements that conform to generally accepted

> Would you expect the profit margin in a quality jewelry store to differ from that of a grocery store? Comment.

> If profits as a percent of sales decline, what can be said about expenses?

> What is the advantage of segregating extraordinary items in the income statement?

> Profits might be compared with sales, assets, or stockholders’ equity. Why might all three bases be used? Will trends in these ratios always move in the same direction?

> Why can pro-forma financial information be misleading?

> Why may comprehensive income fluctuate substantially more than net income?

> Speculate on why accounting standards do not mandate full financial statements in interim reports.

> Since interim reports are not audited, they are not meaningful. Comment.

> G. Herrich Company and Thomas, Inc., are department stores. For the current year, they reported ante income after tax of $400,000 and $600,000, respectively. Is Thomas, Inc., a more profitable company than G. Herrich Company? Discuss.

> Explain how return on assets could decline, given an increase in net profit margin.

> A corporation like General Electric has many owners (stockholders). Which concept enables the accountant to account for transactions of General Electric separate and distinct from the personal transactions of the owners of General Electric?

> The following is a summary of the Perry Ellis international Inc Company’s significant accounting policies: The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Perry Ellis International, Inc. and its wholly-owned and controlled

> Why are equity earnings usually greater than cash flow generated from the investment? How can these equity earnings distort profitability analysis?

> What is the DuPont analysis, and how does it aid in financial analysis?

> The ratio return on assets has net income in the numerator and total assets in the denominator. Explain how each part of the ratio could cause return on assets to fall.

> How does operating income differ from net income? How do operating assets differ from total assets? What is the advantage in removing no operating items from the DuPont analysis?

> What is return on investment? What are some of the types of measures for return on investment? Why is the following ratio preferred? Why is the interest multiplied by (1 − Tax Rate)? Net Income Before Noncontrolling Interest and Non

> How is return on investment different from return on total equity? How does return on total equity differ from return on common equity?

> Capital leases that have not been capitalized will decrease the times interest earned ratio. Comment.

> For a given firm, would you expect the debt ratio to be as high as the debt/equity ratio? Explain.

> Is it feasible to get a precise measurement of the funds that could be available from long-term assets to pay long-term debts? Discuss.

> Why is it difficult to determine the value of assets?

> Identify the accounting principle(s) applicable to each of the following situations: a. Tim Roberts owns a bar and a rental apartment and operates a consulting service. He has separate financial statements for each. b. An advance collection for magazin

> Why should capitalized interest be added to interest expense when computing times interest earned?

> Would you expect an auto manufacturer to finance a relatively high proportion of its long-term funds from debt? Discuss.

> What type of times interest earned ratio would be desirable? What type would not be desirable?

> Comment on the significance of disclosing the fair value of financial instruments.

> Comment on the significance of disclosing the off-balance-sheet risk of accounting loss.

> Speculate on why the disclosure of the concentrations of credit risk is potentially important to the users of financial reports.

> Indicate why comparing firms for postretirement benefits other than pensions can be difficult.

> There is a chance that a company may be in a position to have large sums transferred from the pension fund to the company. Comment.

> Comment on the implications of relying on a greater proportion of short-term debt in relation to long-term debt.

> A firm has a high current debt/net worth ratio in relation to prior years, competitors, and the industry. Comment on what this tentatively indicates

> The president of your firm, Lesky and Lesky, has little background in accounting. Today, he walked into your office and said, “A year ago we bought a piece of land for $100,000. This year, inflation has driven prices up by 6%, and an appraiser just told

> What portion of net worth can the federal government require a company to use to pay for pension obligations?

> Indicate the risk to a company if it withdraws from a multiemployer pension plan or if the multiemployer pension plan is terminated.

> Why is the vesting provision an important provision of a pension plan? How has the Employee Retirement Income Security Act influenced vesting periods?

> Indicate the status of pension liabilities under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

> One of the ratios used to indicate long-term debt-paying ability compares total liabilities to total assets. What is the intent of this ratio? How precise is this ratio in achieving its intent?

> Discuss how noncash charges for depreciation, depletion, and amortization can be used to obtain a short run view of times interest earned.

> Would you expect a telephone company to have a high debt ratio? Discuss.

> List the two approaches to examining a firm’s long-term debt-paying ability. Discuss why each of these approaches gives an important view of a firm’s ability to carry debt.

> Is profitability important to a firm’s long-term debt paying ability? Discuss.

> When examining financial statements, a note that describes contingencies should be reviewed closely for possible significant liabilities that are not disclosed on the face of the balance sheet. Comment.

> How does the concept of consistency aid in the analysis of financial statements? What type of accounting disclosure is required if this concept is not applied?

> When a firm guarantees a bank loan for a joint venture in which it participates and the joint venture is handled as an investment, then the overall potential debt position will not be obvious from the face of the balance sheet. Comment.

> Explain why deferred taxes that are disclosed as long-term liabilities may not result in actual cash outlays in the future

> Consider the accounts of bonds payable and reserve for rebuilding furnaces. Explain how one of these accounts could be considered a firm liability and the other could be considered a soft liability.

> Operating leases are not reflected on the balance sheet, but they are reflected on the income statement in the rent expense. Comment on why an interest expense figure that relates to long-term operating leases should be considered when determining a fixe

> A firm with substantial leased assets that have not been capitalized may be overstating its long-term debt paying ability. Explain.

> How should lessees account for operating leases? Capital leases? Include both income statement and balance sheet accounts.

> Why is it important to compare long-term debt ratios of a given firm with industry averages?

> Explain how the debt/equity ratio indicates the same relative long-term debt-paying ability as does the debt ratio, only in a different form.

> A company that uses a natural business year, or ends its year when business is at a peak, will tend to distort the liquidity of its receivables when end-of-year and beginning-of-year receivables are used in the computation. Explain how a company that use

> Discuss the role of each of the following in the formulation of accounting principles: a. American Institute of Certified Public Accountants b. Financial Accounting Standards Board c. Securities and Exchange Commission

> List the two computations that are used to determine the liquidity of inventory.

> List the two computations that are used to determine the liquidity of receivables.

> Arrow Company has invested funds in a supplier to help ensure a steady supply of needed materials. Would this investment be classified as a marketable security (current asset)?

> Rachit Company has cash that has been frozen in a bank in Cuba. Should this cash be classified as a current asset? Discuss.

> List the major categories of items usually found in current assets.

> Define current assets.

> Define the operating cycle.

> Why does LIFO result in a very unrealistic ending inventory figure in a period of rising prices?

> Indicate the objective of the sales to working capital ratio.

> List three situations in which the liquidity position of the firm may be better than that indicated by the liquidity ratios.

> Name the type of opinion indicated by each of the following situations: a. There is a material uncertainty. b. There was a change in accounting principle. c. There is no material scope limitation or material departure from GAAP. d. The financial stat

> Indicate the single most important factor that motivates a company to select LIFO.

> Which inventory costing method results in the highest balance sheet amount for inventory? (Assume inflationary conditions.)

> Before computing the acid-test ratio, compute the accounts receivable turnover. Comment.

> Why could a current asset such as Net Assets of Business Held for Sale distort a firm’s liquidity, in terms of working capital or the current ratio?

> When a firm faces an inflationary condition and the LIFO inventory method is based on a periodic basis, purchases late in the year can have a substantial influence on profits. Comment.

> Does the allowance method for bad debts or the direct write-off method result in the fairest presentation of receivables on the balance sheet and the fairest matching of expenses against revenue?

> Is the profitability of the entity considered to be of major importance in determining the short-term debtpaying ability? Discuss.

> Define current liabilities.

> Define working capital.

> One of the computations used to determine the liquidity of inventory determines the inventory turnover. In this computation, usually the average inventory is determined by using the beginning-of-the-year and the end-of-theyear inventory figures, but this

> Answer the following multiple-choice questions: a. The following relate to Owens data in 2012. What is the ending inventory? Purchases …………………………..$580,000 Beginning inventory……………. 80,000 Purchase returns ………………….8,000 Sales …………………………………..900,000 Cost

> During times of inflation, which of the inventory costing methods listed below would give the most realistic valuation of inventory? Which method would give the least realistic valuation of inventory? Explain. a. LIFO b. Average c. FIFO

> The days’ sales in inventory is an estimate of the number of days that it will take to sell the current inventory. a. What is the ideal number of days’ sales in inventory? b. In general, does a company want many days’ sales in inventory? c. Can days’

> The number of days’ sales in inventory relates the amount of the ending inventory to the average daily cost of goods sold. Explain why this computation may be misleading under the following conditions: a. The company uses a natural business year for its

> Describe the difference in inventories between a firm that is a retail company and a firm that is a manufacturing concern.

> If a company has substantial cash sales and credit sales, is there any meaning to the receivable liquidity computations that are based on gross sales?

> Melcher Company uses the calendar year. Sales are at a peak during the holiday season, and T. Melcher Company extends 30-day credit terms to customers. Comment on the expected liquidity of its receivables, based on the days’ sales in receivables and the

> Would a company that uses a natural business year tend to overstate or understate the liquidity of its receivables? Explain

> A. B. Smith Company has guaranteed a $1 million bank note for Alender Company. How would this influence the liquidity ratios of A. B. Smith Company? How should this situation be considered?

> What is the reason for separating current assets from the rest of the assets found on the balance sheet?

> Jones Wholesale Company has been one of the fastest growing wholesale firms in the United States for the last five years in terms of sales and profits. The firm has maintained a current ratio above the average for the wholesale industry. Mr. Jones has as

> Answer the following multiple-choice questions: a. Which of the following items would be classified as operating revenue or expense on an income statement of a manufacturing firm? 1. Interest expense 2. Advertising expense 3. Equity income 4. Divide

> It is proposed at a stockholders’ meeting that the firm slow its rate of payments on accounts payable in order to make more funds available for operations. It is contended that this procedure will enable the firm to expand inventory, which will in turn e

> The cost of inventory at the close of the calendar year of the first year of operation is $40,000, using LIFO inventory, resulting in a profit before tax of $100,000. If the FIFO inventory would have been $50,000, what would the reported profit before ta

> List three situations in which the liquidity position of the firm may not be as good as that indicated by the liquidity ratios.

> A relatively low sale to working capital ratio is a tentative indication of an efficient use of working capital. Comment. A relatively high sale to working capital ratio is a tentative indication that the firm is undercapitalized. Comment.

> Before computing the current ratio, the accounts receivable turnover and the inventory turnover should be computed. Why?

> Would a firm with a relatively long operating cycle tend to charge a higher markup on its inventory cost than a firm with a short operating cycle? Discuss.

> Discuss why some firms have longer natural operating cycles than other firms.

> Discuss some benefits that may accrue to a firm from reducing its operating cycle. Suggest some ways that may be used to reduce a company’s operating cycle.

> In determining the short-term liquidity of a firm, the current ratio is usually considered to be a better guide than the acid-test ratio, and the acid-test ratio is considered to be a better guide than the cash ratio. Discuss when the acid-test ratio wou

> Both current assets and current liabilities are used in the computation of working capital and the current ratio, yet the current ratio is considered to be more indicative of the short-term debt-paying ability. Explain.

> The following information for Gaffney Corporation covers the year ended December 31, 2012: Required a. Will net income or comprehensive income tend to be more volatile? Comment. b. Which income figure will be used to compute earnings per share? c. Wha