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Okay. Last fall, someone with a long memory and an even longer arm reached into that bureau drawer and came out with a moldy cheese sandwich and the equally moldy notion of corporate forecasts. We tried to find out what happened to the cheese sandwich—but, rats!, even recourse to the Freedom of Information Act didn’t help. However, the forecast proposal was dusted off, polished up and found quite serviceable. The SEC, indeed, lost no time in running it up the old flagpole—but no one was very eager to salute. Even after some of the more objectionable features—compulsory corrections and detailed explanations of why the estimates went awry—were peeled off the original proposal.

Seemingly, despite the Commission’s smiles and sweet talk, those craven corporations were still afraid that an honest mistake would lead them down the primrose path to consent decrees and class action suits. To lay to rest such qualms, the Commission last week approved a “Safe Harbor” rule that, providing the forecasts were made on a reasonable basis and in good faith, protected corporations from litigation should the projections prove wide of the mark (as only about 99% are apt to do).

Instructions

  1. What are the arguments for preparing profit forecasts?

Short Answer

Expert verified

Profit forecasting helps in planning the company's growth strategy.

Step by step solution

01

Meaning of Profit Forecast

Profit forecasting refers to the estimate of future earnings after taking into account all of the elements that influence the magnitude of a company's profits, such as pricing policies, costing policies, and depreciation policies, among others.

02

Explaining the arguments for-profit forecasting

Arguments for mandating projections to be disclosed include:

  1. Investment decisions are founded on future expectations; hence, knowing what to expect in the future can help you make better judgments.
  2. Forecasts are already being passed about informally, but they are unregulated, usually inaccurate, and may not be available to all investors equally. This jumbled issue has to be straightened up.
  3. As circumstances change so quickly these days, prior data is no longer a reliable predictor.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

(Post-Balance-Sheet Events) For each of the following subsequent (post-balance-sheet) events, indicate whether a company should (a) adjust the financial statements, (b) disclose in notes to the financial statements, or (c) neither adjust nor disclose.

  1. Settlement of federal tax case at a cost considerably in excess of the amount expected at year-end.
  2. Introduction of a new product line.
  3. Loss of assembly plant due to fire.
  4. Sale of a significant portion of the company’s assets.
  5. Retirement of the company president.
  6. Prolonged employee strike.
  7. Loss of a significant customer.
  8. Issuance of a significant number of shares of common stock.
  9. Material loss on a year-end receivable because of a customer’s bankruptcy.
  10. Hiring of a new president.
  11. Settlement of prior year’s litigation against the company (no loss was accrued).
  12. Merger with another company of comparable size.

Answer each of the questions in the following unrelated situations.

b) A company had an average inventory last year of $200,000 and its inventory turnover was 5. If sales volume and unit cost remain the same this year as last and inventory turnover is 8 this year, what will average inventory have to be during the current year?

Cineplex Corporation is a diversified company that operates in five different industries: A, B, C, D, and E. The following information relating to each segment is available for 2018.

A

B

C

D

E

Sales revenue

\(40,000

\)75,000

\(580,000

\)35,000

\(55,000

Cost of goods sold

19,000

50,000

270,000

19,000

30,000

Operating expenses

10,000

40,000

235,000

12,000

18,000

Total expenses

29,000

90,000

505,000

31,000

48,000

Operating profit (loss)

\)11,000

\((15,000)

\)75,000

\(4,000

\)7,000

Identifiable assets

\(35,000

\)80,000

\(500,000

\)65,000

\(50,000

Sales of segments B and C included intersegment sales of \)20,000 and $100,000, respectively.

Instructions

(a) Determine which of the segments are reportable based on the:

2) Operating profit (loss) test.

Answer each of the questions in the following unrelated situations.

a) The current ratio of a company is 5:1 and its acid-test ratio is 1:1. If the inventories and prepaid items amount to $500,000, what is the amount of current liabilities?

(Ratio Computations and Additional Analysis) Bradburn Corporation was formed 5 years ago through a public subscription of common stock. Daniel Brown, who owns 15% of the common stock, was one of the organizers of Bradburn and is its current president. The company has been successful, but it currently is experiencing a shortage of funds. On June 10, 2018, Daniel Brown approached the Topeka National Bank, asking for a 24-month extension on two \(35,000 notes, which are due on June 30, 2018, and September 30, 2018. Another note of \)6,000 is due on March 31, 2019, but he expects no difficulty in paying this note on its due date. Brown explained that Bradburn’s cash flow problems are due primarily to the company’s desire to finance a \(300,000 plant expansion over the next 2 fiscal years through internally generated funds. The commercial loan officer of Topeka National Bank requested the following financial reports for the last 2 fiscal years

BRADBURN CORPORATION

BALANCE SHEET

MARCH 31

Assets

2018

2017

Cash

\) 18,200

\( 12,500

Notes receivable

148,000

132,000

Accounts receivable (net)

131,800

125,500

Inventories (at cost)

105,000

50,000

Plant & Equipment (net of depreciation)

1,449,000

1,420,500

Total assets

\)1,852,000

\(1,740,500

Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity

Accounts payable

\) 79,000

\( 91,000

Notes payable

76,000

61,500

Accrued liabilities

9,000

6,000

Common stock (130,000 shares, \)10 par)

1,300,000

1,300,000

Retained earnings*

388,000

282,000

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

\(1,852,000

\)1,740,500

*Cash dividends were paid at the rate of \(1 per share in the fiscal year 2017 and \)2 per share in the fiscal year 2018.

BRADBURN CORPORATION

INCOME STATEMENT

FOR THE FISCAL YEARS ENDED MARCH 31

2018

2017

Sales revenue

\(3,000,000

\)2,700,000

Cost of goods sold*

1,530,000

1,425,000

Gross margin

1,470,000

1,275,000

Operating expenses

860,000

780,000

Income before income taxes

610,000

495,000

Income taxes (40%)

244,000

198,000

Net income

\( 366,000

\) 297,000

Depreciation charges on the plant and equipment of \(100,000 and \)102,500 for fiscal years ended March 31, 2017, and 2018, respectively, are included in the cost of goods sold.

Instructions

b)Identify and explain what other financial reports and/or financial analyses might be helpful to the commercial loan officer of Topeka National Bank in evaluating Daniel Brown’s request for a time extension on Bradburn’s notes.

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