Chapter 24: Question 22Q (page 1446)
“The significance of financial statement data is not in the amount alone.” Discuss the meaning of this statement.
Financial statements not only reveal the amount but also whether the amount is sufficient or not.
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The following information was described in a note of Canon Packing Co.
“During August, Holland Products Corporation purchased 311,003 shares of the Company’s common stock which constitutes approximately 35% of the stock outstanding. Holland has since obtained representation on the Board of Directors.”
“An affiliate of Holland Products Corporation acts as a food broker for Canon Packing in the greater New York City marketing area. The commissions for such services after August amounted to approximately $20,000.”
Why is this information disclosed?
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
(Disclosure of Estimates) Nancy Tercek, the financial vice president, and Margaret Lilly, the controller, of Romine Manufacturing Company are reviewing the financial ratios of the company for the years 2017 and 2018. The financial vice president notes that the profit margin on sales ratio has increased from 6% to 12%, a hefty gain for the 2-year period. Tercek is in the process of issuing a media release that emphasizes the efficiency of Romine Manufacturing in controlling cost. Margaret Lilly knows that the difference in ratios is due primarily to an earlier company decision to reduce the estimates of warranty and bad debt expense for 2018. The controller, not sure of her supervisor’s motives, hesitates to suggest to Tercek that the company’s improvement is unrelated to efficiency in controlling cost. To complicate matters, the media release is scheduled in a few days.
Instructions
Edna Millay Inc. is a manufacturer of electronic components and accessories with total assets of $20,000,000. Selected financial ratios for Millay and the industry averages for firms of similar size are presented below.
Edna Millay | 2017 Industry | |||
2015 | 2016 | 2017 | Averages | |
Current ratio | 2.09 | 2.27 | 2.51 | 2.24 |
Quick ratio | 1.15 | 1.12 | 1.19 | 1.22 |
Inventory turnover | 2.40 | 2.18 | 2.02 | 3.50 |
Net sales to stockholders’ equity | 2.71 | 2.80 | 2.99 | 2.85 |
Return on common stockholders’ equity | 0.14 | 0.15 | 0.17 | 0.11 |
Total liabilities to stockholders’ equity | 1.41 | 1.37 | 1.44 | 0.95 |
Millay is being reviewed by several entities whose interests vary, and the company’s financial ratios are a part of the data being considered. Each of the parties listed below must recommend an action based on its evaluation of Millay’s financial position.
Archibald MacLeish Bank. The bank is processing Millay’s application for a new 5-year term note. Archibald MacLeish has been Millay’s banker for several years but must reevaluate the company’s financial position for each major transaction.
Robert Penn Warren. A brokerage firm specializing in the stock of electronics firms that are sold over-the-counter, Robert Penn Warren must decide if it will include Millay in a new fund being established for sale to Robert Penn Warren’s clients.
Working Capital Management Committee. This is a committee of Millay’s management personnel chaired by the chief operating officer. The committee is charged with the responsibility of periodically reviewing the company’s working capital position, comparing actual data against budgets, and recommending changes in strategy as needed.
Instructions
a) Describe the analytical use of each of the six ratios presented above.
(Horizontal and Vertical Analysis) Presented below is the comparative balance sheet for Gilmour Company.
GILMOUR COMPANY COMPARATIVE BALANCE SHEET AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2018 AND 2017 | ||
December 31 | ||
2018 | 2017 | |
Assets | ||
Cash | \( 180,000 | \) 275,000 |
Accounts receivable (net) | 220,000 | 155,000 |
Short-term investments | 270,000 | 150,000 |
Inventories | 1,060,000 | 980,000 |
Prepaid expenses | 25,000 | 25,000 |
Plant & equipment | 2,585,000 | 1,950,000 |
Accumulated depreciation | (1,000,000) | (750,000) |
\(3,340,000 | (2,785,000) | |
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity | ||
Accounts payable | \) 50,000 | \( 75,000 |
Accrued expenses | 170,000 | 200,000 |
Bonds payable | 450,000 | 190,000 |
Common stock | 2,100,000 | 1,770,000 |
Retained earnings | 570,000 | 550,000 |
\)3,340,000 | (2,785,000) |
Instructions
(Round to two decimal places.)
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