Warning: foreach() argument must be of type array|object, bool given in /var/www/html/web/app/themes/studypress-core-theme/template-parts/header/mobile-offcanvas.php on line 20

Chapter 24: Question 7CA_c (page 1455)

Washington—The Securities and Exchange Commission staff issued guidelines for companies grappling with the problem of dividing up their business into industry segments for their annual reports. An industry segment is defined by the Financial Accounting Standards Board as a part of an enterprise engaged in providing a product or service or a group of related products or services primarily to unaffiliated customers for a profit. Although conceding that the process is a “subjective task” that “to a considerable extent, depends on the judgment of management,” the SEC staff said companies should consider . . . various factors . . . to determine whether products and services should be grouped together or reported as segments.

Instructions

(c) Identify the possible disadvantages of requiring financial data to be reported by segments

Short Answer

Expert verified

The main disadvantage of requiring financial data to be reported by segments is that it might result in misleading comparisons of segments of different enterprises.

Step by step solution

01

Meaning of Financial Statements

Financial statements are reports generated by a company's management to demonstrate the company's financial performanceand position at a certain moment in time. A balance sheet, income statements, statement of owner's equity, and statement of cash flows are usually included in a general-purpose collection of financial statements.

02

Disadvantage of requiring financial data to be reported by segments.

The following are some of the potential drawbacks of requiring financial data to be provided by segments:

  1. Often they can be misinterpreted because of a general lack of public understanding of the limits of a relatively arbitrary basis for cost allocation.
  2. They have the ability to obscure the interconnectedness of all components.
  3. Competitors will gain access to confidential information about profitable or unprofitable products, plans for new products or market entry, apparent vulnerabilities that may prompt competitors to increase their own efforts to exploit the weakness, and existence is not indicated otherwise.
  4. Those who read the operating figures reported by segment may be misled. Internal management segment data often includes arbitrary decisions that are known to the individuals who use the data and are used in the evaluation. Many believe that it is impossible to make such background material accessible and accessible to non-experts.
  5. Making this information accessible could result in customers challenging prices, which would be detrimental to the Company.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

Differential reporting for small- and medium-sized entities:

a) is required for all companies less than a certain size.

b) omits accounting topics not relevant for SMEs, such as earnings per share, and interim and segment reporting.

c) has different rules for topics such as earnings per share, and interim and segment reporting.

d) requires significantly more disclosures, since more items are not recognized in the financial statements.

In calculating inventory turnover, why is cost of goods sold used as the numerator? As the inventory turnover increases, what increasing risk does the business assume?

(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.

c). Assume that the percentage changes experienced in fiscal year 2018 as compared with fiscal year 2017 for sales and cost of goods sold will be repeated in each of the next 2 years. Is Bradburn’s desire to finance the plant expansion from internally generated funds realistic? Discuss.

What are interim reports? Why is a complete set of financial statements often not provided with interim data? What are the accounting problems related to the presentation of interim data?

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:

3) Identifiable assets test.

See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Business Studies Textbooks

View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free