wk1ds/tak

I need discussion/talk about chapter 3 no less than 2, discussion/talk for each chapter and no less than 100 words for each discussion/talk will ask to change word count at any time. Discuss/talk about what was interesting about chapter, summary of chapter or any kind of discussion from chapter. Due in 24 hours or less.

Ch3

analyzing

financial statements

We reviewed the major financial statements in  Chapter 2 . These financial statements provide information on a firm’s financial position at a point in time or its operations over some past period of time. But these financial statements’ real value lies in the fact that managers, investors, and analysts can use the information the statements contain to analyze the current financial performance or condition of the firm. More importantly, managers can use this information to plan changes that will improve the firm’s future performance and, ultimately, its market value. Managers, investors, and analysts universally use ratios to evaluate financial statements.  Ratio analysis  involves calculating and analyzing financial ratios to assess a firm’s performance and to identify actions that could improve firm performance. The most frequently used ratios fall into five groups: (1) liquidity ratios, (2) asset management ratios, (3) debt management ratios, (4) profitability ratios, and (5) market value ratios. Each of the five groups focuses on a specific area of the financial statements that managers, investors, and analysts assess.

Page 52In this chapter, we review these ratios, describe what each ratio means, and identify the general trend (higher or lower) that managers and investment analysts look for in each ratio. Note as we review the ratios that the number calculated for a ratio is not always good or bad and that extreme values (either high or low) can be a bad sign for a firm. We will discuss how a ratio that seems too good can actually be bad for a company. We will also see how ratios interrelate—how a change in one ratio may affect the value of several ratios. It is often hard to make sense of a set of performance ratios. Thus, when managers or investors review a firm’s financial position through ratio analysis, they often start by evaluating trends in the firm’s financial ratios over time and by comparing their firm’s ratios with that of other firms in the same industry. Finally, we discuss cautions that you should take when using ratio analysis to evaluate firm performance. As we go through the chapter, we show sample ratio analysis using the financial statements for DPH Tree Farm, Inc., listed in Tables  2.1  and  2.2 . 

LEARNING GOALS

LG3-1	Calculate and interpret major liquidity ratios.
LG3-2	Calculate and interpret major asset management ratios.
LG3-3	Calculate and interpret major debt ratios.
LG3-4	Calculate and interpret major profitability ratios.
LG3-5	Calculate and interpret major market value ratios.
LG3-6	Appreciate how various ratios relate to one another.
LG3-7	Understand the differences between time series and cross-sectional ratio analysis.
LG3-8	Explain cautions that should be taken when examining financial ratios.

ratio analysis The process of calculating and analyzing financial ratios to assess the firm’s performance and to identify actions needed to improve firm performance.

liquidity ratios Measure the relationship between a firm’s liquid (or current) assets and its current liabilities.

LIQUIDITY RATIOS LG3-1

As we stated in  Chapter 2 , firms need cash and other liquid assets (or current assets) to pay their bills (or current liabilities) as they come due.  Liquidity ratios  measure the relationship between a firm’s liquid (or current) assets and its current liabilities. The three most commonly used liquidity ratios are the current ratio, the quick (or acid-test) ratio, and the cash ratio.

The broadest liquidity measure, the current ratio, measures the dollars of current assets available to pay each dollar of current liabilities.

Inventories are generally the least liquid of a firm’s current assets. Further, inventory is the current asset for which book values are the least reliable measures of market value. In practical terms, what this means is that if the firm must sell inventory to pay upcoming bills, the firm will most likely have to discount inventory items in order to liquidate them, and therefore, they are the current assets on which losses are most likely to occur. Therefore, the quick (or acid-test) ratio measures a firm’s ability to pay off short-term obligations without relying on inventory sales. The quick ratio measures the dollars of more liquid assets (cash and marketable securities and accounts receivable) available to pay each dollar of current liabilities.

view points

business APPLICATION

The managers of DPH Tree Farm, Inc., have released public statements that the firm’s performance surpasses that of other firms in the industry. They cite the firm’s liquidity and asset management positions as particularly strong. DPH’s superior performance in these areas has resulted in superior overall returns for their stockholders. What are the key financial ratios that DPH Tree Farm, Inc., needs to calculate and evaluate in order to justify these statements?

If the firm sells accounts receivable to pay upcoming bills, the firm must often discount the accounts receivable to sell them—the assets once again bring less than their book value. Therefore, the cash ratio measures a firm’s ability to pay short-term obligations with its available cash and marketable securities.

Of course, liquidity on the balance sheet is important. The more liquid assets a firm holds, the less likely the firm is to experience financial distress. Thus, the higher the liquidity ratios, the less liquidity risk a firm has. But as with everything else in business, high liquidity represents a painful trade-off for the firm. Liquid assets generate little, if any, profits for the firm.

time out!

3-1    What are the three major liquidity ratios used in evaluating financial statements?

3-2    How do the three major liquidity ratios used in evaluating financial statements differ?

3-3    Does a firm generally want to have high or low liquidity ratios? Why?

Page 53personal APPLICATION

Chris Ryan is looking to invest in DPH Tree Farm, Inc. Chris has the most recent set of financial statements from DPH Tree Farm’s annual report but is not sure how to evaluate them or measure the firm’s performance relative to other firms in the industry. What are the financial ratios with which Chris should measure the performance of DPH Tree Farm, Inc.? How can Chris use these ratios to evaluate the firm’s performance?

So how can these financial ratios work in your life? Scan the QR code for an extended look. Turn to the back of the book for solutions to these applications.

In contrast, fixed assets are illiquid but generate revenue for the firm. Thus, extremely high levels of liquidity guard against liquidity crises, but at the cost of lower returns on assets. High liquidity levels may actually show bad or indecisive firm management. Thus, in deciding the appropriate level of current assets to hold on the balance sheet, managers must consider the trade-off between the advantages of being liquid versus the disadvantages of reduced profits. Note that a company with very predictable cash flows can maintain low levels of liquidity without incurring much liquidity risk.

ASSET MANAGEMENT RATIOS LG3-2

Asset management ratios  measure how efficiently a firm uses its assets (inventory, accounts receivable, and fixed assets), as well as how efficiently the firm manages its accounts payable. The specific ratios allow managers and investors to evaluate whether a firm is holding a reasonable amount of each type of asset and whether management uses each type of asset to effectively generate sales. The most frequently used asset management ratios are listed in the following sections, grouped by type of asset.

Inventory Management

As they decide the optimal inventory level to hold on the balance sheet, managers must consider the trade-off between the advantages of holding sufficient levels of inventory to keep the production process going versus the costs of holding large amounts of inventory. Two frequently used ratios are the inventory turnover and days’ sales in inventory.

asset management ratios Measure how efficiently a firm uses its assets (inventory, accounts receivable, and fixed assets), as well as its accounts payable.

EXAMPLE 3-1

Calculating Liquidity Ratios  LG3-1

Scan the code or log in to Connect for access to the interactive guided examples

Use the balance sheet ( Table 2.1 ) and income statement ( Table 2.2 ) for DPH Tree Farm, Inc., to calculate the firm’s 2015 values for the liquidity ratios.

SOLUTION:

The liquidity ratios for DPH Tree Farm, Inc., are calculated as follows. The industry average is reported alongside each ratio.

All three liquidity ratios show that DPH Tree Farm, Inc., has more liquidity on its balance sheet than the industry average (we discuss the process used to develop an industry average in section 3.8). Thus, DPH Tree Farm has more cash and other liquid assets (or current assets) available to pay its bills (or current liabilities) as they come due than does the average firm in the tree farm industry.

Similar to Problems 3-1, 3-2, self-test problem 1

Page 54

The inventory turnover ratio measures the number of dollars of sales produced per dollar of inventory.

The inventory turnover measures the number of dollars of sales produced per dollar of inventory. Cost of goods sold is used in the numerator when managers want to emphasize that inventory is listed on the balance sheet at cost, that is, the cost of sales generated per dollar of inventory

The days’ sales in inventory ratio measures the number of days that inventory is held before the final product is sold.

In general, a firm wants to produce a high level of sales per dollar of inventory; that is, it wants to turn inventory over (from raw materials to finished goods to sold goods) as quickly as possible. A high level of sales per dollar of inventory implies reduced warehousing, monitoring, insurance, and any other costs of servicing the inventory. So, a high inventory turnover ratio or a low days’ sales in inventory is generally a sign of good management.

However, if the inventory turnover ratio is extremely high and the days’ sales in inventory is extremely low, the firm may not be holding sufficient inventory to prevent running out (or stocking out) of the raw materials needed to keep the production process going. Thus, production and sales stop, which wastes the firm’s fixed resources. So, extremely high levels for the inventory turnover ratio and low levels for the days’ sales in inventory ratio may actually be a sign of bad firm or production management. Note that companies with very good supply chain relations can maintain lower levels of inventory without incurring as much risk of stockouts.

Accounts Receivable Management

As they decide what level of accounts receivable to hold on the firm’s balance sheet, managers must consider the trade-off between the advantages of increased sales by offering customers better terms versus the disadvantages of financing large amounts of accounts receivable. Two ratios used here are the accounts receivable turnover and average collection period.

The accounts receivable turnover measures the number of dollars of sales produced per dollar of accounts receivable.

The average collection period (ACP) measures the number of days accounts receivable are held before the firm collects cash from the sale. This ratio is also sometimes termed the days’ sales outstanding (DSO).

A high level of sales per dollar of inventory implies reduced warehousing, monitoring, insurance, and any other costs of servicing the inventory.

Page 55“FIRMS OFFER ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE TERMS AS AN INCENTIVE TO GET CUSTOMERS TO BUY PRODUCTS FROM THEIR FIRM RATHER THAN A COMPETING FIRM.”

In general, a firm wants to produce a high level of sales per dollar of accounts receivable; that is, it wants to collect its accounts receivable as quickly as possible to reduce any cost of financing accounts receivable, including interest expense on liabilities used to finance accounts receivable and defaults associated with accounts receivable. In general, a high accounts receivable turnover or a low ACP is a sign of good management, which is well aware of financing costs and customer remittance habits.

However, if the accounts receivable turnover is extremely high and the ACP is extremely low, the firm’s accounts receivable policy may be so strict that customers prefer to do business with competing firms. Firms offer accounts receivable terms as an incentive to get customers to buy products from their firm rather than a competing firm. By offering customers the accounts receivable privilege, management allows them to buy (more) now and pay later. Without this incentive, customers may choose to buy the goods from the firm’s competitors who offer better credit terms. So extremely high accounts receivable turnover levels and low ACP levels may be a sign of bad firm management.

Accounts Payable Management

As they decide the accounts payable level to hold on the balance sheet, managers must consider the trade-off between maximizing the use of free financing that raw material suppliers offer versus the risk of losing the opportunity to buy on account. Two ratios commonly used are the accounts payable turnover and average payment period.

The accounts payable turnover ratio measures the dollar cost of goods sold per dollar of accounts payable.

The average payment period (APP) measures the number of days that the firm holds accounts payable before it has to extend cash to pay for its purchases.

In general, a firm wants to pay for its purchases as slowly as possible. The slower the firm pays for its supply purchases, the longer it can avoid obtaining other costly sources of financing such as notes payable or long-term debt. Thus, a low accounts payable turnover or a high APP is generally a sign of good management.

However, if the accounts payable turnover is extremely low and the APP is extremely high, the firm may be abusing the credit terms that its raw materials suppliers offer. At some point, the firm’s suppliers may revoke its ability to buy raw materials on account and the firm will lose this source of free financing. If this situation is developing, extremely low levels for the accounts receivable turnover and high levels for the APP may point to bad firm management.

Fixed Asset and Working Capital Management

Two ratios that summarize the efficiency in a firm’s overall asset management are the fixed asset turnover and sales to working capital ratios.

The fixed asset turnover ratio measures the number of dollars of sales produced per dollar of net fixed assets.

Similarly, the sales to working capital ratio measures the number of dollars of sales produced per dollar of net working capital (current assets minus current liabilities).

In general, the higher the level of sales per dollar of fixed assets and working capital, the more efficiently the firm is being run. Thus, high fixed asset turnover and sales to working capital ratios are generally signs of good management. However, if either the fixed asset turnover or sales to working capital ratio Page 56is extremely high, the firm may be close to its maximum production capacity. If capacity is hit, the firm cannot increase production or sales. Accordingly, extremely high fixed asset turnover and sales to working capital ratio levels may actually indicate bad firm management if managers have allowed the company to approach maximum capacity without making any accommodations for growth.

Note a word of caution here. The age of a firm’s fixed assets will affect the fixed asset turnover ratio level. A firm with older fixed assets, listed on its balance sheet at historical cost, will tend to have a higher fixed asset turnover ratio than will a firm that has just replaced its fixed assets and lists them on its balance sheet at a (most likely) higher value. Accordingly, the firm with newer fixed assets would have a lower fixed asset turnover ratio. But this is because it has updated its fixed assets, while the other firm has not. It is not correct to conclude that the firm with new assets is underperforming relative to the firm with older fixed assets listed on its balance sheet. Similarly, for firms that are in an expansion phase, a lower fixed asset turnover is actually a good sign. It is not correct to conclude that a firm with expanding assets is underperforming relative to a firm with no growth.

Total Asset Management

The final two asset management ratios put it all together. They are the total asset turnover and capital intensity ratios.

The total asset turnover ratio measures the number of dollars of sales produced per dollar of total assets.

Similarly, the capital intensity ratio measures the dollars of total assets needed to produce a dollar of sales.

In general, a well-managed firm produces many dollars of sales per dollar of total assets, or uses few dollars of assets per dollar of sales. Thus, in general, the higher the total asset turnover and lower the capital intensity ratio, the more efficient the overall asset management of the firm will be. However, if the total asset turnover is extremely high and the capital intensity ratio is extremely low, the firm may actually have an asset management problem. As described above, inventory stockouts, capacity problems, or tight account receivables policies can all lead to a high total asset turnover and may actually be signs of poor firm management.

time out!

3-4    What are the major asset management ratios?

3-5    Does a firm generally want to have high or low values for each of these ratios?

3-6    Explain why many of these ratios are mirror images of one another.

DEBT MANAGEMENT RATIOS LG3-3

As we discussed in  Chapter 2 , financial leverage refers to the extent to which the firm uses debt securities in its capital structure. The more debt a firm uses as a percentage of its total assets, the greater is its financial leverage.  Debt management ratios  measure the extent to which the firm uses debt (or financial leverage) versus equity to finance its assets as well as how well the firm can pay off its debt. The specific ratios allow managers and investors to evaluate whether a firm is financing its assets with a reasonable amount of debt versus equity financing, as well as whether the firm is generating sufficient earnings or cash to make the promised payments on its debt. The most commonly used debt management ratios are listed in the following sections.

“When a firm issues debt to finance its assets, it gives the debt holders first claim to a fixed amount of its cash flows.”

Debt versus Equity Financing

Managers’ choice of  capital structure —the amount of debt versus equity to issue—affects the firm’s viability as a long-term entity. In deciding the level of debt versus equity financing to hold on the balance sheet, managers must consider the tradeoff between maximizing cash flows to the firm’s stockholders versus the risk of being unable to make promised debt payments. Ratios that are commonly used are the debt ratio, debt-to-equity, and equity multiplier.

debt management ratios Measure the extent to which the firm uses debt (or financial leverage) versus equity to finance its assets as well as how well the firm can pay off its debt.

capital structure The amount of debt versus equity held on the balance sheet.

EXAMPLE 3-2

Calculating Asset Management Ratios  LG3-2Page 57

Scan the code or log in to Connect for access to the interactive guided examples

Use the balance sheet ( Table 2.1 ) and income statement ( Table 2.2 ) for DPH Tree Farm, Inc., to calculate the firm’s 2015 values for the asset management ratios.

SOLUTION:

We calculate the asset management ratios for DPH Tree Farm, Inc., as follows. The industry average is reported alongside each ratio.

In all cases, asset management ratios show that DPH Tree Farm, Inc., is outperforming the industry average. The firm is turning over its inventory faster than the average firm in the tree farm industry, thus producing more dollars of sales per dollar of inventory. It is also collecting its accounts receivable faster and paying its accounts payable slower than the average firm. Further, DPH Tree Farm is producing more sales per dollar of fixed assets, working capital, and total assets than the average firm in the industry.

Similar to Problems 3-3, 3-4, self-test problem 1

Page 58

The debt ratio measures the percentage of total assets financed with debt.

The debt-to-equity ratio measures the dollars of debt financing used for every dollar of equity financing.

The equity multiplier ratio measures the dollars of assets on the balance sheet for every dollar of equity (or just common stockholders’ equity) financing.

As you might suspect, all three measures are related. 1  Specifically,

So, the lower the debt, debt-to-equity, or equity multiplier, the less debt and more equity the firm uses to finance its assets (i.e., the bigger the firm’s equity cushion).

When a firm issues debt to finance its assets, it gives the debt holders first claim to a fixed amount of its cash flows. Stockholders are entitled to any residual cash flows—those left after debt holders are paid. When a firm does well, financial leverage increases the reward to shareholders since the amount of cash flows promised to debt holders is constant and capped. So when firms do well, financial leverage creates more cash flows to share with stockholders—it magnifies the return to the stockholders of the firm (recall  Example 2-5 ). This magnification is one reason that stockholders encourage the use of debt financing.

However, financial leverage also increases the firm’s potential for financial distress and even failure. If the firm has a bad year and cannot make promised debt payments, debt holders can force the firm into bankruptcy. Thus, a firm’s current and potential debt holders (and even stockholders) look at equity financing as a safety cushion that can absorb fluctuations in the firm’s earnings and asset values and guarantee debt service payments. Clearly, the larger the fluctuations or variability of a firm’s cash flows, the greater the need for an equity cushion.

Coverage Ratios

Three additional debt management ratios are the times interest earned, fixed-charge coverage, and cash coverage ratios. These ratios are different measures of a firm’s ability to meet its debt obligations.

The times interest earned ratio measures the number of dollars of operating earnings available to meet each dollar of interest obligations on the firm’s debt.

The fixed-charge coverage ratio measures the number of dollars of operating earnings available to meet the firm’s interest obligations and other fixed charges.

The cash coverage ratio measures the number of dollars of operating cash available to meet each dollar of interest and other fixed charges that the firm owes.

With the help of the times interest earned, fixed-charge coverage, and cash coverage ratios, managers, investors, and analysts can determine whether a firm has taken on a debt burden that is too large. These ratios measure the dollars available to meet debt and other fixed-charge obligations. A value of one for these ratios means that $1 of earnings or cash is available to meet each dollar of interest or fixed-charge obligations. A value of less (greater) than one means that the firm has less (more) than $1 of earnings or cash available to pay each dollar of interest or fixed-charge obligations.2 Further, the higher the times interest earned, fixed-charge coverage, and cash coverage ratios, the more equity and less debt the firm uses to finance its assets. Thus, low levels of debt will lead to a dilution of the return to stockholders due to increased use of equity as well as to not taking advantage of the tax deductibility of interest expense.

profitability ratios Ratios that show the combined effect of liquidity, asset management, and debt management on the firm’s overall operating results.

EXAMPLE 3-3

Calculating Debt Management Ratios  LG3-3Page 59

Scan the code or log in to Connect for access to the interactive guided examples

Use the balance sheet ( Table 2.1 ) and income statement ( Table 2.2 ) for DPH Tree Farm, Inc., to calculate the firm’s 2015 values for the debt management ratios.

SOLUTION:

The debt management ratios for DPH Tree Farm, Inc., are calculated as follows. The industry average is reported alongside each ratio.

In all cases, debt management ratios show that DPH Tree Farm, Inc., holds less debt on its balance sheet than the average firm in the tree farm industry. Further, the firm has more dollars of operating earnings and cash available to meet each dollar of interest obligations (there are no other fixed charges listed on DPH Tree Farm’s income statement) on the firm’s debt. This lack of financial leverage decreases the firm’s potential for financial distress and even failure, but may also decrease equity shareholders’ chance for magnified earnings. If the firm has a bad year, it has promised relatively few payments to debt holders. Thus, the risk of bankruptcy is small. However, when DPH Tree Farm, Inc., does well, the low level of financial leverage dilutes the return to the stockholders of the firm. This dilution of profit is likely to upset common stockholders of the firm.

Similar to Problems 3-5, 3-6, self-test problem 1

time out!

3-7    What are the major debt management ratios?

3-8    Does a firm generally want to have high or low values for each of these ratios?

3-9    What is the trade-off between using too much financial leverage and not using enough leverage? Who is likely to complain the most in each case?

PROFITABILITY RATIOS LG3-4

The liquidity, asset management, and debt management ratios examined so far allow for an isolated or narrow look at a firm’s performance.  Profitability ratios  show the combined effects of liquidity, asset management, and debt management on the overall operating results of the firm. Profitability ratios are among the most watched and best known of the financial ratios. Indeed, firm values (or stock prices) react quickly to unexpected changes in these ratios. The most commonly used profitability ratios are listed below.

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A company’s profit margin is inversely related to its sales.

The gross profit margin is the percent of sales left after costs of goods sold are deducted.

The operating profit margin is the percent of sales left after all operating expenses are deducted.

The profit margin is the percentage of sales left after all firm expenses are deducted. Thus, this ratio provides the net profit margin of the firm, as opposed to the gross profit or operating profit margin.

The basic earnings power ratio measures the operating return on the firm’s assets, regardless of financial leverage and taxes. This ratio measures the operating profit (EBIT) earned per dollar of assets on the firm’s balance sheet.

Return on assets (ROA) measures the overall return on the firm’s assets, including financial leverage and taxes. This ratio is the net income earned per dollar of assets on the firm’s balance sheet.

Return on equity (ROE) measures the return on the common stockholders’ investment in the assets of the firm. ROE is the net income earned per dollar of common stockholders’ equity. The value of a firm’s ROE is affected not only by net income, but also by the amount of financial leverage or debt that firm uses. As stated previously, financial leverage magnifies the return to the stockholders of the firm. However, financial leverage also increases the firm’s potential for financial distress and even failure. Generally, a high ROE is considered to be a positive sign of firm performance. However, if performance comes from a high degree of financial leverage, a high ROE can indicate a firm with an unacceptably high level of bankruptcy risk as well.

Finally, the dividend payout ratio is the percentage of net income available to common stockholders that the firm actually pays as cash to these investors.

For all but the dividend payout, the higher the value of the ratio, the higher the profitability of the firm. But just as has been the case previously in this chapter, high profitability ratio levels may result from poor management in other areas of the firm as much as superior financial management. A high profit (and gross profit or operating profit) margin means that the firm has low expenses relative to sales. The BEP reflects how much the firm’s assets earn from operations, regardless of financial leverage and taxes. It follows logically that managers, investors, and analysts find BEP a useful ratio when they compare firms that differ in financial leverage and taxes. In contrast, ROA measures the firm’s overall performance. It shows how the firm’s assets generate a return that includes financial leverage and tax decisions made by management.

ROE measures the return on common stockholders’ investment. Since managers seek to maximize common stock price, managers, investors, and analysts monitor ROE above all other ratios. The dividend payout ratio measures how much of the profit the firm retains versus how much it pays out to common stockholders as dividends. The lower the dividend payout ratio, the more profits the firm retains for future growth or other projects. A profitable firm that retains its earnings increases its level of equity capital as well as its own value.

time out!

3-10    What are the major profitability ratios?

3-11    Does a firm generally want to have high or low values for each of these ratios?

3-12    What are the trade-offs to having especially high or low values for ROE?

Page 61MARKET VALUE RATIOS LG3-5

As noted, ROE is a most important financial statement ratio for managers and investors to monitor. Generally, a high ROE is considered to be a positive sign of firm performance. However, if a high ROE results from a highly leveraged position, it can signal a firm with a high level of bankruptcy risk. While ROE does not directly incorporate this risk, for publicly traded firms, market prices of the firm’s stock do. (We look at stock valuation in  Chapter 8 .) Since the firm’s stockholders earn their returns primarily from the firm’s stock market value, ratios that incorporate stock market values are equally, and arguably more, important than other financial statement ratios.

The final group of ratios is market value ratios.  Market value ratios  relate a firm’s stock price to its earnings and its book value. For publicly traded firms, market value ratios measure what investors think of the company’s future performance and risk.

The market-to-book ratio measures the amount that investors will pay for the firm’s stock per dollar of equity used to finance the firm’s assets. Book value per share is an accounting-based number reflecting the firm’s assets’ historical costs, and hence historical value. The market-to-book ratio compares the market (current) value of the firm’s equity to its historical cost. In general, the higher the market-to-book ratio, the better the firm. If liquidity, asset management, debt management, and accounting profitability are good for a firm, then the market-to-book ratio will be high. A market-to-book ratio greater than one (or 100 percent) means that stockholders will pay a premium over book value for their equity investment in the firm.

market value ratios Ratios that relate a firm’s stock price to its earnings and book value.

EXAMPLE 3-4

Calculating Profitability Ratios  LG3-4

Scan the code or log in to Connect for access to the interactive guided examples

Use the balance sheet ( Table 2.1 ) and income statement ( Table 2.2 ) for DPH Tree Farm, Inc., to calculate the firm’s 2015 values for the profitability ratios.

SOLUTION:

The profitability ratios for DPH Tree Farm, Inc., are calculated as follows. The industry average is reported alongside each ratio.

These ratios show that DPH Tree Farm, Inc., is more profitable than the average firm in the tree farm industry. The profit margin, gross profit margin, operating profit margin, BEP, and ROA are all higher than industry figures. Despite this, the ROE for DPH Tree Farm is much lower than the industry average. DPH’s low debt level and high equity level relative to the industry is the main reason for DPH’s strong figures relative to the industry. As we mentioned above, DPH’s managerial decisions about capital structure dilute its returns, which will likely upset its common stockholders. To counteract common stockholders’ discontent, DPH Tree Farm pays out a slightly larger percentage of its income to its common stockholders as cash dividends. Of course, this slightly high dividend payout ratio means that DPH Tree Farm retains less of its profits to reinvest into the business. A profitable firm that retains its earnings increases its equity capital level as well as its own value.

Similar to Problems 3-7, 3-8, self-test problem 1

Page 62One of the best known and most often quoted figures, the price-earnings (or PE) ratio measures how much investors are willing to pay for each dollar the firm earns per share of its stock. PE ratios are often quoted in multiples—the number of dollars per share—that fund managers, investors, and analysts compare within industry classes. Managers and investors often use PE ratios to evaluate the relative financial performance of the firm’s stock. Generally, the higher the PE ratio, the better the firm’s performance. Analysts and investors, as well as managers, expect companies with high PE ratios to experience future growth, to have rapid future dividend increases, or both, because retained earnings will support the company’s goals. However, for value-seeking investors, high-PE firms indicate expensive companies. Further, higher PE ratios carry greater risk because investors are willing to pay higher prices today for a stock in anticipation of higher earnings in the future. These earnings may or may not materialize. Low-PE firms are generally companies with little expected growth or low earnings. However, note that earnings depend on many factors (such as financial leverage or taxes) that have nothing to do directly with firm operations.

time out!

3-13    What are the major market value ratios?

3-14    Does a firm generally want to have high or low values for each of these ratios?

3-15    Discuss the price-earnings ratio and explain why it assumes particular importance among all of the other ratios we have presented.

DUPONT ANALYSIS LG3-6

Table 3.1  lists the ratios we discuss, their values for DPH Tree Farm, Inc., as of 2015, and the corresponding values for the tree farm industry. The value of each ratio for DPH Tree Farm is highlighted in purple if it is generally stronger than the industry and is highlighted in red if it is generally a negative sign for the firm. As we noted in this chapter’s introduction, many of the ratios we have discussed thus far are interrelated. So a change in one ratio may well affect the value of several ratios. Often these interrelations can help evaluate firm performance. Managers and investors often perform a detailed analysis of ROA (return on assets) and ROE (return on equity) using the  DuPont system of analysis.  Popularized by the DuPont Corporation, the DuPont system of analysis uses the balance sheet and income statement to break the ROA and ROE ratios into component pieces.

EXAMPLE 3-5

Calculating Market Value Ratios  LG3-5

Scan the code or log in to Connect for access to the interactive guided examples

Use the balance sheet ( Table 2.1 ) and income statement ( Table 2.2 ) for DPH Tree Farm, Inc., to calculate the firm’s 2015 values for the market value ratios.

SOLUTION:

The market value ratios for DPH Tree Farm, Inc., are calculated as follows. The industry average is reported alongside each ratio.

These ratios show that DPH Tree Farm’s investors will not pay as much for a share of DPH’s stock per dollar of book value and earnings as the average for the industry. DPH’s low leverage level and high reliance on equity relative to the industry are likely the main reason for investors’ disinterest. As mentioned previously, DPH’s seemingly intentional return dilution will likely upset the firm’s common stockholders. Accordingly, stockholders lower the amount they are willing to invest per dollar of book value and EPS. Similar to Problems 3-9, 3-10, self-test problem 1

Page 63The basic DuPont equation looks at ROA as the product of the profit margin and the total asset turnover ratios:

The basic DuPont equation looks at the firm’s overall profitability as a function of the profit the firm earns per dollar of sales (operating efficiency) and the dollar of sales produced per dollar of assets on the balance sheet (efficiency in asset use). With this tool, managers can see the reason for any changes in ROA in more detail. For example, if ROA increases, the DuPont equation may show that the net profit margin was constant, but the total asset turnover (efficiency in using assets) increased, or that total asset turnover remained constant, but profit margins (operating efficiency) increased. Managers can identify the reasons for an ROA change more specifically by using the ratios described above to further break down operating efficiency and efficiency in asset use.

Next, the DuPont system looks at ROE as the product of ROA and the equity multiplier.

DuPont system of analysis An analytical method that uses the balance sheet and income statement to break the ROA and ROE ratios into component pieces.

TABLE 3.1  Summary of Ratios and Their Values for DPH Tree Farm, Inc., and the Tree Farm Industry

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Notice that this version of the equity multiplier uses the return to common stockholders (the firm’s owners) only. So the DuPont equity multiplier uses common stockholders’ equity only, rather than total equity (which includes preferred stock).

Taking this breakdown one step further, the DuPont system breaks ROE into the product of the profit margin, the total asset turnover, and the equity multiplier.

This presentation of ROE allows managers, analysts, and investors to look at the return on equity as a function of the net profit margin (profit per dollar of sales from the income statement), the total asset turnover (efficiency in the use of assets from the balance sheet), and the equity multiplier (financial leverage from the balance sheet). Again, we can break these components down to identify possible causes for a ROE change more specifically.  Figure 3.1  illustrates the DuPont system of analysis breakdown of ROA and ROE. The figure highlights how many of the ratios discussed in this chapter are linked.

time out!

3-16    What are the DuPont ROA and ROE equations?

3-17    How do each of these equations help to explain firm performance and pinpoint areas for improvement?

FIGURE 3.1 DuPont System Analysis Breakdown of ROA and ROE

EXAMPLE 3-6

Application of DuPont Analysis  LG3-6Page 66

Scan the code or log in to Connect for access to the interactive guided examples

Use the balance sheet ( Table 2.1 ) and income statement ( Table 2.2 ) for DPH Tree Farm, Inc., to calculate the firm’s 2015 values for the ROA and ROE DuPont equations.

SOLUTION:

The ROA and ROE DuPont equations for DPH Tree Farm, Inc., are calculated as follows. The industry average is reported below each ratio.

As we saw with profitability ratios, DPH Tree Farm, Inc., is more profitable than the average firm in the tree farm industry when it comes to overall efficiency expressed as return on assets, or ROA. The DuPont equation highlights that this superior performance comes from both profit margin (operating efficiency) and total asset turnover (efficiency in asset use). Despite this, the ROE for DPH Tree Farm lags the average industry ROE. The DuPont equation highlights that this inferior performance is due solely to the low level of debt and high level of equity used by DPH Tree Farm relative to the industry.

Similar to Problems 3-11, 3-12

OTHER RATIOS LG3-6

Spreading the Financial Statements

In addition to the many ratios listed, managers, analysts, and investors can also compute additional ratios by dividing all balance sheet amounts by total assets and all income statement amounts by net sales. These calculations, sometimes called spreading the financial statements,yield what we call  common-size financial statements  that correct for sizes. Year-to-year growth rates in common-size balance sheets and income statement balances provide useful ratios for identifying trends. They also allow for an easy comparison of balance sheets and income statements across firms in the industry. Common-size financial statements may provide quantitative clues about the direction that the firm (and perhaps the industry) is moving. They may thus provide roadmaps for managers’ next moves.

Internal and Sustainable Growth Rates

Remember again that any firm manager’s job is to maximize the firm’s market value. The firm’s ROA and ROE can be used to evaluate the firm’s ability to grow and its market value to be maximized. Specifically, managers, analysts, and investors use these ratios to calculate two growth measures: the internal growth rate and the sustainable growth rate.

Page 67The  internal growth rate  is the growth rate a firm can sustain if it uses only internal financing—that is, retained earnings—to finance future growth. Mathematically, the internal growth rate is:

where RR is the firm’s earnings retention ratio. The retention ratio represents the portion of net income that the firm reinvests as retained earnings:

Since a firm either pays its net income as dividends to its stockholders or reinvests those funds as retained earnings, the dividend payout and the retention ratios must always add to one:

A problem arises when a firm relies only on internal financing to support asset growth: Through time, its debt ratio will fall because as asset values grow, total debt stays constant—only retained earnings finance asset growth. If total debt remains constant as assets grow, the debt ratio decreases. As we noted above, shareholders often become disgruntled if, as the firm grows, a decreasing debt ratio (increasing equity financing) dilutes their return. So as firms grow, managers must often try to maintain a debt ratio that they view as optimal. In this case, managers finance asset growth with new debt and retained earnings. The maximum growth rate that can be achieved this way is the  sustainable growth rate.  Mathematically, the sustainable growth rate is:

Maximizing the sustainable growth rate helps firm managers maximize firm value. When applying the DuPont ROE equation (3-31) here (i.e., ROE = Profit margin × Total asset turnover × Equity multiplier), notice that a firm’s sustainable growth depends on four factors:

common-size financial statements Dividing all balance sheet amounts by total assets and all income statement amounts by net sales.

internal growth rate The growth rate a firm can sustain if it finances growth using only internal financing, that is, retained earnings growth.

sustainable growth rate The growth rate a firm can sustain if it finances growth using both debt and internal financing such that the debt ratio remains constant.

EXAMPLE 3-7

Calculating Internal and Sustainable Growth Rates  LG3-7

Scan the code or log in to Connect for access to the interactive guided examples

Use the balance sheet ( Table 2.1 ) and income statement ( Table 2.2 ) for DPH Tree Farm, Inc., to calculate the firm’s 2015 internal and sustainable growth rates.

SOLUTION:

The internal and sustainable growth rates for DPH Tree Farm, Inc., are calculated as follows. The industry average is reported alongside each ratio.

These ratios show that DPH Tree Farm, Inc., can grow faster than the industry if the firm uses only retained earnings to finance the growth. However, if DPH grows while keeping the debt ratio constant (e.g., both debt and retained earnings are used to finance the growth), industry firms can grow much faster than DPH Tree Farm. Once again, DPH’s low debt level and high equity level relative to the industry creates this disparity. Therefore, DPH Tree Farm limits its growth as a result of its managerial decisions.

Similar to Problems 3-13, 3-14, self-test problem 2

Page 68

1. The profit margin (operating efficiency).

2. The total asset turnover (efficiency in asset use).

3. Financial leverage (the use of debt versus equity to finance assets).

4. Profit retention (reinvestment of net income into the firm rather than paying it out as dividends).

Increasing any of these factors increases the firm’s sustainable growth rate and hence helps to maximize firm value. Managers, analysts, and investors will want to focus on these areas as they evaluate firm performance and market value.

time out!

3-18    What does “spreading the financial statements” mean?

3-19    What are retention rates and internal and sustainable growth rates?

3-20    What factors enter into sustainable growth rates?

TIME SERIES AND CROSS-SECTIONAL ANALYSIS LG3-7

We have explored many ratios that allow managers and investors to examine firm performance. But to really analyze performance in a meaningful way, we must interpret our ratio results against some kind of standard or benchmark. To interpret financial ratios, managers, analysts, and investors use two major types of benchmarks: (1) performance of the firm over time ( time series analysis ) and (2) performance of the firm against one or more companies in the same industry ( cross-sectional analysis ).

Analyzing ratio trends over time, along with absolute ratio levels, gives managers, analysts, and investors information about whether a firm’s financial condition is improving or deteriorating. For example, ratio analysis may reveal that the days’ sales in inventory is increasing. This suggests that inventories, relative to the sales they support, are not being used as well as they were in the past. If this increase is the result of a deliberate policy to increase inventories to offer customers a wider choice and if it results in higher future sales volumes or increased margins that more than compensate for increased capital tied up in inventory, the increased relative size of the inventories is good for the firm. Managers and investors should be concerned, on the other hand, if increased inventories result from declining sales but steady purchases of supplies and production.

Looking at one firm’s financial ratios, even through time, gives managers, analysts, and investors only a limited picture of firm performance. Ratio analysis almost always includes a comparison of one firm’s ratios relative to the ratios of other firms in the industry, or cross-sectional analysis. The key to cross-sectional analysis is identifying similar firms that compete in the same markets, have similar asset sizes, and operate in a similar manner to the firm being analyzed. Since no two firms are identical, obtaining such a comparison group is no easy task. Thus, the choice of companies to use in cross-sectional analysis is at best subjective. Note that as we calculated the financial ratios for DPH Tree Farm, Inc., throughout the chapter, we compared them to the industry average. Comparative ratios that can be used in cross-sectional analysis are available from many sources. For example, Value Line Investment Surveys, Robert Morris Associates, Hoover’s Online (at  www.hoovers.com ), and MSN Money website (at moneycentral.msn.com) are examples of four major sources of financial ratios for numerous industries that operate within the United States and worldwide.

time series analysis Analyzing firm performance by monitoring ratio trends.

cross-sectional analysis Analyzing the performance of a firm against one or more companies in the same industry.

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time out!

3-21    What is time series analysis of a firm’s operations?

3-22    What is cross-sectional analysis of a firm’s operations?

3-23    How do time series and cross-sectional analyses differ, and what information would you expect to gain from each?

CAUTIONS IN USING RATIOS TO EVALUATE FIRM PERFORMANCE LG3-8

Financial statement analysis allows managers, analysts, and investors to better understand a firm’s performance. However, data from financial statements should not be received without certain cautions. These include:

1. Financial statement data are historical. Historical data may not reflect future performance. While we can make projections using historical data, we must also remember that projections may be inaccurate if historical performance does not persist.

2. As we discussed in  Chapter 2 , firms use different accounting procedures. For example, inventory methods can vary. One firm may use FIFO (first-in, first-out), transferring inventory at the first purchase price, while another uses LIFO (last-in, first-out), transferring inventory at the last purchase price. Likewise, the depreciation method used to value a firm’s fixed assets over time may vary across firms. One firm may use straight-line depreciation, while another may use an accelerated depreciation method (e.g., MACRS). Particularly, when reviewing cross-sectional ratios, differences in accounting rules can affect balance sheet values and financial ratios. It is important to know which accounting rules the firms under consideration are using before making any conclusions about their performance from ratio analysis.

3. Similarly, a firm’s cross-sectional competitors may often be located around the world. Financial statements for firms based outside the United States do not necessarily conform to GAAP. Even beyond inventory pricing and depreciation methods, different accounting standards and procedures make it hard to compare financial statements and ratios of firms based in different countries.

4. Sales and expenses vary throughout the year. Managers, analysts, and investors need to note the timing of these fund flows when performing cross-sectional analysis. Otherwise they may draw conclusions from comparisons that are actually the result of seasonal cash flow differences. Similarly, firms end their fiscal years at different dates. For cross-sectional analysis, this complicates any comparison of balance sheets during the year. Likewise, one-time events, such as a merger, may affect a firm’s financial performance. Cross-sectional analysis involving these events can result in misleading conclusions.

5. Large firms often have multiple divisions or business units engaged in different lines of business. In this case, it is difficult to truly compare a set of firms with which managers and investors can perform cross-sectional analysis.

6. Firms often window dress their financial statements to make annual results look better. For example, to improve liquidity ratios calculated with year-end balance sheets, firms often delay payments for raw materials, equipment, loans, and so on to build up their liquid accounts and thus their liquidity ratios. If possible, it is often more accurate to use something other than year-end financial statements to conduct ratio analysis.

7. Individual analysts may calculate ratios in modified forms. For example, one analyst may calculate ratios using year-end balance sheet data, while another may use the average of the beginning- and end-of-year balance sheet data. If the firm’s balance sheet has changed significantly during the year, this difference in the way the ratio is calculated can cause large variations in ratio values for a given period of analysis and large variations in any conclusions drawn from these ratios regarding the financial health of the firm.

Financial statement ratio analysis is a major part of evaluating a firm’s performance. If managers, analysts, or investors ignore the issues noted here, they may well draw faulty conclusions from their analysis. However, used intelligently and with good judgment, ratio analysis can provide useful information on a firm’s current position and hint at future performance. 

time out!

3-24    What cautions should managers and investors take when using ratio analysis to evaluate a firm?

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Your Turn...

Questions

1. Classify each of the following ratios according to a ratio category (liquidity ratio, asset management ratio, debt management ratio, profitability ratio, or market value ratio). ( LG3-1  through  LG3-5 )

a. Current ratio

b. Inventory turnover

c. Return on assets

d. Average payment period

e. Times interest earned

f. Capital intensity

g. Equity multiplier

h. Basic earnings power

2. For each of the following actions, determine what would happen to the current ratio. Assume nothing else on the balance sheet changes and that net working capital is positive. ( LG3-1 )

a. Accounts receivable are paid in cash

b. Notes payable are paid off with cash

c. Inventory is sold on account

d. Inventory is purchased on account

e. Accrued wages and taxes increase

f. Long-term debt is paid with cash

g. Cash from a short-term bank loan is received

3. Explain the meaning and significance of the following ratios. ( LG3-1  through  LG3-5 )

a. Quick ratio

b. Average collection period

c. Return on equity

d. Days’ sales in inventory

e. Debt ratio

f. Profit margin

g. Accounts payable turnover

h. Market-to-book ratio

4. A firm has an average collection period of 10 days. The industry average ACP is 25 days. Is this a good or poor sign about the management of the firm’s accounts receivable? ( LG3-2 )

Page 715. A firm has a debt ratio of 20 percent. The industry average debt ratio is 65 percent. Is this a good or poor sign about the management of the firm’s financial leverage? ( LG3-3 )

6. A firm has an ROE of 20 percent. The industry average ROE is 12 percent. Is this a good or poor sign about the management of the firm? ( LG3-4 )

7. Why is the DuPont system of analysis an important tool when evaluating firm performance? ( LG3-6 )

8. A firm has an ROE of 10 percent. The industry average ROE is 15 percent. How can the DuPont system of analysis help the firm’s managers identify the reasons for this difference? ( LG3-6 )

9. What is the difference between the internal growth rate and the sustainable growth rate? ( LG3-6 )

10. What is the difference between time series analysis and cross-sectional analysis? ( LG3-7 )

11. What information does time series and cross-sectional analysis provide for firm managers, analysts, and investors? ( LG3-7 )

12. Why is it important to know a firm’s accounting rules before making any conclusions about its performance from ratios analysis? ( LG3-8 )

13. What does it mean when a firm window dresses its financial statements? ( LG3-8 )

Problems

BASIC PROBLEMS

3-1   Liquidity Ratios You are evaluating the balance sheet for PattyCake’s Corporation. From the balance sheet you find the following balances: cash and marketable securities = $400,000; accounts receivable = $1,200,000; inventory = $2,100,000; accrued wages and taxes = $500,000; accounts payable = $800,000; and notes payable = $600,000. Calculate PattyCake’s current ratio, quick ratio, and cash ratio. ( LG3-1 )

3-2   Liquidity Ratios The top part of Ramakrishnan, Inc.’s, 2015 and 2014 balance sheets is listed below (in millions of dollars).

Calculate Ramakrishnan, Inc.’s, current ratio, quick ratio, and cash ratio for 2015 and 2014. ( LG3-1 )

3-3   Asset Management Ratios Tater and Pepper Corp. reported sales for 2015 of $23 million. Tater and Pepper listed $5.6 million of inventory on its balance sheet. Using a 365-day year, how many days did Tater and Pepper’s inventory stay on the premises? How many times per year did Tater and Pepper’s inventory turn over? ( LG3-2 )

3-4   Asset Management Ratios Mr. Husker’s Tuxedos Corp. ended the year 2015 with an average collection period of 32 days. The firm’s credit sales for 2015 were $56.1 million. What is the year-end 2015 balance in accounts receivable for Mr. Husker’s Tuxedos? ( LG3-2 )

3-5   Debt Management Ratios Tiggie’s Dog Toys, Inc., reported a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.75 times at the end of 2015. If the firm’s total debt at year-end was $25 million, how much equity does Tiggie’s have on its balance sheet? ( LG3-3 )

3-6   Debt Management Ratios You are considering a stock investment in one of two firms (LotsofDebt, Inc., and LotsofEquity, Inc.), both of which operate in the same industry. LotsofDebt, Inc., finances its $30 million in assets with $29 million in debt and $1 million in equity. LotsofEquity, Inc., finances its $30 million in assets with $1 million in debt and $29 million in equity. Calculate the debt ratio, equity multiplier, and debt-to-equity ratio for the two firms. ( LG3-3 )

Page 723-7   Profitability Ratios Maggie’s Skunk Removal Corp.’s 2015 income statement listed net sales of $12.5 million, gross profit of $6.9 million, EBIT of $5.6 million, net income available to common stockholders of $3.2 million, and common stock dividends of $1.2 million. The 2015 year-end balance sheet listed total assets of $52.5 million and common stockholders’ equity of $21 million with 2 million shares outstanding. Calculate the gross profit margin, operating profit margin, profit margin, basic earnings power, ROA, ROE, and dividend payout. ( LG3-4 )

3-8   Profitability Ratios In 2015, Jake’s Jamming Music, Inc., announced an ROA of 8.56 percent, ROE of 14.5 percent, and profit margin of 20.5 percent. The firm had total assets of $9.5 million at year-end 2015. Calculate the 2015 values of net income available to common stockholders, common stockholders’ equity, and net sales for Jake’s Jamming Music, Inc. ( LG3-4 )

3-9   Market Value Ratios You are considering an investment in Roxie’s Bed & Breakfast Corp. During the last year, the firm’s income statement listed an addition to retained earnings of $4.8 million and common stock dividends of $2.2 million. Roxie’s year-end balance sheet shows common stockholders’ equity of $35 million with 10 million shares of common stock outstanding. The common stock’s market price per share was $9.00. What is Roxie’s Bed & Breakfast’s book value per share and earnings per share? Calculate the market-to-book ratio and PE ratio. ( LG3-5 )

3-10   Market Value Ratios Dudley Hill Golf Club’s market-to-book ratio is currently 2.5 times and the PE ratio is 6.75 times. If Dudley Hill Golf Club’s common stock is currently selling at $22.50 per share, what is the book value per share and earnings per share? ( LG3-5 )

3-11   DuPont Analysis If Silas 4-Wheeler, Inc., has an ROE of 18 percent, equity multiplier of 2, and a profit margin of 18.75 percent, what is the total asset turnover and the capital intensity? ( LG3-6 )

3-12   DuPont Analysis Last year, Hassan’s Madhatter, Inc., had an ROA of 7.5 percent, a profit margin of 12 percent, and sales of $25 million. Calculate Hassan’s Madhatter’s total assets. ( LG3-6 )

3-13   Internal Growth Rate Last year, Lakesha’s Lounge Furniture Corporation had an ROA of 7.5 percent and a dividend payout ratio of 25 percent. What is the internal growth rate? ( LG3-6 )

3-14   Sustainable Growth Rate Last year Lakesha’s Lounge Furniture Corporation had an ROE of 17.5 percent and a dividend payout ratio of 20 percent. What is the sustainable growth rate? ( LG3-6 )

INTERMEDIATE PROBLEMS

3-15   Liquidity Ratios Brenda’s Bar and Grill has current liabilities of $15 million. Cash makes up 10 percent of the current assets and accounts receivable makes up another 40 percent of current assets. Brenda’s current ratio is 2.1 times. Calculate the value of inventory listed on the firm’s balance sheet. ( LG3-1 )

3-16   Liquidity and Asset Management Ratios Mandesa, Inc., has current liabilities of $8 million, current ratio of 2 times, inventory turnover of 12 times, average collection period of 30 days, and credit sales of $64 million. Calculate the value of cash and marketable securities. ( LG3-1 ,  LG3-2 )

3-17   Asset Management and Profitability Ratios You have the following information on Els’ Putters, Inc.: Sales to working capital is 4.6 times, profit margin is 20 percent, net income available to common stockholders is $5 million, and current liabilities are $6 million. What is the firm’s balance of current assets? ( LG3-2 ,  LG3-4 )

3-18   Asset Management and Debt Management Ratios Use the following information to complete the following balance sheet. Sales are $8.8 million, capital intensity ratio is 2.10 times, debt ratio is 55 percent, and fixed asset turnover is 1.2 times. ( LG3-2 ,  LG3-3 )

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3-19   Debt Management Ratios Tiggie’s Dog Toys, Inc., reported a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.75 times at the end of 2015. If the firm’s total assets at year-end were $25 million, how much of their assets are financed with debt and how much with equity? ( LG3-3 )

3-20   Debt Management Ratios Calculate the times interest earned ratio for LaTonya’s Flop Shops, Inc., using the following information. Sales are $1.5 million, cost of goods sold is $600,000, depreciation expense is $150,000, other operating expenses is $300,000, addition to retained earnings is $146,250, dividends per share is $1, tax rate is 30 percent, and number of shares of common stock outstanding is 90,000. LaTonya’s Flop Shops has no preferred stock outstanding. ( LG3-3 )

3-21   Profitability and Asset Management Ratios You are thinking of investing in Nikki T’s, Inc. You have only the following information on the firm at year-end 2015: Net income is $250,000, total debt is $2.5 million, and debt ratio is 55 percent. What is Nikki T’s ROE for 2015? ( LG3-2 ,  LG3-4 )

3-22   Profitability Ratios Rick’s Travel Service has asked you to help piece together financial information on the firm for the most current year. Managers give you the following information: sales are $8.2 million, total debt is $2.1 million, debt ratio is 40 percent, and ROE is 18 percent. Using this information, calculate Rick’s ROA. ( LG3-4 )

3-23   Market Value Ratios Leonatti Labs’ year-end price on its common stock is $35. The firm has total assets of $50 million, debt ratio of 65 percent, no preferred stock, and 3 million shares of common stock outstanding. Calculate the market-to-book ratio for Leonatti Labs. ( LG3-5 )

3-24   Market Value Ratios Leonatti Labs’ year-end price on its common stock is $15. The firm has a profit margin of 8 percent, total assets of $42 million, a total asset turnover of 0.75, no preferred stock, and 3 million shares of common stock outstanding. Calculate the PE ratio for Leonatti Labs. ( LG3-5 )

3-25   DuPont Analysis Last year, Stumble-on-Inn, Inc., reported an ROE of 18 percent. The firm’s debt ratio was 55 percent, sales were $15 million, and the capital intensity was 1.25 times. Calculate the net income for Stumble-on-Inn last year. ( LG3-6 )

3-26   DuPont Analysis You are considering investing in Nuran Security Services. You have been able to locate the following information on the firm: total assets are $24 million, accounts receivable are $3.3 million, ACP is 25 days, net income is $3.5 million, and debt-to-equity is 1.2 times. Calculate the ROE for the firm. ( LG3-6 )

3-27   Internal Growth Rate Dogs R Us reported a profit margin of 10.5 percent, total asset turnover of 0.75 times, debt-to-equity of 0.80 times, net income of $500,000, and dividends paid to common stockholders of $200,000. The firm has no preferred stock outstanding. What is Dogs R Us’s internal growth rate? ( LG3-6 )

3-28   Sustainable Growth Rate You have located the following information on Webb’s Heating & Air Conditioning: debt ratio is 54 percent, capital intensity is 1.10 times, profit margin is 12.5 percent, and the dividend payout is 25 percent. Calculate the sustainable growth rate for Webb. ( LG3-6 )

Page 74Use the following financial statements for Lake of Egypt Marina, Inc., to answer Problems 3-29 through 3-33.

Page 753-29   Spreading the Financial Statements Spread the balance sheets and income statements of Lake of Egypt Marina, Inc., for 2015 and 2014. ( LG3-6 )

3-30   Calculating Ratios Calculate the following ratios for Lake of Egypt Marina, Inc., as of year-end 2015. ( LG3-1  through  LG3-5 )

3-31   DuPont Analysis Construct the DuPont ROA and ROE breakdowns for Lake of Egypt Marina, Inc. ( LG3-6 )

3-32   Internal and Sustainable Growth Rates Calculate the internal and sustainable growth rate for Lake of Egypt Marina, Inc. ( LG3-6 )

3-33   Cross-Sectional Analysis Using the ratios from Problem 3-30 for Lake of Egypt Marina, Inc., and the industry, what can you conclude about Lake of Egypt Marina’s financial performance for 2015? ( LG3-7 )

ADVANCED PROBLEMS

3-34   Ratio Analysis Use the following information to complete the balance sheet below. ( LG3-1  through  LG3-5 )

Current ratio = 2.5 times

Profit margin = 10%

Sales = $1,200m

Page 76ROE = 20%

Long-term debt to long-term debt and equity = 55%

3-35   Ratio Analysis Use the following information to complete the balance sheet. ( LG3-1  through  LG3-5 )

Current ratio = 2.20 times

Credit sales = $1,200m

Average collection period = 60 days

Inventory turnover = 1.50 times

Total asset turnover = 0.75 times

Debt ratio = 60%

3-36   DuPont Analysis Last year, K9 WebbWear, Inc., reported an ROE of 20 percent. The firm’s debt ratio was 55 percent, sales were $20 million, and the capital intensity was 1.25 times. Calculate the net income and profit margin for K9 WebbWear last year. This year, K9 WebbWear plans to increase its debt ratio to 60 percent. The change will not affect sales or total assets, however, it will reduce the firm’s profit margin to 11 percent. By how much will the change in K9 WebbWear’s debt ratio affect its ROE? ( LG3-6 )

3-37   DuPont Analysis You are considering investing in Dakota’s Security Services. You have been able to locate the following information on the firm: Total assets are $32 million, accounts receivable are $4.4 million, ACP is 25 days, net income is $4.66 million, and debt-to-equity is 1.2 times. All sales are on credit. Dakota’s is considering loosening its credit policy such that ACP will increase to 30 days. The change is expected to increase credit sales by 5 percent. Any change in accounts receivable will be offset with a change in debt. No other balance sheet changes are expected. Dakota’s profit margin will remain unchanged. How will this change in accounts receivable policy affect Dakota’s net income, total asset turnover, equity multiplier, ROA, and ROE? ( LG3-6 )

3-38   Internal Growth Rate Last year, Marly Brown, Inc., reported an ROE of 20 percent. The firm’s debt-to-equity was 1.50 times, sales were $20 million, the capital intensity was 1.25 times, and dividends paid to common stockholders were $1,000,000. The firm has no preferred stock outstanding. This year, Marly Brown plans to decrease its debt-to-equity ratio to 1.20 times. The change will not affect sales, total assets, or dividends paid, however, it will reduce the firm’s profit margin to 9.85 percent. Use the DuPont equation to determine how the change in Marly Brown’s debt ratio will affect its internal growth rate. ( LG3-6 )

Page 773-39   Sustainable Growth Rate You are considering investing in Annie’s Eatery. You have been able to locate the following information on the firm: Total assets are $40 million, accounts receivable are $6.0 million, ACP is 30 days, net income is $4.75 million, debt-to-equity is 1.5 times, and dividend payout ratio is 45 percent. All sales are on credit. Annie’s is considering loosening its credit policy such that ACP will increase to 35 days. The change is expected to increase credit sales by 5 percent. Any change in accounts receivable will be offset with a change in debt. No other balance sheet changes are expected. Annie’s profit margin and dividend payout ratio will remain unchanged. Use the DuPont equation to determine how this change in accounts receivable policy will affect Annie’s sustainable growth rate. ( LG3-6 )

1 To see this remember the balance sheet identity is Assets (A) = Debt (D) + Equity (E). Dividing each side of this equation by assets, we get A/A = D/A + E/A. Rearranging this equation, D/A = A/A − E/A = 1 − E/A = 1 − [1/(A/E)]. Also, D/A = (A − E)/A = 1/[A/(A − E)] = 1/[(A − E + E)/(A − E)] = 1/[(E/(A − E) + (A − E)/(A − E)] = 1/[E/D + 1] = 1/[1/(D/E) + 1]. Dividing each side of the balance sheet identity equation by equity, we get A/E = D/E + E/E, or A/E = D/E + 1. Also, rearranging this equation, D/E = A/E − 1.

2 The fixed-charge and cash coverage ratios can be tailored to a particular firm’s situation, depending on what really constitutes fixed charges that must be paid. One version of it follows: (EBIT + Lease payments)/[Interest + Lease payments + Sinking fund/(1 − t)], where t is the firm’s marginal tax rate. Here, it is assumed that sinking fund payments must be made. They are adjusted by the division of (1 − t) into a before-tax cash outflow so they can be added to other before-tax cash outflows.