Chapter 15- 16 Critical Thinking Questions

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A company has recently experienced a significant decline in sales due to a economic downturn. Discuss the potential impact of this decline on the company's financial statements and the steps the company can take to mitigate the impact. What are the implications of the decline for the company's going concern assumption? How can the company communicate this information to stakeholders? Answer?

How can the company communicate this information to stakeholders

Which of the following is not a reason a company would be willing to accept new business at a loss?   A.) The company has the expectation that certain customers can influence other potential customers. B.) The company has the expectation that it will make up for it in later years and has the expectation that certain customers can influence other potential customers. C.) The company has the expectation that its estimates will prove incorrect and that the business will result in a profit. D.) The company has the expectation that it will make up for it in later years.

Contingent situation is a potential negative event that may occur in the future, such as economic recession, natural disaster, fraudulent activity, or a terrorist attack. Contingencies can be prepared for, but often the nature and scope of such negative events are unknowable in advance. Companies and investors plan for various contingencies through analysis and implementing protective measures. Describe how accountants may help to mitigate the impact of these risks on profitability? (350 words)

What are some of the risks an investor would face when investing in a stock? In addition to the business risk coming from the type of business environment that your company operates in, what additional risk would be of concern to an investor? The company might be mismanaged and do poorly or go out of business. The company's stock market return might be wildly unpredictable as the operating performance might be unstable. The company's competitors might do a better job and take market share away? The list goes on and on... What risks would you face if you bought 100 shares of Tesla?

You are an investor who is looking for a place to invest your money. Previous investments have led you to feel that you are only interested in public, unregulated companies. You must choose a company that has not been used in previous course work, where you will now invest your money. Based on publicly available information you are to do a complete strategic analysis of the company. Tips: Clothing companies do not make good choices because their reporting dates do not match standard reporting of economic data. The result of your research will be your opinion, backed by your analysis, and use of evidence (use 6th edition APA) and reasons why you would personally invest in this company as well as why people wish to be employed at this company. What makes it attractive to employees? You may think of this as an evaluation of the firm for investment purposes. Ensure that you select a company that has data available for conducting the needed analyses. Do due diligence right at the beginning…

Explain in full detail why the following statement is false:   "Financial managers should not focus on the present stock value of the company. Instead, they should focus on the profitability of the company. Doing so will result in increasing the value of the stock.

1) "Information asymmetry lies at the heart of the ethical dilemma that managers, stockholders, and bondholders confront when companies initiate management buyouts or swap debt for equity." Comment on this statement. What steps might a board of directors take to ensure that the company's actions are ethical with regard to all parties? 2) Assume that you are the CFO of a company contemplating a stock repurchase next quarter. You know that there are several methods of reducing the current quarterly earnings, which may cause the stock price to fall prior to the announcement of the proposed stock repurchase. What course of action would you recommend to your CEO? If your CEO came to you first and recommended reducing the current quarter's earnings, what would be your response?

The controller for Lafayette Inc. recently commented, “If I have to disclose our segments individually, the only people who will gain are our competitors and the only people that will lose are our present stockholders.” Evaluate this comment.

Provide an explanation of the impact of external factors on the financial position of your selected company. Use the Interest Rates Spreadsheet to demonstrate the implications of interest rate changes on at least one. Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed: Macroeconomic Items: The CEO of your selected company is convinced that financial analysis should hinge only on what is happening internally within the company. Convince the CEO otherwise based on the following: Analyze the implications of interest rate changes on any of your calculations. Support your claims. Determine how an issue in the overall stock market—negative or positive—might impact the company’s stock valuation numbers, other financial variables, or its overall portfolio management. Support your response with evidence through research, references, and citations. Analyze the impact of any external factor of PepsiCo. discussed throughout the course on the company’s financial position.…

James Madison was brought in as assistant to Computron’s chairman, who had the task of getting the company back into a sound financial position.  Madison must prepare an analysis of where the company is now, what it must do to regain its financial health, and what actions to take. Your assignment is to help her answer the following questions, using the recent and projected financial information shown next. Provide clear explanations, not yes or no answers. Calculate the price/earnings ratio and market/book ratio.  Do these ratios indicate that investors are expected to have a high or low opinion of the company?

Why is the study of financial management important? Offer examples of how poor financial management can ruin a company. Provide specific real-life examples to back up your assertions.

What is NOT a question that needs to be answered when completing financial due diligence? A. Is the company worth what it seems to be? B. Is the deal worth doing? C. All of these choices are questions that need to be answered l. D. Are these any major risks that could be a problem?

What are some of the non-financial factors you would consider if you were faced with a decision related to keeping or terminating a business segment? Can you think of a time when you experienced a dropped segment? Were there consequences other than financial that affected the company?