In: Finance
2. Balance sheet
The balance sheet provides a snapshot of the financial condition of a company. Investors and analysts use the information given on the balance sheet and other financial statements to make several interpretations regarding the company’s financial condition and performance.
Cute Camel Woodcraft Company is a hypothetical company. Suppose it has the following balance sheet items reported at the end of its first year of operation. For the second year, some parts are still incomplete. Use the information given to complete the balance sheet.
Cute Camel Woodcraft CompanyBalance Sheet for Year Ending December 31 (Millions of Dollars) |
|||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year 2 | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 1 | ||
Assets | Liabilities and equity | ||||
Current assets: | Current liabilities: | ||||
Cash and equivalents | $2,767 | Accounts payable | $0 | $0 | |
Accounts receivable | 1,266 | 1,013 | Accruals | 176 | 0 |
Inventories | 3,712 | 2,970 | Notes payable | 996 | 937 |
Total current assets | $8,437 | $6,750 | Total current liabilities | $937 | |
Net fixed assets: | Long-term debt | 3,515 | 2,813 | ||
Net plant and equipment | $8,250 | Total debt | $4,687 | $3,750 | |
Common equity: | |||||
Common stock | 9,141 | 7,313 | |||
Retained earnings | 3,937 | ||||
Total common equity | $14,063 | $11,250 | |||
Total assets | $18,750 | $15,000 | Total liabilities and equity | $18,750 | $15,000 |
Given the information in the preceding balance sheet—and assuming that Cute Camel Woodcraft Company has 50 million shares of common stock outstanding—read each of the following statements, then identify the selection that best interprets the information conveyed by the balance sheet.
Statement #1:Cute Camel’s pool of relatively liquid assets, which are available to support the company’s current and future sales, decreased from Year 1 to Year 2.
This statement is , because:
Cute Camel’s total current asset balance actually increased from $6,750 million to $8,437 million between Year 1 and Year 2
Cute Camel’s total current liabilities balance increased from $1,013 million to $1,266 million between Year 1 and Year 2
Cute Camel’s total current liabilities balance decreased by $1,687 million between Year 1 and Year 2
Statement #2: In Year 2, Cute Camel Woodcraft Company was profitable.
This statement is , because:
Cute Camel’s total assets increased between Years 1 and 2
The cash and equivalents account increased between Years 1 and 2
Cute Camel’s retained earnings account increased between the end of Years 1 and 2
Statement #3: One way to interpret the change in Cute Camel’s accounts receivable balance from Year 1 to Year 2 is that more customers purchased new items on credit rather than paying off existing credit accounts.
This statement is , because:
The $253 increase in accounts receivable means either that Year 1’s existing credit customers are not paying off their owed balances and new or existing customers are making additional purchases on credit, or that Year 1’s credit customers have repaid their owed balances and Year 2 credit sales have exceeded Year 1’s credit sales
The change from $2,970 million to $3,712 million reflects a net accumulation of new credit sales
The decrease from $1,266 million to $1,013 million implies a net decrease in accounts receivable and that more customers are paying off their receivables balances than are buying on credit
Based on your understanding of the different items reported on the balance sheet and the information they provide, which statement regarding Cute Camel Woodcraft Company’s balance sheet is consistent with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)?
The company’s debts are listed in the order in which they are to be repaid.
The company’s debts should be listed in order of their liquidity.
The company’s debts should be listed from those carrying the largest balance to those with the smallest balance.