Question

You are the CFO for Tom & Jerry’s, Inc. Together with Tom Fheelein and Jerry Rhodeint, the company’s two shareholders, you are examining the following statement of cash flows which they prepared for Tom & Jerry’s, Inc. for the year ended January 31, 2015.

TOM & JERRYS’S, INC. Statement of Cash Flows For the Year Ended January 31, 2015 Sources of cash From sales of merchandise $380,000 From sale of capital stock 410,000 From sale of investment (purchased below) 80,000 From depreciation 55,000 From issuance of note for truck 20,000 From interest on investments 6,000 Total sources of cash 951,000 Uses of cash For purchase of fixtures and equipment 320,000 For merchandise purchased for resale 258,000 For operating expenses (including depreciation) 160,000 For purchase of investment 75,000 For purchase of truck by issuance of note 20,000 For purchase of treasury stock 10,000 For interest on note payable 3,000 Total uses of cash 846,000 Net increase in cash $105,000

Tom claims that this statement of cash flows is an excellent portrayal of a superb first year with cash increasing $105,000. Jerry replies that it was not a superb first year. Rather, he says, the year was an operating failure as the statement is presented incorrectly and $105,000 is not the actual increase in cash. The cash balance at the beginning of the year was $140,000.

Instructions

A. Using the data provided, prepare a statement of cash flows using the indirect method. The only noncash item in the income statement is depreciation. The purchase/sale of the investment and any resulting gain/loss are investing (not operating) activities. Hint: You may need to figure out net income for the year.

B. With whom do you agree, Tom or Jerry? Explain your position.

Answer 1

From the information given, it appears that from an operating standpoint,
Tom & Jerry inc. did not have a superb first year, having suffered a $30,000
net loss. Jerry is correct; the statement of cash flows is not prepared in correct
form. The sources and uses format is no longer the acceptable form. The
correct format classifies cash flows from three activities—operating, investing,
and financing; and it also presents significant noncash investing and financing
activities in a separate schedule. Jerry is wrong, however, about the actual increase
in cash not being $105,000; $105,000 is the correct increase in cash.