Questions
“US oil prices turned negative for the first time on record on Monday April 20th, 2020...

“US oil prices turned negative for the first time on record on Monday April 20th, 2020 after oil producers ran out of space to store the oversupply of crude left by the coronavirus crisis, triggering an historic market collapse which left oil traders reeling.” (The Guardian, April 20th, 2020)

On April 21st, 2020 the US president Donald Trump tweeted: “We will never let the great U.S. Oil & Gas Industry down. I have instructed the Secretary of Energy and Secretary of the Treasury to formulate a plan, which will make funds available so that these very important companies and jobs will be secured long into the future!”

What factors or government policies do you think will help the price of oil to go up?

In: Economics

Case 2 In early 2019, PT X acquired share ownership of 2 entities, namely PT Y...

Case 2
In early 2019, PT X acquired share ownership of 2 entities, namely PT Y and PT Z with
the following information:
• PT X acquired a 30% stake in PT Y, where previously PT X owned 40% of PT Y. Based on the analysis conducted by PT X, the additional 30% share ownership resulted PT X has control over PT Y.
• PT X acquired a 20% stake in PT Z, previously PT X owned 60% of PT Z. Based on the analysis conducted by PT X, on the initial ownership of 60% of PT Z's shares, PT X owns control of PT Z. With the additional 20% ownership of the shares, PT X has permanent ownership
has control over PT Z.
Towards the end of 2020, PT X sold part of its ownership to the two companies, with the following information:
• PT X sold 15% of its ownership in PT Y's shares. Based on the analysis conducted by PT X, the sale did not cause PT X to lose control of PT Y.
• PT X sold 40% of its ownership in PT Z's shares. Based on the analysis conducted by PT X, the sale caused PT X to lose control of PT Z.
Describe the accounting treatment for PT X for its ownership of PT Y and PT Z when:
1. Acquisition of additional shares in early 2019.
2. Sale of partial ownership towards the end of 2020.

In: Accounting

II. You are the chairman of the board of directors for an innovative technology company, and...

II. You are the chairman of the board of directors for an innovative technology company, and you are looking to hire a new CEO. Your shareholders require an 8% return.
Your firm has 1,200 engineers who on average each contribute $240,000 to the annual revenue of the company and receive an average annual salary of $120,000.
-What is the current annual revenue of the firm?

-What is the current operating profit of the firm?
The first candidate for the CEO position, Jane Doe, successfully increased the productive output of engineering employees at her last firm by 5%, and is asking for total annual compensation of $3,500,000 and a three year contract.
-What is the Present Cost of Jane Doe’s three year employment contract?
-If Jane Doe increases the output of your firm’s engineers by 5%, what is her contribution to the firm’s operating profit?
-What is the Present Value of Jane Doe’s three year contribution to operating profits?
-What is the Net Present Value of hiring Jane Doe?
The second candidate for the CEO position is a bit of a technology superstar, Alan Musk, and at his last company inspired and increased productive output of engineering employees by 12%, but is asking for total annual compensation of $21,000,000.
-What is the Present Cost of the Alan Musk’s three year contract?
-If Alan Musk increases the output of your firm’s engineers by 12%, what is his contribution to the firm’s operating profit?
-What is the Present Value of Alan Musk’s three year contribution to operating profits?
-What is the Net Present Value of hiring Alan Musk?

-Which CEO should you hire? Defend your answer.
-Describe in your own words both aspects of the role of the financial manager.
-What is the name of the conflict that exists between shareholders and the CEO?
-What steps can you take as the chairman of the board of directors to lessen this conflict?
-What would be the ratio of the salary of the CEO to the salary of the average engineer if you hire Jane Doe? And for Alan Musk?
-Social media influencers are starting to criticize the ratio between the salary of the CEO and your average engineer. What do you say to them?

In: Finance

Z Corporation has taxable income of $100,000 in 2020 after properly accounting for all the following...

Z Corporation has taxable income of $100,000 in 2020 after properly accounting for all the following items on the tax return. In reviewing the tax workpapers you discover the following notations. Indicate for each of the following transactions, what necessary adjustment to taxable income that is needed to determine the current E & P.

Label your answers A-E and indicate the dollar amount for each adjustment. If the adjustment is a negative one, enclose the amount in brackets. If no adjustment is needed, state None.

A. During 2020, the company paid $21,000 in federal income taxes

B. During 2020, the company elected to expense $40,000 under Section 179   

C. In 2020, the company received $1,000 in tax-exempt income

D. In 2020, the company paid $6,000 in business meals.

E. In 2020, the company had $5,000 in capital gains. From 2019, they had a $4,000 capital loss carryforward which they could utilize in 2020.

In: Accounting

Consolidation of an International Subsidiary at Date of Acquisition Fairview Corporation, a U.S. company, has a...

Consolidation of an International Subsidiary at Date of Acquisition

Fairview Corporation, a U.S. company, has a wholly-owned subsidiary in Mexico. The subsidary's functional currency is the Mexican peso, and translation to U.S. dollars is appropriate. The subsidiary was acquired for $10,800,000. The balance sheet of the subsidiary on the date of acquisition is as follows:

Mexican Subsidiary
Balance Sheet at Date of Acquisition
Assets
Cash and receivables P9,000,000
Inventories 21,000,000
Noncurrent assets, net 45,000,000
Total assets P75,000,000
Liabilities and stockholders' equity
Liabilities P15,000,000
Capital stock 48,000,000
Retained earnings 12,000,000
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity P75,000,000

The fair values of the subsidiary's inventories are P30,000,000, and the fair values of the subsidiary's noncurrent assets are 42,000,000. All other amounts are reported at approximate fair value. The exchange rate at the date of acquisition is $0.10/peso.

Present a schedule showing the calculation of goodwill for the acquisition, in U.S. dollars, and the entries necessary to consolidate the balance sheets of Fairview and its subsidiary at the date of acquisition.

Instructions:

  • Enter all your answers below in thousands. For example, P108,000,000 equals P108,000 in thousands.
  • Do not use negative signs with any of your answers below.
Calculation of goodwill (in thousands)
P $/P U.S.$
Price Paid Answer Answer Answer
Book value Answer Answer Answer
Undervaluation of inventories Answer Answer Answer
Overvaluationof noncurrent assets Answer Answer Answer
Goodwill Answer Answer

Enter answers in thousands.

ConsolidationJournal
Description Debit Credit
(E)
AnswerInvestment in subsidiaryInventoriesCapital stockCash Answer Answer
Retained earnings Answer Answer
AnswerCashCapital stockInvestment in subsidiaryInventories Answer Answer
(R)
AnswerInventoriesCashCapital stockInvestment in subsidiary Answer Answer
Goodwill Answer Answer
Noncurrent Assets Answer Answer
AnswerCapital stockCashInvestment in subsidiaryInventories Answer Answer

In: Accounting

QUESTION 4 CASE STUDY Read the following case study and then answer the questions. A market...

QUESTION 4

CASE STUDY

Read the following case study and then answer the questions.

A market darling falls to Earth: The EOH Meltdown

Background

EOH was listed on the JSE in 1997. Over the next twenty years it grew to one of the largest technology businesses on the African continent.

By 2017 it operated in 36 countries in Africa and internationally. It had grown its annual turnover to R15,4 bn rand and was generally viewed as a highly successful company. In 2016 the share price peaked at R177 per share. Because of its performance, EOH shares were included in most investment portfolios, including that of pension funds.

However, within a mere four years, EOH's market value has collapsed, falling from a peak of R20 billion in 2016 to just R3 billion at present. This is reflected in the 92% plunge in its share price, from R174.83 to R14.61. So, what has caused this massive sell-off?

The first cracks begin to show

In 2016, EOH was thrust into a corporate scandal after allegations of compliance and governance irregularities emerged, involving various government departments such as Defence, Water and Sanitation, as well as the South African Police Service and eThekwini municipality, among others. The rumours in the market almost instantly translated into a massive loss in shareholder confidence.

The management of EOH tried to quell the market fears with the following statement:

"The combination of the macroeconomic environment and the adverse, unfounded media coverage that EOH received, temporarily affected the group's position in the market. Despite these market conditions all areas of the business coped very well."

For the time-being, the management could hold things together. By the time the 2017 Annual Results were finalized the performance of the company did not reflect the negative market perceptions. But the rumours persisted, and this prompted the company to launch an internal investigation into public sector contracts.

Unfolding events

In May 2017, EOH announced that its founder and chief executive Asher Bohbot, will be stepping down at the end of June 2017 after 19 years as the CEO. Zunaid Mayet who previously worked as chief executive of the EOH Industrial Technologies division replaced Bohbot as Group CEO. Bohbot then became the chairman of the Board.

In March 2018, EOH announced that it would split its business into two new operating entities. Rob Godlonton was appointed to head the new EOH subsidiary and the EOH CEO Zunaid Mayet was relinquishing his role as group CEO to take the reins at the newly created subsidiary Nextec. This created room for a new CEO.

In June 2018 Africa News 24-7 reported that the National Homebuilders Registration Council and the National Treasury placed EOH on a database of restricted suppliers. It was believed that the Registration Council requested for the company to be blacklisted after a contract was breached.

It was further announced that two non-executive directors will resign from the EOH Holdings board with effect from 1 July 2018: Lucky Khumalo and Johan van Jaarsveld, and that four executive directors: Brian Gubbins, Rob Godlonton, Ebrahim Laher and Jehan Mackay, will relinquish their positions in the Board to focus on their executive roles in the business.

These resignations cleared the way for a new "more balanced" independent Board to be appointed.

In September 2018 Stephen Van Coller was appointed as the new CEO. This was followed by the appointment of several other people to establish a new management team.

In February 2019, the software giant Microsoft served EOH with notice that they will terminate their channel partner contract with the EOH after an anonymous whistle-blower filed a complaint with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in November 2018. They alleged misconduct and corruption in relation to a R120 million contract that was concluded with the SA Department of Defence. Notice was served whilst Microsoft launched their own investigation.

It was estimated that the loss of the Microsoft contract would wipe several millions off the profit line of the company. In response to this news EOH's share price fell a further 4.3% to R13.46. This meant that the share had lost 71% of its value in the preceding 12 months and 90% in the preceding three years. Also, in February 2019, EOH founder Asher Bohbot, announced that he will be stepping down as the Board Chairman in the interest of improved governance. At the same time two other longstanding members of the Board also stepped down namely Rob Sporen, a non-executive director and founding member of EOH, who has been with the group for 20 years, and Tshilidzi Marwala, another non-executive director who had served on the board for 11 years.

In the very same month (February 2019) the Board of EOH requested a law firm; ENSafrica (ENS), to conduct a comprehensive investigation into EOH contracts in order to identify any wrongdoing or criminal conduct in the acquisition, award or execution of those contracts.

Further developments and remedial actions

In June 2019, Dr Xolani Mkhwanazi, was appointed as the new Chairman to the Board.

In July 2019, the ENS report was released. Several senior executives had handed in their resignations prior to the release of the report.

Although the report was not released to the public, EOH announced that the investigation by ENS had found evidence of serious governance failings and wrongdoing at the company. These included unsubstantiated payments, tender irregularities and other unethical business dealings primarily limited to public sector business run from its head office as well as EOH Mthombo, a division of the company.

EOH announced that they have terminated the employment relationships with individuals who have been directly implicated in the identified wrongdoing and indicated that it had reported the concerns and the details of those implicated to the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation, known as the Hawks.

In August 2019 it was announced that two more directors resigned from their positions.

What does the future hold?

In October 2019 during an interview, Van Coller (the new CEO) indicated that the corruption that has tainted EOH related to contracts entered into between 2014 and 2017. It involved eight people and approximately 20 suppliers. Action had been instituted against those implicated.

He further indicated that the Board was busy developing a comprehensive remedial plan, with a number of measures, some of which had already been implemented. The recent appointments of a new board chairperson and three independent, non-executive directors were important milestones for the group to enhance and complement leadership capability and governance oversight.

He also indicated that audit firm PWC assisted the company with setting up an internal audit function while ENS had helped implement an anti-bribery programme based upon the International Standard for Anti Bribery Management Systems.

One question however remains, can a company such as EOH survive this ordeal and will the remedial actions be enough to steer EOH to more peaceful waters? Only time will tell.

Adapted from various newspaper articles.

4.1 Explain why the events leading up to the appointment of a new CEO and Chairman to the Board of EOH can be seen as a breakdown in corporate governance. (4)

4.2 Identify/name four (4) stakeholders of EOH and indicate how their interests were compromised by the unfolding events and the drop in the share price. (8)

4.3 Identify and describe four (4) principles listed by King IV which should have guided the Board of EOH, but which was somehow compromised. This could relate to mistakes or failures by the board or management of EOH. (8)

4.4 Will the shareholders of EOH have a possible claim or legal recourse against the Board members who served between 2016-2018 for the fact that the value of their investments was destroyed? In other words, can the Board be held liable? (5)

In: Finance

Advise Linkitin Pty Ltd on sources of finance Linkitin Pty Ltd is a new company with...

Advise Linkitin Pty Ltd on sources of finance

Linkitin Pty Ltd is a new company with an interesting new service that shows great potential. However, the company needs more long-term finance to grow. Its founder, Chodar, is an expert in his area but he knows very little about business. He is currently the only shareholder of the company and has no family or friends that could provide further financing.

You have been asked to explain sources of long-term financing. You have decided to keep it simple and explain the difference between debt and equity and provide an example of each that would apply to a start-up business such as Linkitin.

In: Accounting

The Managing Director of Wraymand plc has asked you to prepare the statement of comprehensive income...

The Managing Director of Wraymand plc has asked you to prepare the statement of comprehensive income for the group. The company has one subsidiary undertaking, Blonk Ltd. The statements of comprehensive income of the two companies for the year ended 31 March 2020 are set out below. Statements of comprehensive income for the year to 31 March 2020 Wraymand Blonk £000 £000 Sales revenue 38,462 12,544 Cost of sales (22,693) (5,268) –––––– –––––– Gross profit 15,769 7,276 Dividend from Blonk Ltd 580 –––––– 16,349 Distribution costs (6,403) (2,851) Administrative expenses (3,987) (2,466) –––––– –––––– Profit from operations 5,959 1,959 Finance costs (562) (180) –––––– –––––– Profit before tax 5,397 1,779 Taxation (1,511) (623) –––––– –––––– Profit for the year 3,886 1,156 –––––– –––––– Further information: (i) Wraymand plc acquired 75% of the ordinary share capital of Blonk Ltd on 1 April 2019. (ii) During the year, Blonk Ltd sold goods which had cost £1,100,000 to Wraymand plc for £1,600,000. All of the goods had been sold by Wraymand plc by the end of the year.

In: Finance

Record the following transactions on the books of Hope Hospital, which follows FASB (not-for-profit) and AICPA...

Record the following transactions on the books of Hope Hospital, which follows FASB (not-for-profit) and AICPA standards. The year is 2020. (If no entry is required for a transaction/event, select "No Journal Entry Required" in the first account field.)

  1. Hope received $69,000 in cash from pledges made in the previous year that were unrestricted as to purpose but intended to be received and expended in 2020.
  2. Hope received $113,000 in pledges that indicated the money would be received in 2021. The donors imposed no restrictions other than it could be used for any purpose desired by the board.
  3. Hope expended $64,000 for nursing training, using $58,000 of donor restricted resources received in 2019 for that purpose.
  4. On June 15, 2020, Hope was awarded a $75,000 grant for cancer research by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. During 2020, Hope had qualified expenses under the grant totaling $55,000. This is cost reimbursement, grant.
  5. Hope received $306,000 in cash. The board decided to invest the funds for future plant expansion.

Complete the Journal entrys.

1aHope received $69,000 in cash from pledges made in the previous year that were unrestricted as to purpose but intended to be received and expended in 2020. Record the cash from the pledges made in the previous year.

1bHope received $69,000 in cash from pledges made in the previous year that were unrestricted as to purpose but intended to be received and expended in 2020. Record the reclassification of the pledges received in the previous year.

02Hope received $113,000 in pledges that indicated the money would be received in 2021. The donors imposed no restrictions other than it could be used for any purpose desired by the board.

3aRecord the expense on nursing training.

3bRecord the transfer from donor restricted resources that had been given in 2019 for the purpose of nurse training.

4aOn June 15, 2020, Hope was awarded a $75,000 grant for cancer research by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

4bDuring 2020, Hope had qualified expenses under the grant totaling $55,000.

4cRecord the expenses reimbursed under the grant totaling $55,000.

5aRecord the receipt in cash.

5bRecord the investment of the funds for future plant expansion.

5cRecord the demarcation of net assets-unrestricted for plant expansion.

In: Accounting

Robertson Real Estate Recapitalization Founded 25 years ago by CEO Steve Robertson, Robertson Real Estate (RRE)...

Robertson Real Estate Recapitalization

Founded 25 years ago by CEO Steve Robertson, Robertson Real Estate (RRE) purchases commercial real estate (land and buildings), rents both to tenants. The company has shown consistent annual profits over the past 18 years, and shareholders have been pleased with the company's management. Before he started RRE, Steve was also the founder and CEO of a now bankrupt Ostrich farm. This previous bankruptcy has made him extremely reluctant to undertake any type of debt financing, and he has financed the real estate company 100% with equity. Robertson Real Estate stock currently trades at $37.80 per share and has 8 million shares of common stock outstanding.

The company has been reviewing an opportunity to purchase a large segment of land in the southeastern United States for $85 million and plans to lease this property to one or more farming operations. The land purchase is expected to increase RRE's annual pretax earnings by $14.125 million in perpetuity. Raylynne Givins, the company's new CFO, determined the company's current cost of capital is 10.2%. She feels the company would be more valuable if it added some debt to its capital structure, so she is evaluating whether the company should issue debt to fully finance the project.

Based on conversations with several investment banks, Raylynne believes RRE can issue bonds at par value with a 6% coupon rate. Her analysis suggests a capital structure using 70% equity / 30% debt would be optimal. If the company's debt structure exceeds 30%, RRE's bond rating would be lower and require a significantly higher coupon due to the increased exposure to financial distress and the associated higher financing costs. RRE has a combined state and federal corporate tax rate of 23%.

Questions:

  1. If RRE seeks to maximize total market value, should the company issue debt or equity to finance the land purchase? Explain.
  2. Suppose RRE decides to issue equity to finance the purchase.
    1. What is the net present value (NPV) of the project?
    2. Construct RRE's market value balance sheet after it announces the firm will finance the purchase using equity.
      1. What would be the new price per share of the firm's stock?
      2. How many shares will RRE need to issue to finance the purchase?
    3. Construct RRE's market value balance sheet after the equity issue but before the purchase has been made.
      1. How many shares of common stock does RRE have outstanding?
      2. What is the price per share of the firm's stock?
  3. Suppose RRE decides to issue debt to finance the purchase.
    1. What will be the market value of RRE if the purchase if financed with debt?
    2. Construct RRE's market value balance sheet after both the debt issue and the land purchase. What is the price per share of the firm's stock?
  4. Which method of financing maximizes the per-share stock price of RRE's equity?

In: Finance