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Background American Construction, Inc. (American) begins operations on April 1,

ID: 2418817 • Letter: B

Question

Background

American Construction, Inc. (American) begins operations on April 1, 2004 as a general corporation. (Fiscal period for the company ends March 31.) The company operates as a general contractor engaged in commercial and institutional building construction. The company provides construction services to construct structures such as schools, low-rise office buildings, restaurants, malls and retail stores, and office-warehousing facilities. In addition, the company actively seeks work for remodel and restoration of commercial and institutional facilities as noted above. The company self-performs concrete, steel, masonry, and carpentry work. All other work is subcontracted.

During the first three years of operation, the company experiences rapid growth thanks to strong markets that reduced the effects of price competition. The growth is supported by sound financial backing from the sale of stock to the principal owners, retained earnings and the acquisition of long term debt. Strong financial statements coupled with seemingly good management expertise allow the company’s bonding capacity to peak at $20,000,000 annual revenue as of March 31, 2007.

The fiscal period April 1, 2007 to March 31, 2008 shows a slow down in construction in the local Midwest region where American operates. Company revenue declines from $14,000,000 to $10,000,000. American lowers its price on bid work (mostly new construction) in order to be competitive. In response to American’s poor profit showing for the period ending March 31, 2008, the surety company reduces American’s bonding capacity to $8,000,000 annual revenue.

Currently American’s management is concerned about American’s poor profit showing. The team needs to determine the financial state of the company and wants to track this financial state over the last four years. The balance sheets for the last four years are shown in Table 3.9 and the income statements are shown in Table 3.10. Among other issues, management needs to determine how bad the current financial condition of the company might be and what can be done to turn the company around.

Once the management decides courses of action that need to be taken, the company can prepare a budgeted income statement for the coming fiscal year. The budget will be used to develop overhead and profit mark-up rates for bid work as well as time and material work. The budget will be used to control company operating expense, as well as prepare the company cash flow projection.

Table 3.9. Balance sheets for American Construction, Inc.

Account

3/31/2005

3/31/2006

3/31/2007

3/31/2008

Cash

200,000

280,000

390,000

160,000

Accounts Receivable

650,000

1,104,000

3,400,000

2,000,000

Retainage Receivable

50,000

96,000

300,000

205,200

Material Inventory

80,000

140,000

170,000

70,000

Under-billings

200,000

420,000

500,000

250,000

Other Current Assets

20,000

30,000

40,000

40,000

Total Current Assets

1,200,000

2,070,000

4,800,000

2,725,200

Equipment (Gross)

120,000

216,000

360,000

360,000

Less: Acc. Dep.

24,000

67,200

139,200

211,200

Equipment (Net)

96,000

148,800

220,800

148,800

Building (Gross)

60,000

60,000

60,000

60,000

Less: Acc. Dep.

3,000

6,000

9,000

12,000

Building (Net)

57,000

54,000

51,000

48,000

Land

47,000

47,000

47,000

47,000

Total Non-Current Assets

200,000

249,800

318,800

243,800

Total Assets

1,400,000

2,319,800

5,118,800

2,969,000

Equities

Liabilities

Account Payable

100,000

200,000

560,000

475,000

Subcontracts Payable

200,000

430,000

1,270,000

400,000

Retainage Payable

20,000

50,000

170,000

75,000

Over-billings

100,000

200,000

600,000

700,000

Note Payable (current)

100,000

150,000

300,000

150,000

Income Tax Payable

28,000

40,000

58,000

<14,000>

Current Portion (L/T/D)

40,000

64,000

200,000

100,000

Other Current Liability

12,000

16,000

42,000

14,000

Total Current Liability

600,000

1,150,000

3,200,000

1,900,000

Long Term Debt

100,000

389,800

818,800

145,000

Total Liability

700,000

1,539,800

4,018,800

2,045,000

Net Worth

Capital Stock

650,000

650,000

840,000

700,000

Retained Earnings

50,000

130,000

260,000

224,000

Total Net Worth

700,000

780,000

1,100,000

924,000

Total Equities

1,400,000

2,319,800

5,118,800

2,969,000

Table 3.10. Income statements for American Construction, Inc.

2005

2006

2007

2008

Account

$

$

$

$

Earnings

4,000,000

7,000,000

14,000,000

10,000,000

Cost of Construction

   Labor

640,000

1,120,000

2.240,000

1,600,000

   Material

1,600,000

2,800,000

5,600,000

4,000,000

   Subcontracts

960,000

1,890,000

4,480,000

3,200,000

   Other Direct Cost (JOH)

80,000

140,000

280,000

200,000

Total Direct Cost

3,280,000

5,950,000

12,600,000

9,000,000

Gross Profit

720,000

1,050,000

1,400,000

1,000,000

Operating Expense

Variable Operating Expense

Auto and Truck

60,000

105,000

210,000

150,000

Communications

24,000

42,000

84,000

60,000

Interest (Work in progress)

40,000

70,000

140,000

100,000

Insurance (Work in progress)

136,000

196,000

204,200

237,000

Other Variable Expense

8,000

14,000

28,000

20,000

Total Variable Expense

268,000

427,000

666,200

567,000

Fixed Operating Expense

Contributions

9,000

7,000

5,000

5,000

Depreciation (Equipment)

24,000

43,200

72,000

72,000

Depreciation (Building)

3,000

3,000

3,000

3,000

Insurance (Equipment)

8,000

18,000

27,000

29,000

Interest (Equipment)

8,000

14,000

28,000

20,000

Rent

36,000

40,000

44,000

44,000

Salaries

246,000

334,800

334,800

300,000

Other Fixed Expense

18,000

20,000

10,000

10,000

Total Fixed Operating Exp.

352,000

480,000

523,800

483,000

Total Operating Expense

620,000

907,000

1,190,000

1,050,000

Net Profit (before tax)

100,000

143,000

210,000

<50,000>

Tax (28%)

28,000

40,040

58,800

<14,000>

Net Profit (after tax)

72,000

102,960

151,200

<36,000>

Dividends

22,000

22,960

21,200

0

Retained earnings

50,000

80,000

130,000

<36,000>

Requirements

As a member of American’s management team, and the only one who knows anything about analyzing company financial statements (not an uncommon occurrence), it is your responsibility to determine the financial strengths and weakness of the company. Most importantly, the owners of the company are concerned about the risk of their investment. You may perform the following analyses using Excel spreadsheets.

1.      Perform a horizontal analysis of the balance sheet for the period ending March 31, 2007 by comparing the ending balance to the beginning balance for this fiscal period with the spreadsheet shown below (Hint: Please refer to Pages 3-9, 3-10, and 3-11):

3/31/2007

3/31/2006

Change

Change

Account

$

$

$

%

2.      Perform a vertical analysis on the income statement for the period ending March 31, 2008. (Hint: Please refer to Pages 3-15 and 3-16)

3.      Use the completed vertical analysis for the period ending March 31, 2008 and the cost-volume-profit analysis to answer the following questions. (Hint: Please refer to Pages between 3-16 and 3-21)

a.       What is the actual cost structure for American in 2008? (Hint: Please refer to Page 3-6)

b.      Given the cost structure as shown on the income statement, what volume in dollars must be generated for the company to break even? (Hint: Please refer to the example on Pages 3-20 and 3-21)

c.       Given the cost structure as shown on the income statement, what volume in dollars must be generated to yield $150,000 net profit before tax?

d.      Given the cost structure as shown on the income statement, what volume in dollars must be generated to yield a 1% profit after tax?

4.      Perform a trend on the ratios shown in the following table. For aging ratios such as the average age of accounts receivable, the trend will include results from the last three years. For all other ratios, the trend will include all four years. The ratios must appear in a spreadsheet as follows (Hint: Please refer to Pages between 3-23 and 3-33):

Ratio

2005

2006

2007

2008

*Range

**U/F

***Interpretation

CR = CA/CL

QR=(Cash+AR)/CL

WC = CA-CL

AAAR = AAR/R x 365 Days

AAAP = AAP/M x 365 days

D to E = D/E

DFAN = NFA/GFA (equipment)

* Range – give range as stated in the text, if available

**U/F – indicated whether the trend is unfavorable or favorable

*** Interpretation – Defend your selection of favorable or unfavorable. Apply industry norms, if available, for those ratios where a range is not given.

Account

3/31/2005

3/31/2006

3/31/2007

3/31/2008

Cash

200,000

280,000

390,000

160,000

Accounts Receivable

650,000

1,104,000

3,400,000

2,000,000

Retainage Receivable

50,000

96,000

300,000

205,200

Material Inventory

80,000

140,000

170,000

70,000

Under-billings

200,000

420,000

500,000

250,000

Other Current Assets

20,000

30,000

40,000

40,000

Total Current Assets

1,200,000

2,070,000

4,800,000

2,725,200

Equipment (Gross)

120,000

216,000

360,000

360,000

Less: Acc. Dep.

24,000

67,200

139,200

211,200

Equipment (Net)

96,000

148,800

220,800

148,800

Building (Gross)

60,000

60,000

60,000

60,000

Less: Acc. Dep.

3,000

6,000

9,000

12,000

Building (Net)

57,000

54,000

51,000

48,000

Land

47,000

47,000

47,000

47,000

Total Non-Current Assets

200,000

249,800

318,800

243,800

Total Assets

1,400,000

2,319,800

5,118,800

2,969,000

Equities

Liabilities

Account Payable

100,000

200,000

560,000

475,000

Subcontracts Payable

200,000

430,000

1,270,000

400,000

Retainage Payable

20,000

50,000

170,000

75,000

Over-billings

100,000

200,000

600,000

700,000

Note Payable (current)

100,000

150,000

300,000

150,000

Income Tax Payable

28,000

40,000

58,000

<14,000>

Current Portion (L/T/D)

40,000

64,000

200,000

100,000

Other Current Liability

12,000

16,000

42,000

14,000

Total Current Liability

600,000

1,150,000

3,200,000

1,900,000

Long Term Debt

100,000

389,800

818,800

145,000

Total Liability

700,000

1,539,800

4,018,800

2,045,000

Net Worth

Capital Stock

650,000

650,000

840,000

700,000

Retained Earnings

50,000

130,000

260,000

224,000

Total Net Worth

700,000

780,000

1,100,000

924,000

Total Equities

1,400,000

2,319,800

5,118,800

2,969,000

Explanation / Answer

1) Change in Accounts

Account

3/31/2006

3/31/2007

Cash

280,000

390,000

Accounts Receivable

1,104,000

3,400,000

Retainage Receivable

96,000

300,000

Material Inventory

140,000

170,000

Under-billings

420,000

500,000

Other Current Assets

30,000

40,000

Total Current Assets

2,070,000

4,800,000

Equipment (Gross)

216,000

360,000

Less: Acc. Dep.

67,200

139,200

Equipment (Net)

148,800

220,800

Building (Gross)

60,000

60,000

Less: Acc. Dep.

6,000

9,000

Building (Net)

54,000

51,000

Land

47,000

47,000

Total Non-Current Assets

249,800

318,800

Account Payable

200,000

560,000

Subcontracts Payable

430,000

1,270,000

Retainage Payable

50,000

170,000

Over-billings

200,000

600,000

Note Payable (current)

150,000

300,000

Income Tax Payable

40,000

58,000

Current Portion (L/T/D)

64,000

200,000

Other Current Liability

16,000

42,000

Long Term Debt

389,800

818,800

Total Liability

1,539,800

4,018,800

Capital Stock

650,000

840,000

Retained Earnings

130,000

260,000

Note : Ask other parts separately referring that solve 2nd to 4th part.

Account

3/31/2006

3/31/2007

Change % Change

Cash

280,000

390,000

110,000 39.28

Accounts Receivable

1,104,000

3,400,000

2,296,000 207.97

Retainage Receivable

96,000

300,000

204,000 212.5%

Material Inventory

140,000

170,000

30,000 21.43

Under-billings

420,000

500,000

80,000 19.04

Other Current Assets

30,000

40,000

10,000 33.33

Total Current Assets

2,070,000

4,800,000

2,730,000 131.88

Equipment (Gross)

216,000

360,000

144,000 66.66

Less: Acc. Dep.

67,200

139,200

72,000 107.14

Equipment (Net)

148,800

220,800

72,000 48.38

Building (Gross)

60,000

60,000

0 0

Less: Acc. Dep.

6,000

9,000

3,000 50

Building (Net)

54,000

51,000

- 3,000 - 5.55

Land

47,000

47,000

0 0

Total Non-Current Assets

249,800

318,800

69,000 27.62

Account Payable

200,000

560,000

360,000 180

Subcontracts Payable

430,000

1,270,000

840,000 195.35

Retainage Payable

50,000

170,000

120,000 240

Over-billings

200,000

600,000

400,000 200

Note Payable (current)

150,000

300,000

150,000 100

Income Tax Payable

40,000

58,000

18,000 45

Current Portion (L/T/D)

64,000

200,000

136,000 212.5

Other Current Liability

16,000

42,000

26,000 162.5

Long Term Debt

389,800

818,800

429,000 110.05

Total Liability

1,539,800

4,018,800

2,479,000 161

Capital Stock

650,000

840,000

190,000 29.23

Retained Earnings

130,000

260,000

130,000 100