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Muscarella Inc. has the following balance sheet and income statement data: Cash

ID: 2739043 • Letter: M

Question

Muscarella Inc. has the following balance sheet and income statement data:

Cash

$ 14,000

Accounts payable

$ 42,000

Receivables

70,000

Other current liabilities

    28,000

Inventories

210,000

   Total CL

$ 70,000

   Total CA

$294,000

Long-term debt

70,000

Net fixed assets

126,000

Common equity

280,000

   Total assets

$420,000

   Total liab. and equity

$420,000

Sales

$280,000

Net income

$ 21,000

The new CFO thinks that inventories are excessive and could be lowered sufficiently to cause the current ratio to equal the industry average, 2.70, without affecting either sales or net income. Assuming that inventories are sold off and not replaced to get the current ratio to the target level, and that the funds generated are used to buy back common stock at book value, by how much would the ROE change?

a.

4.28%

b.

4.50%

c.

4.73%

d.

4.96%

e.

5.21%

Cash

$ 14,000

Accounts payable

$ 42,000

Receivables

70,000

Other current liabilities

    28,000

Inventories

210,000

   Total CL

$ 70,000

   Total CA

$294,000

Long-term debt

70,000

Net fixed assets

126,000

Common equity

280,000

   Total assets

$420,000

   Total liab. and equity

$420,000

Sales

$280,000

Net income

$ 21,000

Explanation / Answer

Compute the amount of inventory to be sold to get a current ratio of 2.70.

2.7 = (Total current assets - Inventory sold) / Total current liabilities

= (294,000 - Inventory sold) / 70,000

Or,

2.7 x 70,000 = 294000 - Inventory sold

Or,

Inventory sold = 294,000 - (2.7 x 70,000) = 105,000

Thus, inventory for $105,000 were sold and the cash was used to buy back common stock at book value.

When $105,000 common stock are purchased the new balance of common equity will be $175,000 ($280,000 - $105,000).

ROE before buy back of common stock = Net income / common equity

= $21,000 / $280,000

= 7.5%

ROE after buy back of common stock = $21,000 / $175,000 = 12%

Therefore, the ROE will change by 12% - 7.5% = 4.5%