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Chapter 24: 6CA_c (page 1455)

Presented below is an excerpt from the financial statements of H. J. Heinz Company.

Segment and Geographic Data

The company is engaged principally in one line of business—processed food products—which represents over 90% of consolidated sales. Information about the business of the company by geographic area is presented in the table below

There were no material amounts of sales or transfers between geographic areas or between affiliates, and no material amounts of United States export sales.

Foreign

(In thousands of U.S.

dollars)

Domestic

United Kingdom

Canada

Western Europe

Other

Total

Worldwide

Sales

\(2,381,054

\)547,527

\(216,726

\)383,784

\(209,354

\)1,357,391

$3,738,445

Operating income

246,780

61,282

34,146

29,146

25,111

146,685

396,465

Identifiable assets

1362,152

265,218

112,620

294,732

143,971

816,541

2,178,693

Capital expenditures

72,712

12,262

13,790

8,253

4,368

38,673

111,385

Depreciation expense

42,279

8,364

3,592

6,355

3,606

21,917

64,196

Instructions

(c) Why are sales by geographical area important to disclose?

Short Answer

Expert verified

Due to the political and economic instability of many countries, sales in these regions should be carefully disclosed.

Step by step solution

01

Meaning of Segment Reporting

The reporting of financial statements of a company's segments or divisions separately is called segment reporting. Publicly traded companies must provide segment data, while privately-owned companies are not obligated to do so.

02

Explaining the reason for sales by geographical area is important to disclose

Reporting sales by geographical area is extremely important. Many countries are politically and economically unstable, so sales in these regions should be carefully considered. On the other hand, sales to countries that appear to be politically and economically stable indicate that sales in these regions will continue at a higher rate.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Okay. Last fall, someone with a long memory and an even longer arm reached into that bureau drawer and came out with a moldy cheese sandwich and the equally moldy notion of corporate forecasts. We tried to find out what happened to the cheese sandwich—but, rats!, even recourse to the Freedom of Information Act didn’t help. However, the forecast proposal was dusted off, polished up and found quite serviceable. The SEC, indeed, lost no time in running it up the old flagpole—but no one was very eager to salute. Even after some of the more objectionable features—compulsory corrections and detailed explanations of why the estimates went awry—were peeled off the original proposal.

Seemingly, despite the Commission’s smiles and sweet talk, those craven corporations were still afraid that an honest mistake would lead them down the primrose path to consent decrees and class action suits. To lay to rest such qualms, the Commission last week approved a “Safe Harbor” rule that, providing the forecasts were made on a reasonable basis and in good faith, protected corporations from litigation should the projections prove wide of the mark (as only about 99% are apt to do).

Instructions

  1. What is the purpose of the “safe harbor” rule?

Edna Millay Inc. is a manufacturer of electronic components and accessories with total assets of $20,000,000. Selected financial ratios for Millay and the industry averages for firms of similar size are presented below.

Edna Millay

2017 Industry

2015

2016

2017

Averages

Current ratio

2.09

2.27

2.51

2.24

Quick ratio

1.15

1.12

1.19

1.22

Inventory turnover

2.40

2.18

2.02

3.50

Net sales to stockholders’ equity

2.71

2.80

2.99

2.85

Return on common stockholders’ equity

0.14

0.15

0.17

0.11

Total liabilities to stockholders’ equity

1.41

1.37

1.44

0.95

Millay is being reviewed by several entities whose interests vary, and the company’s financial ratios are a part of the data being considered. Each of the parties listed below must recommend an action based on its evaluation of Millay’s financial position.

Archibald MacLeish Bank. The bank is processing Millay’s application for a new 5-year term note. Archibald MacLeish has been Millay’s banker for several years but must reevaluate the company’s financial position for each major transaction.

Robert Penn Warren. A brokerage firm specializing in the stock of electronics firms that are sold over-the-counter, Robert Penn Warren must decide if it will include Millay in a new fund being established for sale to Robert Penn Warren’s clients.

Working Capital Management Committee. This is a committee of Millay’s management personnel chaired by the chief operating officer. The committee is charged with the responsibility of periodically reviewing the company’s working capital position, comparing actual data against budgets, and recommending changes in strategy as needed.

Instructions

c) Discuss what the financial ratios presented in the question reveal about Millay. Support your answer by citing specific ratio levels and trends as well as the interrelationships between these ratios.

(Post-Balance-Sheet Events) For each of the following subsequent (post-balance-sheet) events, indicate whether a company should (a) adjust the financial statements, (b) disclose in notes to the financial statements, or (c) neither adjust nor disclose.

  1. Settlement of federal tax case at a cost considerably in excess of the amount expected at year-end.
  2. Introduction of a new product line.
  3. Loss of assembly plant due to fire.
  4. Sale of a significant portion of the company’s assets.
  5. Retirement of the company president.
  6. Prolonged employee strike.
  7. Loss of a significant customer.
  8. Issuance of a significant number of shares of common stock.
  9. Material loss on a year-end receivable because of a customer’s bankruptcy.
  10. Hiring of a new president.
  11. Settlement of prior year’s litigation against the company (no loss was accrued).
  12. Merger with another company of comparable size.

(Dividend Policy Analysis) Matheny Inc. went public 3 years ago. The board of directors will be meeting shortly after the end of the year to decide on a dividend policy. In the past, growth has been financed primarily through the retention of earnings. A stock or a cash dividend has never been declared. Presented below is a brief financial summary of Matheny Inc.’s operations.

(\(000 omitted)

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

Sales revenue

\)20,000

\(16,000

\)14,000

\(6,000

\)4,000

Net income

2,400

14,000

800

700

250

Average total assets

22,000

19,000

11,500

4,200

3,000

Current assets

8,000

6,000

3,000

1,200

1,000

Working capital

3,600

3,200

1,200

500

400

Common shares:

Number of shares

Outstanding (000)

Average market price

2,000

\(9

2,000

\)6

2,000

$4

20

-

20

-

Instructions

  1. Comment on the appropriateness of declaring a cash dividend at this time, using the ratios computed in part (b) as a major factor in your analysis.

Morlan Corporation is preparing its December 31, 2017, financial statements. Two events that occurred between December 31, 2017, and March 10, 2018, when the statements were issued, are described below.

  1. A liability, estimated at \(160,000 at December 31, 2017, was settled on February 26, 2018, at \)170,000.
  2. A flood loss of $80,000 occurred on March 1, 2018.

What effect do these subsequent events have on 2017 net income?
See all solutions

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