Questions with complete solution
2025/2026
A company currently has a ratio of 1.5 but hopes to improve the ratio to 2 to align more
with the industry benchmark. To achieve this goal, costs were cut in production through
an investment in efficient equipment, and the company achieved a higher profit margin.
If this continues, you are certain that the firm will achieve its goal in two years. What is
this an example of?
a) Flexibility
b) Trend analysis
c) Cross-sectional analysis
d) Progress measurement - correct answer ✔d) Progress measurement
You are comparing the company's ratio to the goal and checking how the company is
progressing toward the goal.
For what purpose are market ratios used?
a) To measure how well a company uses its assets to generate sales or cash
b) To consider how a firm is financed
c) To evaluate the current share price of a public firm's stock
d) To assess a firm's ability to meet short-term obligations without raising external
capital - correct answer ✔c) To evaluate the current share price of a public firm's stock
Market ratios are used to evaluate whether the current share of a public firm's stock is
correctly priced.
You are considering starting a new business to sell Widgets in your hometown. You can
import the Widgets at a low cost, and you hope to be able to sell them for significantly
more. Which ratio can help you calculate how much profit you will earn from the sale of
each Widget? (Assume you are only considering the cost of the Widget, not any other
operating costs.)
a) Operating margin
b) Accounts receivable turnover
c) Gross margin
d) Fixed asset turnover - correct answer ✔c) Gross margin
Gross margin tells you the percent of sales that become gross profit. The rest of the
money earned from sales is used for the production of goods.
, What allows an investor to determine which financial activities are contributing to
changes in the return on equity?
a) Flexibility
b) Trend analysis
c) Cross-sectional analysis
d) DuPont framework - correct answer ✔d) DuPont framework
Decomposing the DuPont framework enables analysis of fundamental performance to
determine which financial activities are contributing to changes in the return on equity.
Knowing that you are taking this finance class, a friend asks you about two investment
opportunities he is considering. He wants to know which of the firms is using its assets
more efficiently to generate sales. Which set of information could help you determine
this?
a) Firm A has an asset turnover of 4, and Firm B has an asset turnover of 2.5.
b) Firm A has a leverage ratio of 3, and Firm B has a leverage ratio of 1.5.
c) Firm A has a gross margin of 40%, and Firm B has a gross margin of 35%.
d) Both firms have a return on assets of 5%, but Firm B has a higher profit margin. -
correct answer ✔a) Firm A has an asset turnover of 4, and Firm B has an asset
turnover of 2.5.
Asset turnover is an indicator of how well a firm uses its assets to generate sales. Since
Firm A generates $4 of sales for every $1 of assets, it is using its assets more
efficiently.
W&H Company wants to create a cash budget to better manage its cash flows. The
financial manager knows that the firm's labor costs and materials costs are too high for
the level of sales each month. The firm also needs to keep better track of its cash flows
to assess its need for additional financing through short-term loans.
W&H Inc.'s labor costs each month are an example of which item in a cash budget?
a) Minimum cash need
b) Cash disbursement
c) Cash receipt
d) Net cash for the month - correct answer ✔b) Cash disbursement
This is a cash disbursement for the firm because it represents cash going out during the
month to pay employees.
W&H Company wants to create a cash budget to better manage its cash flows. The
financial manager knows that the firm's labor costs and materials costs are too high for
the level of sales each month. The firm also needs to keep better track of its cash flows
to assess its need for additional financing through short-term loans.