Library/CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst)/Financial Statement Analysis/Learning Module 2 Analyzing Income Statements

Learning Module 2 Analyzing Income Statements

50 questions available

Overview and Purpose5 min
This module covers how analysts should read and interpret income statements and related disclosures to form expectations about future performance and valuation. Revenue recognition: The converged IFRS/FASB revenue standard centers on recognizing revenue to depict transfer of promised goods or services for the consideration expected. It prescribes a five-step process: (1) identify the contract; (2) identify performance obligations; (3) determine transaction price; (4) allocate the price to obligations; (5) recognize revenue when obligations are satisfied (at a point in time or over time). Analysts must identify when control transfers (right to payment, legal title, physical possession, risks/rewards, customer acceptance) and assess collectability thresholds (IFRS: probable = more likely than not; US GAAP: probable = likely to occur). Complex arrangements include principal versus agent (recognize gross versus only fee/commission), franchising/licensing (license timing depends on whether the license grants a right to access or a right to use; support recognized over time), software as a service versus licensed software (SaaS recognized over time), long-term contracts (revenue over time if criteria met; measure progress by input or output methods), bill-and-hold (recognize when control conditions met), and extensive disclosure requirements (disaggregation, contract balances, remaining performance obligations, judgments).

Key Points

  • Revenue recognition follows five steps under converged standard.
  • Assess control transfer indicators: payment right, title, possession, risks/rewards, acceptance.
  • Collectability thresholds differ slightly under IFRS and US GAAP.
  • Complex contracts (agent vs principal, SaaS vs license, long-term contracts) require careful judgment.
  • Extensive disclosures required about judgments, contract balances, and remaining obligations.
Expense Recognition and Capitalization6 min
Expense recognition and capitalization: Expenses are recognized when economic benefits are consumed. Matching links cost of goods sold with revenue; period costs (SG&A, R&D) are expensed as incurred, while some expenditures are capitalized and amortized/depreciated over useful lives. Choice of methods (inventory costing, depreciation), and estimates (useful lives, salvage, warranty, bad debt) materially affect reported income. Capitalizing vs expensing alters timing of profit, cash-flow presentation (capitalizing increases operating cash flow but shows investing outflow), and ratios (ROE, margins). Capitalized interest is added to asset cost and later expensed via depreciation; analysts should include capitalized interest when assessing interest coverage or adjust EBIT and interest in calculations. Internally developed software: IFRS requires expensing research-phase costs and allows capitalization in development phase once technological feasibility is established; US GAAP generally expenses R&D. Analysts should adjust for capitalization differences when comparing firms.

Key Points

  • Matching principle links costs to related revenues; alternatives exist for period costs.
  • Capitalization delays expense recognition, increasing initial profitability and operating cash flows.
  • Capitalized interest should be included when assessing interest coverage.
  • IFRS permits development capitalization after feasibility; US GAAP generally expenses R&D.
  • Analyst adjustments are necessary for cross-company comparability.
Non-Recurring Items and Accounting Changes4 min
Non-recurring items, discontinued operations, and accounting changes: Analysts separate transitory/nonrecurring items from continuing operations to forecast future earnings. Under IFRS and US GAAP, discontinued operations are reported separately (net of tax). Unusual or infrequent material items are disclosed separately to aid user understanding. Changes in accounting policies generally require retrospective application (restating prior periods) where practical; changes in accounting estimates are handled prospectively. Analysts should read footnotes and MD&A to assess material impacts and management judgments.

Key Points

  • Discontinued operations are presented separately and net of tax.
  • Unusual/infrequent items should be identified to assess persistence of earnings.
  • Accounting policy changes are typically retrospective; estimate changes are prospective.
  • Footnotes and MD&A explain the rationale and effect of changes.
Earnings per Share and Dilution4 min
Earnings per share: Basic EPS = (Net income - preferred dividends) / weighted average common shares. Complex capital structures with potentially dilutive securities require diluted EPS calculations: if-converted method for convertibles (add back interest after tax or preferred dividends, add shares), treasury stock method for options/warrants (assume exercise and repurchase at average market price). Antidilutive securities (that would increase EPS if included) are excluded. Analysts must interpret changes in EPS by decomposing numerator (earnings) and denominator (shares).

Key Points

  • Basic EPS uses weighted average shares; stock dividends/splits affect denominator retroactively.
  • Diluted EPS uses if-converted for convertibles and treasury-stock method for options.
  • Antidilutive securities are excluded from diluted EPS.
  • EPS changes reflect both earnings and share count dynamics.
Income Statement Analysis: Ratios & Common-Size5 min
Income-statement analysis: Use common-size income statements (percent of sales) to compare margins and trends across companies and time. Key margins: gross margin, operating margin, pretax margin, net profit margin. Analysts must consider accounting policy differences (e.g., capitalization, revenue recognition methods) when comparing companies. Common-size and ratio analysis helps identify strategy differences (R&D, advertising, pricing) and areas requiring deeper analysis (e.g., higher finance cost after a big acquisition).

Key Points

  • Common-size income statement standardizes each line as percent of sales.
  • Compare gross, operating, and net margins to peers and trends.
  • Adjust for accounting policy differences before making cross-company conclusions.
  • Large swings in margins may indicate acquisitions, write-downs, or accounting changes.

Questions

Question 1

Under the converged revenue recognition standard, which of the following is the correct five-step sequence an entity should use to recognize revenue from contracts with customers?

View answer and explanation
Question 2

Which indicator is NOT typically used to assess whether control of a good or service has transferred to a customer under the converged revenue recognition model?

View answer and explanation
Question 3

MegaMarketplace sells third-party goods on its platform. For items where MegaMarketplace acts as an agent (arranges sale for a third-party seller), how should MegaMarketplace present revenue related to those transactions?

View answer and explanation
Question 4

CReaM Software sells perpetual software licenses and cloud subscriptions. Under IFRS, when should revenue from a perpetual 'right-to-use' software license typically be recognized?

View answer and explanation
Question 5

AVI, a defense contractor, uses the percentage-of-completion method for a multi-year contract whose performance 'creates an asset controlled by the customer as it is created.' If total contract revenue is EUR10 million and total estimated cost is EUR7 million, and costs incurred in Year 1 equal EUR4.2 million (60% of estimated costs), what amount of revenue and gross profit should AVI recognize in Year 1 under IFRS input (cost-incurred) measurement?

View answer and explanation
Question 6

Which of the following statements about the treatment of incremental costs of obtaining a contract under the converged revenue standard is true?

View answer and explanation
Question 7

Under IFRS, internally generated intangible assets are accounted for by separating research and development phases. Which of the following is the correct treatment?

View answer and explanation
Question 8

If a firm capitalizes a EUR900 equipment purchase with a 3-year useful life instead of expensing it immediately, what immediate effect will this have on Year 1 operating cash flow and Year 1 net income (assume tax rate = 30 percent and straight-line depreciation)?

View answer and explanation
Question 9

Which of the following is the correct formula for Free Cash Flow to the Firm (FCFF) using operating cash flows?

View answer and explanation
Question 10

Acme Corporation reports operating cash flow (CFO) of USD2,606, interest paid of USD258, an effective tax rate of 34 percent, and capital expenditures (net) of USD538 in the year. What is Acme's FCFF for the year (USD, rounded)?

View answer and explanation
Question 11

Which cash flow measure represents cash flow available to common shareholders after capital expenditures and net debt repayments?

View answer and explanation
Question 12

WhiteCo has CFO (cash flow from operations) of EUR10 million, capital expenditures of EUR6 million, and repaid EUR2 million of debt during the year (no new borrowing). What is WhiteCo's FCFE for the year?

View answer and explanation
Question 13

An analyst observes a company with consistently positive net income but negative operating cash flow over several years. Which of the following interpretations is MOST consistent with this observation?

View answer and explanation
Question 14

Which of the following adjustments would an analyst typically make when converting an indirect-method operating cash flow to a direct-method presentation using balance sheet and income statement information?

View answer and explanation
Question 15

Which of the following statements about capitalized interest is CORRECT from an analyst's perspective?

View answer and explanation
Question 16

Under IFRS, how are subsequent increases in the net realizable value of inventory previously written down treated?

View answer and explanation
Question 17

Which inventory cost flow assumption will typically produce the highest ending inventory value during a period of rising purchase prices (inflation)?

View answer and explanation
Question 18

A retailer using FIFO has gross profit margin of 40 percent in Year 1. A competitor using LIFO in the same industry reports a gross margin of 34 percent in Year 1 during an inflationary period. Holding all else equal, which statement is most accurate?

View answer and explanation
Question 19

Which inventory valuation method is prohibited under IFRS (i.e., IFRS does not permit it)?

View answer and explanation
Question 20

During a deflationary period (falling costs), which inventory cost method generally results in the LOWEST reported net income, all else equal?

View answer and explanation
Question 21

Which of the following is an example of an item typically expensed as incurred rather than capitalized under normal accounting rules?

View answer and explanation
Question 22

Which of the following disclosures should an analyst expect to find in the footnotes regarding inventories under IFRS?

View answer and explanation
Question 23

A company reports a significant increase in its finished goods inventory while sales remain flat and management discloses no expected near-term sales growth. Which analyst concern is MOST relevant?

View answer and explanation
Question 24

Which of the following ratios directly measures how many days on average a company's inventory is held before sale?

View answer and explanation
Question 25

Company A uses FIFO and reports inventory of EUR50 million. Company B in the same industry uses LIFO and reports inventory of EUR30 million in the same period of rising costs. Which analytical adjustment is most appropriate when comparing their balance sheets?

View answer and explanation
Question 26

Which of the following inventory-related items is most likely to appear in the MD&A (management discussion and analysis) as a key performance indicator (KPI) that helps analysts forecast future sales and working capital needs?

View answer and explanation
Question 27

A company reports a significant inventory write-down in the current year. Which of the following ratio effects would the analyst MOST likely observe immediately after the write-down (holding all else equal)?

View answer and explanation
Question 28

When analyzing disclosures about inventories, which of the following elements is LEAST directly helpful in assessing obsolescence risk?

View answer and explanation
Question 29

Which accounting treatment for inventory under US GAAP differs from IFRS and may result in a permanent reduction in book value of inventory that cannot be reversed later?

View answer and explanation
Question 30

A company's inventory turnover (COGS / average inventory) increases substantially in Year 2 relative to Year 1. Which scenario is the MOST likely cause if sales and COGS are unchanged?

View answer and explanation
Question 31

When a firm capitalizes development costs for internal software under IFRS, how does that decision typically impact reported operating cash flow and reported operating profit in the initial period compared with expensing the costs?

View answer and explanation
Question 32

Which of the following best describes an analyst's appropriate treatment of goodwill when comparing return on assets across firms?

View answer and explanation
Question 33

In calculating diluted EPS using the treasury stock method for options, which of the following steps is required?

View answer and explanation
Question 34

Which of the following inventory-related ratios is the BEST indicator of whether a firm may be at risk of inventory obsolescence?

View answer and explanation
Question 35

Which of the following correctly explains why a firm might report higher operating cash flow (CFO) if it capitalizes expenditures rather than expensing them immediately?

View answer and explanation
Question 36

Which of the following is TRUE about treatment of inventory for certain agricultural producers under IFRS?

View answer and explanation
Question 37

Which of the following best describes how an analyst should treat an inventory write-down when comparing operating trends across multi-year periods?

View answer and explanation
Question 38

Which of these is the most direct effect of changing a depreciation method from straight-line to an accelerated method on the income statement and cash flows (assuming no tax timing differences)?

View answer and explanation
Question 39

An analyst observes a company with inventory classified into raw materials, work-in-process, and finished goods. Over the past year, raw materials fell 10%, WIP rose 50%, and finished goods rose 5%. Sales have been steady. Which interpretation is MOST consistent with these patterns?

View answer and explanation
Question 40

Under US GAAP after the 2016 update, inventories measured using methods other than LIFO and the retail inventory method are measured at:

View answer and explanation
Question 41

A firm reports a disclosure: 'If any single customer represents 10 percent or more of total revenue, the company will disclose that fact.' Why is this disclosure relevant to an analyst assessing inventory risk?

View answer and explanation
Question 42

When a company’s inventory is measured at net realizable value (NRV) because selling prices fell, how is the write-down recorded in the financial statements under IFRS?

View answer and explanation
Question 43

Which of the following best explains why the choice of inventory costing method affects financial ratios like ROE and profit trends?

View answer and explanation
Question 44

If an analyst wants to compare operating profitability across companies with differing inventory policies, what is the BEST first step?

View answer and explanation
Question 45

Which of the following journal entries reflects an inventory write-down to net realizable value under IFRS (assume a direct write-down approach)?

View answer and explanation
Question 46

A company using LIFO during a period of materially rising prices reports a lower current ratio compared to an otherwise identical FIFO peer. Which explanation is MOST LIKELY?

View answer and explanation
Question 47

Which disclosure would most help an analyst adjust a LIFO company's financials to approximate FIFO amounts?

View answer and explanation
Question 48

Which of these is NOT a required disclosure about inventories under IAS 2 that analysts commonly use?

View answer and explanation
Question 49

Which of the following is the most appropriate immediate analytical reaction to a large, unexplained increase in a retailer's inventory turnover ratio (COGS / average inventory)?

View answer and explanation
Question 50

Which of the following best summarizes why inventory accounting and disclosures are particularly important for equity valuation models of merchandising companies?

View answer and explanation