Library/CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst)/Financial Statement Analysis/Learning Module 11 Financial Analysis Techniques

Learning Module 11 Financial Analysis Techniques

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Overview and financial analysis process5 min
This chapter explains tools and techniques used in financial analysis and their uses and limitations. It begins with a structured financial analysis process: (1) articulate purpose and context, (2) collect input data, (3) process data (adjusted statements, common-size, ratios, graphs), (4) analyze and interpret, (5) develop and communicate recommendations, and (6) follow up. An analyst must go beyond mechanical computations to ask why performance changed and whether value was created.

Key Points

  • Follow a phased process: purpose, data collection, processing, analysis, communication, follow-up.
  • Analysis must explain both what happened and why; computation alone is insufficient.
  • Context (industry, economy, strategy) guides ratio selection and interpretation.
Comparisons, common-size statements, and graphs8 min
Comparisons (cross-sectional and time-series) are central. Common-size statements (vertical and horizontal) remove size effects and reveal composition and trends. Vertical common-size balance sheets express each line as a percentage of total assets; income statements are often expressed as percent of revenue. Horizontal common-size statements index items to a base year to show growth patterns.

Financial ratios are indicators, not answers. They must be interpreted relative to peers, industry benchmarks, and the company’s historical trend; accounting choices and definitions matter. The chapter groups ratios into activity (efficiency), liquidity (short-term capacity), solvency (long-term capacity and leverage), and profitability (margins and returns). Activity ratios include inventory turnover, DOH, receivable turnover and DSO, payables turnover and days payable, working capital turnover, fixed asset turnover, and total asset turnover. Liquidity ratios include current ratio, quick ratio, cash ratio, defensive interval, and the cash conversion cycle (DOH + DSO - days payable). Solvency ratios include debt-to-assets, debt-to-capital, debt-to-equity, leverage, debt-to-EBITDA and coverage ratios such as interest coverage and fixed-charge coverage. Profitability ratios include gross margin, operating margin, pretax and net margins, ROA, ROIC, ROE, and return on common equity.

Key Points

  • Common-size statements enable comparisons across firms and time.
  • Ratios must be compared to historical benchmarks, peers, and industry norms.
  • Average balance-sheet values are often used when pairing flows with stocks.
Interpretation, limitations, and data sources6 min
Interpretation guidance: a single ratio is insufficient; use a suite of ratios and cross-check (e.g., rising receivables as percent of sales with rising DSO can signal revenue quality issues). Seasonal and timing issues require averages for balance-sheet denominators where income-statement flows are used. Ratio databases and vendors may vary in their formula definitions; use consistent sources and verify formulas.

Graphical presentation (line, stacked column, pie) aids visualization of trends and composition. Regression analysis can help identify statistical relationships (e.g., sales vs GDP) and support forecasts.

Key Points

  • Watch for accounting-policy differences that distort comparisons (FIFO vs LIFO, lease treatment, etc.).
  • Use graphs and regressions to reveal relationships and support forecasting.
  • Be mindful of vendor formula differences; document definitions used.
DuPont analysis and integrated ratio analysis6 min
DuPont analysis: ROE can be decomposed to reveal drivers. Basic two-way: ROE = ROA × leverage. Further decomposition: ROE = (Net profit margin) × (Total asset turnover) × (Leverage). A five-part decomposition includes tax burden and interest burden as separate factors, yielding ROE = Tax burden × Interest burden × EBIT margin × Asset turnover × Leverage. Use decomposition to see whether changes in ROE are driven by profitability, efficiency, leverage, taxes, or interest.

Integrated ratio analysis shows how categories interact (e.g., activity ratios drive liquidity which in turn affects solvency and profitability).

Key Points

  • Decompose ROE to diagnose the contributors to return: margin, efficiency, and leverage.
  • Five-part decomposition isolates tax and interest effects as well.
  • Integrated analysis evaluates consistency among ratio trends.
Industry-specific ratios and modeling basics8 min
Industry-specific ratios matter: retail uses same-store sales and sales per square foot; hotels use ADR and occupancy; banks use capital adequacy and net interest margin; subscription businesses use ARPU. Analysts should select ratios relevant to the industry.

Modeling and forecasting: ratio analysis supports building company forecasts. Forecasts should be explicit about assumptions, use multiple scenarios (sensitivity, scenario analysis, simulation) to reflect uncertainty, and incorporate industry drivers. Trailing-12-months calculations, XBRL, and vendor databases are practical tools. Forecast horizon choices depend on investment horizon, industry cyclicality, and company-specific changes. Always consider normalization for mid-cycle or terminal forecasts (e.g., normalized earnings or normalized capex). Anticipate inflection points from technology, regulation, or macro shocks. When inflation/deflation affect input prices, analysts must estimate pass-through to selling prices, price elasticity, geographic currency effects, and possible operational mitigants (substitution, hedging, mix changes). Carefully model working capital by projecting DSO/DOH/days payable and linking to income statement and balance sheet.

Key Points

  • Select industry-specific ratios that reflect sector economics and business models.
  • Use scenarios and sensitivity analysis to incorporate uncertainty; avoid overconfidence.
  • For inflation, model price pass-through, price elasticity, and regional currency dynamics.

Questions

Question 1

Which phase of the financial analysis framework specifies the questions the analysis must answer and the timetable for completion?

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Question 2

A vertical common-size balance sheet expresses each balance sheet item as a percentage of which base?

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Question 3

If a firm's receivables turnover falls while days sales outstanding (DSO) rises, what is the most likely interpretation?

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Question 4

Which liquidity ratio measures how long (in days) a company can operate using only its liquid assets (cash, marketable securities, receivables) without additional cash inflows?

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Question 5

Which solvency ratio best indicates the number of years required to repay total debt from EBITDA (assuming steady EBITDA and debt)?

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Question 6

An analyst computes ROA as Net income divided by average total assets. Which adjustment to the numerator would produce a measure that more clearly reflects returns available to all capital providers (creditors plus equity holders)?

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Question 7

Which of the following statements about DuPont decomposition is correct?

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Question 8

Which category of ratios would best reveal a company's ability to meet interest payments from operating earnings?

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Question 9

An analyst wants to compare two firms in different countries where accounting rules differ and fiscal year ends differ. Which approach will most help comparability?

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Question 10

Which of the following is NOT a limitation of ratio analysis noted in the chapter?

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Question 11

Which activity ratio is most directly used to compute days of inventory on hand (DOH)?

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Question 12

An analyst sees that a company's net income has consistently exceeded cash provided by operations over several years. Which concern is most relevant?

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Question 13

Which graphical format is most useful to show composition of asset categories in a single period?

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Question 14

Which statement best describes the appropriate use of averages when computing ratios that pair income-statement flows with balance-sheet stocks?

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Question 15

Which industry-specific ratio would be most useful for an analyst valuing a hotel chain?

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Question 16

An analyst decomposes ROE and finds the following: net profit margin is stable, asset turnover has improved, and leverage is unchanged. Which component most likely explains an increase in ROE?

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Question 17

Which of the following best describes a sensible approach to assessing cash flow quality relative to reported earnings?

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Question 18

When assessing a company's inventory health, which two measures should an analyst examine together to detect potential obsolescence?

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Question 19

Which of these is a recommended way to reduce overconfidence bias when producing financial forecasts?

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Question 20

Porter’s five forces include all of the following EXCEPT:

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Question 21

If an analyst finds that a firm’s EBIT is volatile year-to-year while ROE is steady, which explanation is most consistent with integrated ratio analysis?

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Question 22

Which ratio would an analyst use to evaluate a bank’s core profitability from its lending business?

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Question 23

When translating a foreign-company's financial statements for ratio comparison, which exchange rate should generally be used to convert income statement items for an annual analysis?

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Question 24

Which of the following best characterizes the cash conversion cycle (CCC)?

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Question 25

Which of these is the primary benefit of using DuPont decomposition when analyzing ROE?

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Question 26

In activity ratio computation, why might an analyst annualize a quarterly inventory turnover?

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Question 27

What is a principal warning sign discussed in the chapter that should alert analysts to potential revenue recognition manipulation?

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Question 28

Which practice could artificially inflate cash provided by operating activities in the short term without improving operating performance?

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Question 29

Which method of depreciation will typically lead to the highest expense in the early years of an asset’s life, all else equal?

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Question 30

When assessing deferred tax assets, the chapter advises analysts to focus on which judgment by management?

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Question 31

Which of the following is a primary use of ratio analysis as described in the chapter?

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Question 32

An analyst observing a firm with a negative cash conversion cycle should most appropriately:

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Question 33

Which statistical technique, mentioned in the chapter, helps identify relationships between variables such as sales and GDP for forecasting?

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Question 34

Which measure is most useful in comparing efficiency of fixed-asset utilization across firms?

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Question 35

An analyst finds a company reports unusually large 'other operating items' variability each year. Which of the following should the analyst consider doing when forecasting operating results?

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Question 36

When building a pro forma cash flow statement from projected net income, which items must the analyst typically estimate or forecast separately?

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Question 37

Why do analysts commonly compute ROIC (return on invested capital) on an after-tax basis?

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Question 38

Which technique would best help quantify the range of plausible outcomes for a company's free cash flow forecast?

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Question 39

Which of these is NOT a recommended way to address confirmation bias in analyst research?

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Question 40

An analyst observes a company's ROA falls while its net profit margin rises. Which other ratio change would most likely explain the ROA decline?

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Question 41

Which of the following choices is the best reason to prefer a multi-year forecast (e.g., 5 years) versus only a one-year forecast?

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Question 42

If a company operates in countries with widely differing inflation, what must an analyst consider when forecasting revenue growth?

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Question 43

Which of the following is a sensible way to treat a large restructuring charge when forecasting future operating performance?

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Question 44

When comparing two peer companies, one reports under IFRS and the other under US GAAP, what should the analyst do before comparing inventory turnover ratios?

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Question 45

What is the primary reason analysts use weighted-average shares outstanding rather than ending shares when computing EPS for a fiscal year?

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Question 46

Which of the following statements about trailing twelve months (TTM) calculations is correct?

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Question 47

Why is EBITDA often shown in analyst models even though it is not a GAAP measure?

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Question 48

Which modeling approach is described by starting from an economy-level growth rate and reducing it by expected changes in market share to estimate company sales?

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Question 49

Which behavior-related remedy helps limit the illusion of control when building complex forecasting models?

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Question 50

When estimating terminal value in a DCF, the chapter recommends which of the following to avoid overstating value?

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